Advocacy

What To Know About the Migrant Buses — and HIAS’ Response

Oct 03, 2022

Since April 2022, tens of thousands of asylum seekers and migrants have been sent from Texas and Arizona to Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. HIAS staff involved in the local and national response explain the situation and what HIAS is doing to help.

Why Advocacy Must Advance on Multiple Fronts

Sep 22, 2022

This summer, HIAS’ grassroots advocacy sought to influence the upcoming U.S. refugee admissions goal and priorities for the 2023 fiscal year.

In the Face of Uncertainty, Afghan Evacuees Lay Down Roots

Aug 31, 2022

Wali Ahmadzai is building a new life – and a new business – in Florida with the help of HIAS affiliate Gulf Coast JFCS. But nearly a year after arriving in the U.S., he is one of thousands of Afghan evacuees still unsure when or how they will gain permanent legal status.

One Year After the Fall of Kabul, a Look Back – and What’s Next

Aug 15, 2022

In the year since the fall of Kabul, HIAS has resettled over 4,300 Afghans through the tireless efforts of its staff, resettlement partners, and volunteers. But the work to ensure that Afghan evacuees are able to build new lives in the U.S. is not finished yet.

Afghan Adjustment Act Would Provide Certainty for Evacuees

Aug 11, 2022

Good news may be on the horizon for Afghan evacuees who came to the U.S. following the Fall of Kabul nearly one year ago: the newly-introduced, bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) would provide a clear pathway to permanent status for those still in legal limbo.
(Betsy Joles for HIAS)

In Poland, Airbnbs Offer Refuge for War-weary Ukrainians

Jul 05, 2022

WARSAW – Housing was an afterthought when Oksana Bezkorovaina arrived in Poland from bordering Ukraine with her daughter Masha and sister, Maryna. The trio had been through the wringer trying to make it out of their home in Kharkiv, where they would sleep in the basement with their shoes on — ready to flee at any moment. 

Vindman twins and their grandmother, Brighton Beach, 1985

Vindmans Call for Rebuilding Refugee Program in Ken Burns, NY Times Video

Jul 05, 2022

In 1985, Ken Burns interviewed two 10-year-old boys on the boardwalk in Brighton Beach for a film about the Statue of Liberty. Nearly 40 years later, those two boys, Alexander and Yevgeny Vindman are speaking out in support of refugee resettlement in a new Ken Burns/New York Times short.

Interfaith Conference Works to "Welcome the Stranger"

Jun 21, 2022

Leaders of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish groups responding to refugee crises in different parts of the world gathered in Geneva June 20-21.

CEO Mark Hetfield Reflects on Visit to U.S.-Mexico Border

May 31, 2022

In a short video interview, HIAS CEO Mark Hetfield reflects on his recent visit to Mexico, how Title 42 affects the U.S. asylum system, and what HIAS is doing in Mexico to help asylum seekers.

U.S. “Uniting for Ukraine” Program May Help 100k, but Concerns Remain

Apr 26, 2022

HIAS’ April 25 briefing call explains the Biden Administration’s new Uniting for Ukraine plan to bring 100,000 people displaced by the war in Ukraine to the U.S. The plan raises concern for HIAS experts, but provides many opportunities for community involvement.

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