2019 saw HIAS open new international offices, continue its work of fighting for refugees and asylum seekers, and hold the Trump administration accountable for its anti-immigration actions.
HIAS, together with two other refugee resettlement agencies, are taking President Trump to court over his recent executive order giving state and local officials authority to block refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions.
Activists gathered at Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan National Airport this morning to “welcome” refugees who will not arrive in the U.S. during the next year because of the Trump administration’s historically low refugee admissions ceiling.
The Trump administration last week announced a proposed refugee resettlement ceiling of 18,000 for Fiscal Year 2020, a 40% cut from last year’s number amidst the largest global refugee crisis in recorded history.
Over the past six weeks, nearly 500 activists met with more than 50 members of Congress in 18 states as part of HIAS’ nationwide Asylum Advocacy Campaign.
HIAS' Senior VP of Public Affairs recently sat down with Foreign Policy magazine's First Person podcast. Listen to "Trump, Immigration, and the Fight for America’s Soul."
HIAS has joined 170 national, state and local Jewish organizations and institutions in urging the United States to meet the refugee resettlement admissions goal of 30,000 for fiscal year 2019 and to return to historic norms next year.