Refugee Update

Thank you to those who joined in our “Pop-up” Letter-writing Sunday on February 23rd!

“The refugee program, created by Congress in 1980, is a form of legal migration to the U.S. for people displaced by war, natural disaster or persecution — a process administered by the United Nations – that often takes years and involves significant vetting. It is different from asylum, by which people newly arrived in the U.S. can seek permission to remain because they fear persecution in their home country.” (Associated Press) Refugees are *not* illegal border crossers. Lutheran Social Services only works with legal refugees and vetted, formally designated evacuees (e.g., post-war Afghans).

2/25/2025: Federal Judge of the Seattle District Court, in a suit brought by Lutheran Community Services of the Northwest along with related agency allies, ruled that the President cannot abolish the Refugee Admission Program. This case will work its way through the court system.

Meanwhile, 2/26/2025: “On Wednesday, brief messages from State Department officials told refugee groups that their contracts were ‘terminated for the convenience of the U.S. Government pursuant to a directive’ from Secretary of State Marco Rubio for ‘alignment with agency priorities and the national interest’.” (Associated Press)

2/27/2025: Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest raised an awesome $473,000 at their annual “Building Foundations” luncheon, toward closing the refugee and evacuee funding gap caused by the action of the US Secretary of State, along with LSS-SW ongoing support to families and children, aging and disability services, and emergency services. If you wish to provide in-kind support, see the Amazon wishlist here.