To commemorate National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, USCRI, along with the University of South Carolina, Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration, Asylee Women Enterprise, and Ayuda, held an event on January 21 to discuss the state of service programming for immigrant survivors of human trafficking in 2026. A recently released preliminary report presents findings on how the […]
Author: USCRI
Introducing “From the Archives”
For more than a century, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has advocated for the rights and dignity of refugees, reporting regularly on harms committed against people on the move. For our 115th anniversary, we are turning to our archives, republishing historical material and pairing them with present-day reflections on how the lessons of the past still resonate today. Our archives reveal that the past […]
Holocaust Remembrance Day – Remember Today’s Refugees
By Alexia Gardner, Policy Analyst, and Anum Merchant, Policy Intern In May of 1939, a boat of German Jews aboard the St. Louis pleaded for asylum in the United States. They were denied entry and returned to Europe. 254 of the passengers were later killed in the Holocaust. Rosa Seligmann was murdered at Auschwitz. Martha Scheyer was killed at Sobibor. […]
The Invisible Work That Saves Lives: Honoring Survivors Through Care, Advocacy, and Trust
By Veronica Farkas, TVAP/Aspire Case Manager My job as a Case Manager is a combination of advocacy, crisis response, and long-term support, as well as relationship building for those who have experienced severe trauma. I help survivors achieve safety, stability, and independence by connecting them to long-term housing, legal services, education, employment, and medical services. It’s rewarding to be able to […]
Venezuela in Exile: Refugee Stories
Nearly eight million Venezuelans have been forced to flee. It is one of the largest refugee crises in the world, surpassing even Syria and Afghanistan. Yet as their numbers have grown, Venezuelan’s access to regional protection has disintegrated. With Nicolás Maduro’s capture in January 2026, Venezuela faces a new political moment. The stories of those persecuted and in exile must guide what comes next. To understand this experience, USCRI Policy Analyst Alexia Gardner spoke with three Venezuelan refugees. These are their stories.* Data current as of November […]
Press Release: As Humanitarian Response Collapses, USCRI Kenya Expands Keep Girls Dreaming Program
Kakuma, Kenya — This week, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) held introductory meetings for the Keep Girls Dreaming program expansion in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. The USCRI Kenya team engaged with the Government of Kenya, non-governmental organizations, and refugee community members to elaborate on the expansion of the Keep Girls Dreaming menstrual justice program to include additional services to unaccompanied refugee girls in the camp, including food assistance, school supplies, and child protection. The program’s expansion comes at a time when basic services are not […]
Beyond Resolutions: What January Means for Trafficking Survivors
By Lindsey Draper, Regional Coordinator, Anti-Trafficking Services January, for many, is a time for post-holiday recovery. We’ve spent time with our families, eaten good food, and celebrated the passing of another year. January marks a period of new beginnings and new opportunities. But for foreign national survivors of human trafficking in the United States, January may look a bit different. December might not have brought them time […]
Defending the Right to Work: Why USCRI Called on DHS to Withdraw a Harmful Rule
In November 2025, USCRI submitted a comment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw an interim final rule (IFR) that diminishes the right to work for many immigrants, including those who are in the United States with or seeking humanitarian based protections. Below, we explain why we raised these concerns to the U.S. Government and what is at stake. In order to work legally […]
Building a National Response for Trafficking Survivors: Preliminary Evaluation Findings from TVAP and Aspire
January 12, 2025 The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is pleased to release a preliminary report, drafted in partnership with the University of South Carolina, sharing findings from an ongoing evaluation of the Trafficking Victim Assistance Program (TVAP) and Aspire: Child Trafficking Victim Assistance Program (Aspire). This preliminary report shares early findings from an ongoing […]
Through My Eyes: Early Reflection on Empowering Adolescent Girls in the Face of Fragility
by Sylvia Maru, Program Manager, Keep Girls Dreaming Stepping into Kakuma Refugee Camp for the first time is an experience that stays with you. The heat, the dust, the hustle and bustle, the resilience stamped into every face, and especially the young ones. I have just begun my journey with Keep Girls Dreaming here, […]
