ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) announced today the closure of Rinconcito del Sol, its shelter for unaccompanied migrant girls, effective April 10, 2026. The closure comes as a result of the loss of federal funding, ending a seven-year public-private partnership with the U.S. Government and a nationally recognized program that […]
Category: Headquarters
Statement – Three Years On: Suffering in Sudan Deepens as Global Inaction Persists
Today, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa (ARAHA) join the international community in marking the third year of war in Sudan, a year shaped by global apathy and the alarming normalization of human suffering. This conflict has resulted in the world’s largest displacement crisis, which has disproportionally impacted children. Millions of people have been torn from their homes, their schools, and their communities. Yet, in the face of such staggering devastation, Sudan has been […]
Defending Refugees in Uncertain Times: A USCRI Q&A with Jeff Thielman, President and CEO of the International Institute of New England (IINE)
Written and edited by: Rachel Ryu, Staff Attorney, Humanitarian Legal Services The International Institute of New England (IINE), a regional partner of USCRI and one of the largest and oldest human service organizations in its region, provides humanitarian relief, English language learning, employment support, and immigration legal services to thousands of refugees and immigrants […]
From the Archives – Never Again, Still a Broken Promise
By Alexia Gardner, Policy Analyst, and Benjamin Leong, International Programs Intern (Fall and Winter 2026) Despite clear evidence of genocide in Rwanda, the United States failed to act. Today, this failure echoes. Content Note: This piece includes descriptions of violence and atrocities related to the Rwandan Genocide, including firsthand accounts from a former staff member who was in Rwanda for […]
World Health Day 2026: Together for Health. Stand with Science. Stand with Refugees.
This World Health Day, USCRI’s Refugee Health Services (RHS) recognizes the vital role of science and the communities that bring it into practice every day. This year’s theme, “Together for health. Stand with science.” reflects our mission: connecting evidence-based public health guidance with the lived experiences, strengths, and leadership of refugee and immigrant communities. […]
Carrying Hope: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Future After Leaving Afghanistan
In May 2023, a 21-year-old woman stepped off a plane in Vermont with her parents and two brothers, carrying little more than hope and a deep sense of responsibility. Hasina had come from Afghanistan, leaving behind not only her homeland but also the people who shaped her childhood. What she misses most are the simple, […]
Statement – One Year On: Advancing the Promise of Kenya’s Shirika Plan
One year ago, Kenya took a bold and necessary step toward transforming its refugee response through the launch of the Shirika Plan. This landmark initiative signaled a shift away from encampment toward inclusion, resilience, and shared prosperity, recognizing that refugees are not passive beneficiaries of aid but active contributors to a country and its communities. The protracted displacement crisis in Kenya requires an inclusive and […]
Policy and Advocacy Newsletter: VOLUME 9 | ISSUE NO.7 March 26, 2026
Featured Brief On June 4, 2025, the Trump administration issued a travel ban suspending the entry of nationals from 19 countries. Unlike travel bans during the first Trump administration, this travel ban barred the entry of follow-to-join asylee families, many of whom have spent years apart under the stress of uncertainty. When we realized that […]
No Shelter: India’s Selective Abandonment of its Refugees
By: Anum Merchant, USCRI Policy Intern (Winter 2026) Edited by Alexia Gardner, Policy Analyst In 1947, millions of people crossed the borders between the newly independent India and newly formed state of Pakistan. The Partition would become the largest mass migration in human history, and one of the most violent as well. On both […]
No Two Hands Sign the Same
In recognition of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we want to share a story from USCRI Vermont that stayed with us — one that reshaped how we think about language, disability, and what it truly means to welcome someone. When we learned that a young client from Northern Africa would be arriving in the United […]
