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, […]
Category: Headquarters
Refugee Organizations Urge the Department of Transportation to Give Immigrants Their Commercial Driver’s Licenses Back
Arlington, VA — [December 19, 2025] — A recent rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibits refugees, asylees, and humanitarian parolees from obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). The decision, currently temporarily held by an order from the D.C. Court of Appeals, would exclude them from the trucking industry and threaten the livelihoods of nearly 200,000 immigrants with valid work authorizations. In comments submitted to the Federal Register, leading […]
Situation Update: Sudan December 2025
Why Are We Asking You to Keep Eyes on Sudan? The people of Sudan are suffering a crisis escalating at a pace the world is barely registering, even as it becomes one of the largest humanitarian catastrophes of our time. Over two years into the war, millions are displaced, famine is spreading, and civilians […]
USCRI Opposes Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) strongly opposes the Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia, effective February 13, 2026. This termination puts thousands of Ethiopian nationals at risk of deportation and refoulement to a country beset by armed conflict, climate shocks, and regional instability. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asserted that its review “determined the situation in Ethiopia no […]
USCRI Raises Alarm Over TPS Termination as Haiti Faces Record-Level Displacement
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is alarmed by the Administration’s recent decision to again terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, effective February 3, 2026. This action will place over 350,000 Haitian nationals at risk of returning to volatile and life-threatening conditions in Haiti. These are the same conditions for which the U.S. Department of State issued a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory. Many Haitians with TPS have lived, worked, and raised […]
Press Release – USCRI Highlights Risks of Reported USCIS Refugee Reinterview Plan
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is disturbed by reports that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has directed a sweeping review and potential reinterview of more than 200,000 refugees who were admitted to the United States between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025, as well as a halt in processing their applications for permanent residence. A […]
Statement – USCRI: Ending TPS for Burma Puts Lives in Danger, Urges Reversal
Arlington, VA — [November 25, 2025] — The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is gravely concerned about the severe impact that the Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar) will have on affected communities nationwide. This decision risks returning people to a country where conflict, widespread insecurity, and persecution persist. It also threatens to unravel the meaningful contributions Burmese TPS holders have made to their communities across the United […]
Press Release: 60+ National, State, and Local Organizations Uphold the United States’ Commitment to Welcome the Displaced and Persecuted
Arlington, VA — [November 20, 2025] — Today, more than 60 national, state, and local organizations that work with immigrants and refugees across the United States joined together to urge the U.S. Government to uphold its commitment to welcome refugees. For more than four decades, the U.S. refugee program has reflected our nation’s deepest values and global leadership in protecting the persecuted. Grounded in the Refugee Act of 1980, this bipartisan commitment […]
The Danger of Globally Institutionalizing Third Country Returns
Third country deportations should not be used as a tool for immigration enforcement. Often used as a tool to manage a politicized migration “problem,” third country deportations have the potential to normalize rights-free zones, forced exile, and indefinite detention. In February 2025, DHS issued a policy directive on third country deportations. The policy proposes forcibly […]
Press Release: Delegation Warns of Man-Made Starvation in Kakuma as USCRI Launches Pilot Program for Unaccompanied Girls
ARLINGTON, VA – Last week, a U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) delegation, led by USCRI President and CEO Eskinder Negash, visited Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya to gather firsthand insights, deliver critical support, and announce the launch of a pilot program that targets unaccompanied refugee girls. With over 300,000 refugees, the majority children, […]
