On May 1, USCRI Latin America and the Caribbean, together with the Shapiro Foundation, launched a new call for Habesha Project applications, reaffirming a shared commitment to support refugees as they rebuild their lives through higher education. At a time when opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers are shrinking globally, access to education remains one of the strongest pathways to long-term stability, […]
Category: Headquarters
Meet the Congresswoman Behind U.S. Refugee Law
As Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law, Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman steered the 1980 Refugee Act through the House of Representatives, partnering with Senator Ted Kennedy to drive the bill to final passage. The landmark legislation fundamentally reshaped American immigration law, allowing the United States to welcome more than three […]
AFTER WAITING FOR RECOGNITION
After more than a year of waiting, María Fernanda finally obtained her Visitor Card for Humanitarian Reasons (TVRH). Thanks to a referral by the “Casa del Migrante” Shelter in Tijuana to the U.S.-Mexico Border Program (USMBP), María Fernanda, a Colombian national, received legal accompaniment from USCRI Latin America and the Caribbean, where a violation of […]
Statement – USCRI Calls on DHS to Withdraw Proposed Rule that Could Pause Asylum Seekers’ Work Permit Applications Up to 173 Years
On April 24, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) filed a formal comment with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly opposing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would dramatically restrict asylum seekers’ access to employment authorization documents (EADs), the work permits that allow them to legally support themselves and their families. The proposed rule, […]
They show up — rain, snow, sleet, and all
April was Volunteer Appreciation Month, and throughout the entire year, the USCRI Cleveland Field Office is proud to celebrate the incredible volunteers who walk alongside newcomers as they build new lives in Cleveland. At the heart of this work are relationships — relationships rooted in welcome, trust, and compassion. During some of the most challenging […]
April 29: A Supreme Court Case That Could Uproot Millions
By: Victoria Walker, Policy Analyst On April 29, 2026, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will go before the U.S. Supreme Court. On paper, the case may appear to be another set of briefs, another date on the calendar, but for hundreds of thousands of people living in the United States under TPS, this moment could mean […]
Policy and Advocacy Newsletter: April 23, 2026
Since our last newsletter, the Policy & Advocacy team marked three years of war in Sudan by highlighting the expansive suffering from the world’s largest displacement crisis. USCRI also reflected on the promise of Kenya’s Shirika Plan, a critical initiative to promote the inclusion of refugees in Kenya. USCRI also spoke with the International Institute of New England’s President, Jeff Theilman, to understand how they […]
Press Release – USCRI Shelter for Girls Closes Doors Following Loss of Federal Funding
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 […]
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 […]
