The açaí in your health bowl, the cocoa in your chocolate, the coffee in your latte, the copper in your phone—what do they have in common? Child labor. For millions of children, they represent long days of hazardous work instead of school, play, or rest. On World Day Against Child Labor 2025, we pause to recognize […]
Category: Headquarters
Termination of TPS for Cameroon and Nepal Puts Lives at Risk
Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon (published June 4, effective August 4, 2025) and Nepal (published June 6, effective August 5, 2025). These actions disregard ongoing humanitarian crises and place thousands of lives at risk—individuals who have built families, contributed to the economy, and strengthened […]
Travel ban targets 19 countries, including Afghanistan and Sudan
Today, the Administration rolled out travel restrictions targeting the citizens of nineteen countries. Travelers from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen are prohibited, with some exceptions. Meanwhile, there is a partial suspension on the issuance of certain visas, such as student exchange J visas, […]
USCRI Joins RCUSA for 2025 Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill
This week, alongside our partners at Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), USCRI spent two impactful days on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress and their staff to advocate for the rights and protections of refugees and immigrants. Constituents, former refugees, and longtime advocates shared their stories, opened up crucial conversations, and called for meaningful policy […]
Running for Refugees in Vermont
USCRI had a significant presence Memorial Day Weekend at Vermont’s largest single-day sporting event, the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay. On Sunday, May 25, two USCRI Vermont relay teams, each consisting of five runners from full-time staff and the volunteer network, ran their hearts out to support USCRI’s mission. Scores of other runners […]
A Legacy of Welcome: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Representative Connolly
Representative Gerry Connolly was a lifelong public servant, a steadfast advocate for human rights, and a tireless champion for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. Before his distinguished career in Congress, Representative Connolly served as Executive Director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees, where he helped shape policies and programs to protect people displaced by war […]
Administration Revokes Protections for Venezuelans
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is dismayed by the Administration’s revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela. Just weeks ago, on January 10, 2025, an extension for TPS was announced, and on January 17, 2025, it was published to the Federal Register—only to be abruptly rescinded. TPS is a lifesaving humanitarian […]
Defining “Refugees”—An Exclusionary Legacy
International organizations were born in the aftermath of devastating world wars. Nations set up international institutions and covenants, seeking to never repeat the devastation arising out of those wars. But first, they had to tackle an unprecedented mass displacement crisis. Due to warfare, destruction, and persecution, millions of people were driven out of their homes. […]
Termination of Protection Endangers Afghan Allies
The May 12 announcement from the Administration to terminate protections for Afghans is a betrayal of those who put their lives on the line to defend the United States and a failure to recognize the dire conditions in Afghanistan that threaten the lives of many. On May 13, the Administration published an official notice to […]
Isolationism—What It Means for Refugees in Africa’s Central Sahel
In the past five years, three countries in the Central Sahel—Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—have undergone transformative political changes. All three countries are now led by military juntas. In January 2025, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional economic bloc. ECOWAS also has a […]
