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 […]
Category: Statement
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extension for TPS was announced, and on January 17, 2025, it was published to the Federal Register—only to be abruptly rescinded.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 […]
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 […]
USCRI Honors Pope Francis
Today, USCRI reflects on the life and papacy that Pope Francis dedicated to the world’s most marginalized people, including refugees and migrants. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 and became the first pope from the Americas. His first trip as Pope was to the Sicilian Island of Lampedusa, where he met with newly arrived migrants […]
Sudan’s War, the World’s Silence
Today marks two years since war began in Sudan, plunging the country into one of the world’s most devastating and overlooked humanitarian crises. What began on April 15, 2023, as clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has spiraled into an unabating war that has created the largest […]
Over 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans are Stripped of Protection
On March 25, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) categorically revoked humanitarian parole protections for individuals covered under the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parole program (CHNV parole). This announcement leaves over 530,000 CHNV humanitarian parolees without status in the United States and at risk of deportation, starting April 24. “Humanitarian parole” allows individuals outside […]
The Refugee Act of 1980: Needed Now More Than Ever
The Refugee Act of 1980 was born from bipartisan efforts to respond to the needs of victims of persecution, creating a pathway for them to become an American. A landmark piece of legislation, it fundamentally shaped U.S. refugee policy. The Act defined a refugee as someone with a ‘well-founded fear of persecution’ and established a […]
Refugees Protest Inhumane Conditions in Kakuma
Refugees close to starvation are protesting for their very survival. Cuts to aid have led to catastrophe in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp—home to nearly 300,000 refugees. In recent days, refugees in Kakuma staged peaceful protests demanding access to food, water, and shelter—the necessities for survival. Protests turned violent when the Kenyan police intervened, deploying live […]
Rollback of Policies Protecting Critical Community Spaces
On January 20, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive rescinding “sensitive” zone policies, which have long shielded schools, hospitals, houses of worship, and other critical spaces from immigration enforcement actions. These policies have ensured that individuals—regardless of their immigration status—can access education, healthcare, and religious services without fear. Their removal not […]
The Administration Suspends Humanitarian Protection Programs
On January 28, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) took the first steps in implementing the Administration’s executive order directing the termination of all categorical humanitarian parole programs. “Humanitarian parole” allows individuals outside of the United States to enter the United States on a temporary basis due to an urgent humanitarian need, such as a […]
