Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was created by President Obama in 2012 to allow certain people brought into the country without documentation as children to stay on a temporary basis. These people are often referred to as “Dreamers.” As of March 2021, there were more than 600,000 active DACA beneficiaries in the United […]
Category: Policy and Advocacy
USCRI Policy Snapshot: Arriving Unaccompanied Children
Unaccompanied children (UCs) are minors who arrive in the United States without a parent or legal guardian and who do not hold legal immigration status. Typically, arriving UCs are placed into a network of shelters that are run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Shelter care providers offer temporary homes and services, including educational, […]
Safety and Fairness for Afghans under the Special Immigrant Visa Program
On June 4, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers and a group of over 70 NGOs, including the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), sent letters to President Biden urging him to protect U.S.- affiliated Afghans in the wake of U.S. troop withdrawal. Currently, around 18,000 Afghan nationals who have provided service to the U.S. […]
USCRI Policy Snapshot – Displacement In The Climate Change Era
On May 22, 2021, Mount Nyiragongo erupted near the densely populated city of Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lava flows advanced toward neighborhoods north of the city’s airport. Shortly after the volcanic eruption, officials were concerned about displacement to and from Sake, an area […]
Understanding Migration: Corruption, Poor Governance, and their Effects on Migration in Central America
On February 2, the Biden Administration announced an Executive Order to address the root causes of migration from Latin America. The Executive Order directed a small collective of officials to develop a plan “to address the root causes of migration, including by (A) combating corruption, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing the rule of law; (B) […]
USCRI Joins 119 Organizations to Request Extending TPS for Somali Nationals in the U.S.
Somalia’s TPS designation is set to expire September 17, 2021, but Somalia is still experiencing armed conflict and extraordinary conditions that make safe return impossible. New and escalating government corruption and natural disasters qualify Somalia for redesignation as well. Both extension and redesignation are vital to safeguard the lives of both current TPS holders and […]
Part 4 of USCRI’s Series: In Search of Safety
“We really need to be listening to children. With all kids, regardless of circumstances, spend some time to really hear them and that will be the safety and stability that they need in order to get the help they deserve.” Marie Olenych, Director of Trafficking and Human Services, USCRI. On this week’s installment of USCRI’s […]
Part 3 of USCRI’s Series: In Search of Safety
On this week’s installment of USCRI's "In Search of Safety" Facebook Live Series, Vice President AnnaMarie Bena talks to Managing Attorney Hila Moss about her work overseeing USCRI's Legal Services Program and the process to help Unaccompanied Children navigate the immigration system. USCRI has been serving immigrants by providing legal services since 1911. The Immigration [...]
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) Backgrounder : Yemen
The situation in Yemen (“Yemen Crisis”) is currently the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, impacting more than 24 million people, nearly half of them children. 1 Starting as a failed political transition, the armed conflict escalated in 2015 and has steadily grown worse, causing widespread displacement, spread of disease, famine, poverty, and death. 2 […]
Part 2 of USCRI’s Series: In Search of Safety
This week’s conversation about unaccompanied children is about the essential services provided by USCRI’s Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children (CRIC) following their release to parents and guardians. Vice President AnnaMarie Bena talks to Director Matt Haygood about the post-release needs of unaccompanied children on their immigration journey. In 2005, USCRI began providing services to […]
