The need to protect Afghan evacuees is greater than ever. Many of them are under temporary humanitarian parole status, which is set to expire this summer, reports Addie Offereins of World Magazine.

Without a permanent, legislative solution, evacuees continue to live in uncertainty and fear of deportation back to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

"The easiest and cleanest thing is for Congress to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act and make this permanent," Larry Benenson, our vice president of policy and advocacy, told Offereins.

The bill, which would give Afghan evacuees a path to permanent legal status in the U.S., still has significant bipartisan support.

Separately, Emily Whitney of WHYY tells the story of how an Afghan family with three daughters fled and built a home in Philadelphia. It’s been challenging, but they’re adjusting little by little. You won’t want to miss the compelling photos either.

And in local welcome:

Without translation services to Pashto, Jackson Elementary School in Norman, Oklahoma, has made a collective effort to overcome language and cultural barriers to welcome Afghan students and help them thrive. (Brian D. King, The Norman Transcript)
The nonprofit International Rescue Committee is empowering refugees in Kansas to become entrepreneurs. The initiative has become key for women refugees. (Julia Thatcher, KSNW)
Some American retired nurses are welcoming Afghan refugees through support groups organized by the International Institute Southwest Missouri. The groups’ goal is to make them feel at home. (D Del Rey, Scrubs Magazine)

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Dynahlee Padilla-Vasquez and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].

SEN. SINEMA’S PLEA — Drawing from her experience from a recent border trip with some GOP lawmakers, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) called on Congress to pass much-needed immigration reforms, especially for her state, reports Anna Giaritelli of the Washington Examiner. "In order to solve [border issues], we must also address the cracks in the legal system that need to be addressed," Sinema said.

AT STAKE — Evangelical pastors and leaders from across Florida continue to urge Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to reconsider SB 1718, "a sweeping immigration proposal in Florida would trample their ministry," per Harvest Prude of The Dispatch. Florida native Christina Stanton, founder of the nonprofit Loving All Nations, writes a related piece in Christian Headlines.

‘A SAFE PLACE’ — On Wednesday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law House Bill 15, which allows immigrants under 21 to stay in New Mexico if returning to their home country is not safe, reports Fallon Fischer of KFOX14/CBS4. "...We are committed to making New Mexico a safe place for kids to grow up, no matter where they come from," said lead bill sponsor Democrat Rep. Andrea Romero. The new law is effective immediately and can also be applied retroactively, Fischer notes.

Thanks for reading,

Clara

P.S. … A NOTE FROM DYNAHLEE — Hi there, it’s Dynahlee. DP for short. This is my last edition as part of The Forum Daily team, and I just want to express my utmost gratitude. It’s been a joy to see how much the newsletter has evolved in the past two years. And an honor and privilege to find groundbreaking stories, write, and lead the production of this truly impactful product. I’ve learned so much along the way! Thank you to this lovely team, The Forum, and all the readers. Grateful we've crossed paths.