Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas yesterday called for lawmakers to reach a bipartisan agreement to address migration, reports Analisa Novak of CBS News.

With some Republicans threatening a government shutdown unless Congress adopts hardline immigration policies, Mayorkas said the focus should be on "solutions, not making the problem worse by taking away the funding that our public servants rely on to do their work in the service of the American people."

Separately, the United States is seeing a higher number of African migrants cross the border from Mexico as countries in Europe become increasingly unwelcoming, reports Miriam Jordan of The New York Times.

Tara D. Sonenshine, a former undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, writes in The Hill that European countries’ responses offer a cautionary tale for the U.S.: "Let’s hope we are not moving too far in a direction that deprives America of its diverse labor force and creates a mood of resentment against those who legitimately flee other countries to bring value to ours."

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Isabella Miller, Clara Villatoro and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].

PRIDE IN WELCOME — Erie, Pennsylvania, Mayor Joe Schember isn’t bashful about his city trying to attract migrants. In an interview with A Martínez of NPR, Schember speaks of the city’s efforts to welcome new Americans — and his efforts to work together with local Republicans. "In the last 10 years, we've sworn in 3,337 new U.S. citizens from 110 different countries all over the world. And we're very proud of that," Schember said.

CHRISTIAN WELCOME — Ann Wittman strengthens her faith and her connection to the greater St. Louis community through her work with displaced Afghans, reports Jonah McKeown of The Catholic Telegraph. Wittman offers newcomers with material assistance and friendship. Now Wittman and her cousin have founded a new organization, HumanKind STL, to continue the work of welcome.

Elsewhere in local welcome recently:

A casino in Shawnee, Oklahoma, is joining other organizations to support Afghan refugees. (Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman)
In Williamsburg, Virginia, a former Afghan interpreter and his family are finding a new community. (Sian Wilkerson, Virginia Gazette News)
The #AfghanEvac coalition, dedicated to resettling Afghan allies, has grown to include more than 250 organizations worldwide and has helped 125,000 Afghans resettle in the U.S. Founder Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran, re-ups the call on Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act. (Joey Safchik, NBC San Diego)

BUS LAWSUIT — New York City sued the bus companies responsible for bringing migrants from the U.S-Mexico border in Texas and into the city, reports Joe Miller of the Financial Times. The lawsuit seeks $708 million from the companies, which Texas hired. The city says the sum reflects its costs as 33,600 migrants have arrived on buses since spring 2022. The bus companies earned millions of dollars in revenue and broke New York law, according to the suit.

HISTORY HERE — In his grand finale for The Dallas Morning News, Alfredo Corchado explores the history of Mexican migrant workers in the United States in the 1950s — including his own family’s story. Corchado looks at the history and meaning of Rio Vista Farm, once a processing center for Mexican laborers and now a National Historic Landmark.

Thanks for reading,

Dan