The Forum Daily | Friday, March 12, 2025https://immigrationforum.org/
**THE FORUM DAILY**The Trump administration said yesterday that it may take months to fully comply with a court order to resume the refugee resettlement program, reports David Nakamura of The Washington Post [link removed].
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a status report [link removed] filing to the U.S. District Court in Seattle that the refugee resettlement program has faced a "significant deterioration of functions" since it was halted it in January. Delays to resume the program would be related to hiring staff and recruiting a new aid organization to offer refugee resettlement services, replacing previous long-time partners, Nakamura notes.
Meanwhile, as resettlement funding stalls, local communities are scrambling to meet refugees’ basic needs. In Central Ohio, where some refugee-serving organizations have had to scale back support and cut staff, the city of Columbus has stepped in to fill gaps and prevent refugees from becoming homeless, reports Andrew King of Axios [link removed].
In Austin, Matt McGovern of Fox 44 News [link removed] reports that Catholic Charities of Central Texas will entirely stop providing refugee resettlement services because federal funding to sustain its programs is not coming through.
As federal humanitarian aid funds remain frozen, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) annual donation "has taken on a very urgent significance," Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg told Gina Christian of the National Catholic Reporter [link removed].
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s assistant VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Soledad Gassó Parker, Dan Gordon, Broc Murphy and Becka Wall. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at
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EDUCATION – A new Tennessee bill that would deny undocumented children from enrolling in school is advancing, reports Sarah Grace Taylor of the Nashville Banner [link removed]. The bill is sponsored by Republican lawmakers and has raised division even among fellow Republicans. The Senate Education Committee passed the bill by a 5-4 vote amid persistent protests, Taylor notes. "As God’s children, we deserve respect and compassion before you make your choice," said an immigrant sixth grader invited to speak during a hearing on the bill.
GUIDED BY FAITH – Panamanian officials are worried about the hundreds of migrants who are making their journey back South as they must rely on exploitative smugglers and relive the dangerous terrain of the Darién Gap, reports Juan Forero of The Wall Street Journal [link removed]. Hector Ferrer, a 69-year-old vendor from Venezuela was one of the migrants turned away at the U.S. border and rehashing the treacherous journey. "[You] just put yourself in God’s hands and keep moving forward. What else can you do?," Ferrera said.
COMMITMENT – Signs indicating that the building is private property, and that entry requires a judicial warrant are now hanging in some Des Moines' churches committed to protecting immigrants in their communities as fear of raids increase, reports F. Amanda Tugade of the Des Moines Register [link removed]. "We take our welcome very seriously," said the Rev. Ryan Arnold, a senior pastor at St. John's. Like Trinity Las Américas. Separately, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, residents are feeling anxious following ICE raids, reports Paul Burton of WBZ News [link removed].
For more on how policy changes are affecting people locally:
* Just months after their resettlement, a Ukrainian family living in DeWitt, Iowa, shares the uncertainty they face given their temporary legal protections. (Alex Fulton, We Are Iowa [link removed]).
* In Michigan, a Mexican dad was detained outside his son’s middle school and put under the deportation process. (Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press [link removed])
* U.S.-born citizen students fear putting their undocumented parents at risk of deportation while applying for financial aid for college. (Milla Surjadi, The Dallas Morning News [link removed])
**‘THIS IS MY HOME’** – Around 200 people from 58 different countries were naturalized yesterday in Boston, reports Nathan Metcalf of The Boston Globe [link removed]. "It’s like I’m being born here today," said Valentina Girouard, one of the new citizens. "This is my home now." The ceremony marks a long journey for Girouard who came alone to the United States from Colombia when she was 16. Now with a college degree, she expresses happiness for a promising future, Metcalf notes.
Thanks for reading,
Clara
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