USCRI's Detroit office surprised refugees with gift cards on World Refugee Day.
Assisting Refugees in the Time of COVID
Dear Friend,
How do we speak about refugees in the time of COVID-19? This pandemic knows no nationality, age, gender, income level, immigration status or ethnicity. Its power is in its rapid and indiscriminate transmission to young and old, rich and poor, man and woman, newly arrived refugee and descendant of The Mayflower
Perhaps then we should speak of the refugee experience as the experience of the everyman. Refugee status is conferred upon an individual—meaning, a refugee is still the person they once were before conditions forced them to flee their his/her home. Here, they are strangers to us only in the sense that we have not met them before
And in our communities, we welcome the refugee not because of the legalstatus conferred upon them - although we recognize the hardships they have endured - but because of the people they are. They are our neighbors and our friends; they are the professor and the taxi driver; they are the corner grocery store owner; they are the physician and the home health care aide.
Let us acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our people and strive to become the idea of America that beckons the dispossessed from around the world.
What is human trafficking? Whom does it affect? How can you help? Join us for an interactive educational webinar, "Helping Trafficking Survivors During These Troubled Times: Progress and Challenges." The webinar is free and open to the public and will take place on Thursday, July 30, from 4:00-4:45 p.m. ET, on the U.N.'s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Register here.
Because of You
Over the past 4 months, USCRI has distributed $122,000 in emergency financial aid to more than 600 people. Your donations over the past few months have helped:
A single mom with 2 kids who was laid off in April and involved in a domestic violence issue. USCRI helped her find safe housing and paid the first month's rent.
A highly responsible 18-year old woman working at a food service job to support her younger brother. Her hours have been halved.
A full-time housekeeper at a hotel who is now part-time. Her husband and father-in-law were both furloughed from their restaurant jobs.
A mother of 6 who lost her job at a yarn factory. Her husband and eldest child were also laid off.
A DACA recipient who has been able to work and buy a home. She lost her job at a restaurant and her father lost his carpentry job. She's been advised not to file for unemployment as it may jeopardize her future citizenship application.
A single mom who lost her housekeeping job. She lives with her brother, who is still working. With provisions from food banks, they could cover the rent, but not the utility bill. When USCRI paid 2 months of their power bill, there was an audible sigh of relief.
THANK YOU for making a huge difference for these families and many, many more.
This urgent need will continue over the next few months as we face the challenges of COVID-19. Please make a generous gift today at https://refugees.org/donate.
A victory for DACA! We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court blocked on a technicality the Administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program protects 700,000 immigrants (known as Dreamers) brought to the U.S. as children from deportation and allows them to work. The vast majority of Americans support the Dreamers being allowed to stay and pursue citizenship. Read USCRI's statement.
A Final Word of Thanks
We love this heartwarming video of a client saying thank you!
