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IRC monthly update
FEBRUARY 2021
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An asylee from Afghanistan, Sheeba Shafaq is rebuilding her medical career while on the front line of COVID-19

A refugee leader shares his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement

Find out what happens when asylum seekers face deportation without a lawyer

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Meet refugee leaders helping to build back America
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With COVID-19 vaccines offering hope to the world and community leaders across the country advocating for change to end a long history of racial discrimination, the United States is slowly beginning to rebuild after the challenges of 2020.

Refugees, asylees and other new Americans are at the forefront of this work. The IRC recently spoke to a few of these leaders about their aspirations and hopes for the country in 2021.

Meet one of them, Sheeba Shafaq, a supervisor at a California mobile medical clinic that provides COVID-19 testing. She was on her way to becoming an OB-GYN when she had to flee her home in Afghanistan because of her advocacy for women’s rights. Now, she works ten-hour days and takes classes at night in order to rebuild her medical career.
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"Saving lives has always been my passion in life," she told us.

Hear from Sheeba about her work, her efforts to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 and her hopes for the future.
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Fredrick Shema is also a leader in his community. After spending much of his childhood in a refugee camp in Uganda, he now lives in Idaho, dedicating himself to helping young people with similar backgrounds navigate life in the U.S. After George Floyd was killed and Black Lives Matter protests grew across the country in the summer of 2020, he knew he wanted to do more.
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"It felt almost like it gave me superpowers to be able to say, 'Hey, I'm not the only one who's trying to fight for something that's right.'" he told us. "People across the country and world are doing it, too."

Hear from Fredrick on what refugee students are facing during COVID-19, his perspective on racism in America and what he's doing to create change in his community.
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Explore more stories of refugees helping to build back America.
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Rescue in action

What happens when asylum seekers face deportation without a lawyer?
Most immigrants facing deportation in the U.S., including asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution, do not have access to a lawyer. The stakes could not be higher: losing could lead to family separation and even put their lives in jeopardy. IRC staff attorney Kayla Moore shares one asylum seeker's story.
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The IRC's response to the Texas winter storm
Millions of people in Texas lost heat and electricity as a result of the recent winter storm and cold snap - but refugees and asylum seekers who are settling into their newly adopted communities face additional and unique challenges. Read an update on how IRC staff in Texas are responding, even as they confront the impacts of the storm on their own lives.
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Why should America take in more refugees?
Did you know that the refugee resettlement program in the U.S. has historically had bipartisan support? Or that the hardest way to come to the U.S. is as a refugee? As President Joe Biden begins to rebuild this life-saving program, get the facts.
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One thing you can do

Thank the White House
In its first few weeks, the Biden Administration has started rebuilding refugee resettlement and strengthening America's humanitarian programs. Join the IRC as we thank the White House for its urgency.
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IRC in the news

The global problems President Biden can't ignore
Delve further into the actions President Biden can continue to take in an op-ed from the IRC's David Miliband and Nazanin Ash. Read the article.
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