The latest on LIRS news, upcoming events, media mentions, and more. 


** Welcome to This Week at LIRS!
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Every week, we catch you up on what's new at LIRS—from upcoming events to media appearances, important immigration updates, and more.


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Call to Action: Protect our Afghan Allies
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After two decades of presence, President Biden’s recent announcement of the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan captured the world. Gaining rising attention in the United States, particularly among veterans and people of faith, is concerns about the fate of American-affiliated Afghans who assisted the U.S. mission.

Since 2002, the U.S. Government has employed Afghan allies to serve alongside U.S. troops, diplomats, and other government employees. Regrettably, these allies and their families soon became the targets of anti-American violence. They continue to be threatened, abducted, and targeted for their allegiance to the U.S. and NATO mission.

The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program provides a path to safety for Afghans who worked with U.S. forces, diplomats, and other government personnel, and who, as a result of that affiliation, suffer direct threats to their safety.

As the U.S. armed forces anticipates its final withdrawal in September, we know that we cannot simply abandon them. To that end, LIRS has joined several veterans’ groups, resettlement partners, and members of Congress in calling upon the Biden administration to urgently evacuate American-affiliated Afghans and their families. We recently delivered a letter to top White House officials ([link removed]) calling for emergency evacuation, and we will continue to put pressure on President Biden until all of our allies are safe. We are now asking people of conscience to join us.

Send a message to President Biden today! Urge the administration to provide urgent humanitarian protections, including evacuation for those who have put their lives on the line for our country.
Contact the White House ([link removed])

"[There] are Afghan allies who worked alongside American troops and diplomats...When we asked them to help, we gave them a promise that we would not turn our backs on them, that we would not leave them behind.”

CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah recently gave an interview about LIRS' call for the Biden administration to conduct an emergency evacuation of 17,000 Afghan allies and their family members. Watch the interview ([link removed]) .

THIS WEEKEND! Join LIRS on May 23 at 4 p.m. ET for our first annual Stand Up, Speak Up Spring Vigil. Together with hundreds of interfaith communities across the country, we will examine our roles as compassionate friends and justice-seekers through prayer, reflection, and stories from migrant and refugee families.

Register today. ([link removed])

On Thursday, LIRS joined Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area and the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area for a virtual Refugee Town Hall with featured guest Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD). The presentations and panel discussion on the changes in refugee resettlement were enlightening and engaging, and we invite you to watch and share!

View the recording ([link removed]) .

Join the LIRS team! If you're passionate about the rights of refugees and immigrants, we'd love to hear from you. We have nearly 50 open positions nationwide, from Social Media and Marketing Specialist to Program Officer for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. Apply today or share with your networks!

See jobs and apply. ([link removed])

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Not looking for a job, but looking to hire new employees? Why not hire a refugee or asylum seeker? Visit our new resource center to learn more about refugee and asylum seeker employment and get in touch with our national network of partner organizations.

Learn more ([link removed]) .

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