This has been a difficult few months for those of us who care about immigration reform, and I know that you – like all of us here at the Forum – are working hard every day to advocate for solutions that will help Afghan refugees, Haitian migrants, Dreamers, farmworkers, TPS holders, and more.  

Today, we wanted to take a step back from the major news headlines and take a moment to recognize all the incredible stories of positive, impactful change that get lost in the shuffle. 

R-E-F-U-G-E-E. That’s just part of the message from two cyclists who rode across England to raise awareness and funds for grassroots refugee projects. It took them 27 days to spell out their full message: "Refugees welcome." 

Back on this side of the pond, Sacramento's Vietnamese community is welcoming incoming Afghan refugees through more than 100 handwritten letters. "Losing connections, losing a sense of unity – we wanted to offer that, to show we’re here together with them."  

Send your own message to Congress and the Biden administration that refugees are welcome here.  

The Beersheba Adventist Church in Philadelphia is supporting nine Haitians who recently crossed the border. They’re living in a home about 20 miles away from the church, with rent, food and supplies paid for by 120 Haitian congregants who are pooling their money to support them until the families can become self-sufficient. The church’s pastor, Rooldy Alexandre, said: "As a pastor, I am used to calls from people in need. It was the first time I received a call from the border. I just had to act."  
  

Neighborhood volunteers working with the Welcome MA coalition in Central Massachusetts are actively "adopting" refugee families to support the process of settling roughly 300 Afghans in the area.  

Then there’s the Black Freedom Factory, a Texas-based group that collected, delivered and distributed tens of thousands of supplies to Haitian migrants in the United States and Mexico.  

Take some positive action of your own – send a message to your members of Congress and President Biden to encourage them to act to support refugees here.  

Feeling inspired yet? Good news: you can also take action. Tell Congress and the Biden administration to act swiftly to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, and ensure Afghan evacuees receive the assistance they need and have the chance to apply for lawful permanent residence on an expedited basis. Every action counts, and you can make a difference in your communities and for refugees across the country.  

Thank you for everything you do to make an impact and create positive change,  

Katie Lutz  

Digital Production Manager 

National Immigration Forum