In case you missed it:

• Asylum, Which Made the U.S. a Leader in Protecting Jews, Could Disappear – “Asylum is Jewish, and it made and keeps Jews safe. Asylum is American, and it made and keeps America great,” wrote Sam Yebri, whose family fled Iran with the help of HIAS, for the LA Jewish Journal. Yebri warned that “the America that welcomed us when we escaped religious persecution is in danger of disappearing.”

• Refugee Resettlement Is Close to Collapse. That Was Trump’s Plan. – Writer and activist Jessica Goudeau issued a similar warning about refugee resettlement in the New York Times, saying the Trump administration is making refugee status ever more difficult to get. “Since 2001, the United States has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, failed to process tens of thousands of cases and added years to refugee processing to subject refugees to an ever-growing security apparatus which is both opaque and unfair,” said HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield in Goudeau’s column.  

• Refugee creates N.Y.C.'s first full-time shelter for asylum seekers – Edafe Okporo fled Nigeria in 2016 after he was subjected to homophobic violence. LGBTQ asylum seekers often end up homeless, Okporo said, because family and friends with permanent residence in the U.S. will not open their doors to them, so he helped create a 10-bed shelter that has provided temporary housing for more than 80 migrants.

• For refugees, pandemic adds to the hardship of a new life – The Washington Post looked at the toll COVID-19 is taking on refugees and included lessons HIAS drew from our Rapid Needs Assessment report published last month. While many refugees have lost jobs and struggle to provide food, housings and other needs, the article noted that many are still attempting to give back to their communities. “We are not just people who are facing challenges,” said one. “We also have some strength, and when we have enough support, we can use that to help other people.”

Stay Involved With HIAS@Home – Even with COVID-19 restrictions in place, there are still many ways to learn about, advocate for, and help refugees and asylum seekers. We’ve launched a new page, HIAS@Home, where we offer calls and webinars with our experts and partners, refugee-related resources for book and film clubs, and other ways to stay engaged on refugee issues during the pandemic.

Find a list of ways that you can help refugees and asylum seekers, even while social distancing.

Learn about our remote volunteer opportunities.