Exodus Refugee Immigration Bloomington

10/15/2026

Last night was a major victory for the safety of Bloomington's immigrant community. The Bloomington City Council unanimously voted to bar the City from entering into any future contracts with Automatic License Plate Reader (i.e. ALPR/Flock-style) cameras.

Amidst a packed council chambers, Exodus was at the Bloomington City Council meeting for the second reading and subsequent vote on Ordinance 2026-22, and we were one of dozens who issued a public statement in support of the legislation.

Exodus previously issued a public statement against Flock cameras back in March, when there was a proposal to terminate the City's Flock contract. That initial effort led to last night's victory, and we are so grateful to the Council for hearing our concerns and for the support we've received from the community and the organizations such as Bloomington DSA who have been central to these advocacy efforts.

Thank you to everyone who keeps showing up to support Bloomington's immigrant community. 💙

Lastly, a quick shoutout to Dave Askins at The B Square Bulletin for his excellent coverage and for image credit. Read the coverage in full here: https://bsquarebulletin.com/bloomington-council-votes-7-0-to-ban-license-plate-readers-after-debate-over-some-exceptions/.

10/13/2026

Just last week, our attorneys assisted a young man who was detained by ICE even though he is a U.S. citizen. He was transferred to a detention facility before his family could provide his passport to immigration officials. Fortunately, one of our attorneys was able to get him released the same day.

As this ProPublica piece shows, stories like this are becoming far too common throughout the United States: and in many cases, people are held far longer than the young man we assisted.

The government doesn’t track how often immigration officers detain U.S. citizens. So ProPublica did. We’ve found more than 500 Americans who were held against their will during this Trump administration.

10/09/2026

We can't wait to see so many of you for today's Heartland Film screenings of Pinball and ESL: More than a Language!

Can't make it today? There's another chance to see both films! You can join us next Thursday, 10/15 to see Pinball or next Saturday, 10/17 to see ESL: More than a Language! Don't forget to use code HFF35Exodus to get 50% off your tickets!

Tickets available here: https://tickets.heartlandfilmfestival.org/Festival_Schedule/6a9044b6c9f39a537d113c3d
https://tickets.heartlandfilmfestival.org/Festival_Schedule/6a9044c3c9f39a537d113e66

This screening is in partnership with Exodus Refugee Immigration . Exodus Refugee Immigration is dedicated to the protection of human rights by serving the resettlement needs of refugees and other displaced people fleeing persecution, injustice, and war by welcoming them to Indiana.  Filmmakers p...

10/09/2026

Meet K. She is originally from Afghanistan and arrived in the U.S. with a family member in the summer of 2023; at the time that Exodus welcomed them at the airport, K was being transported in a wheelchair because the journey down the long airport concourse was too much for her. Since arriving in the U.S. she has been on a long personal journey, addressing a variety of health concerns, particularly chronic pain that she has experienced for years in one of her legs.

Throughout this journey with K's health, Exodus has been providing long-term case management support, helping coordinate appointments with specialists, providing transportation, and assisting her and her family member with navigating our complex healthcare system.

After a variety of different treatments to try address her chronic leg pain, K finally underwent a joint replacement last month and, in the weeks since, she has been doing physical therapy. Following her latest PT appointment, K wanted to demonstrate to her case manager her ability to walk without using her cane. While her health journey is not yet complete, this beautiful moment was proof of how far she's already come since she first arrived.

K is just one of many Exodus clients who are currently receiving long-term case management services. Client successes such as hers are, in part, made possible by the financial support that we receive from people like yourself. Thank you for continuing to support our immigrant neighbors as they continue to move forward in building their new lives in the U.S.

Media Disclaimer: Exodus only posts photos and/or videos of our current and former clients with their expressed permission.

10/07/2026

Last week, on October 1, a major policy change took effect: Exodus clients who do not yet have their green cards lost access to Medicaid. This policy was the result of the OBBB which passed in July 2025, reversing decades of precedent.

But being uninsured doesn't mean that people simply stop needing and seeking medical treatment. In order to prevent disruptions to their medications, Exodus staff has been working behind the scenes to research and compare drug pricing across multiple drug discount programs. The spreadsheet seen here is an actual list of just one Exodus client's medications.

In the instance of the medications shown here, we discovered that the cost difference was profound. Comparing prices across five major drug discount programs, the lowest combined cost of her medications came to $19.99 per month (including a separate monthly membership cost to the drug discount program itself, to get the best prices). The highest combined cost of her "discounted" medications? That totaled over $195 per month.

These cuts to Medicaid coverage do not just affect Exodus families; they affect all Hoosiers when it comes to healthcare costs and premiums. And this is the kind of work that Exodus case managers are putting in behind the scenes to try and help our clients navigate this healthcare crisis.

10/05/2026

Our donation barrel has arrived at its new home for the month of October—with the Monroe County Education Association (MCEA)! Our local teachers' union is organizing to get the word out on high-priority donations, including things such as hand soap, body lotion, shampoo & conditioner, disposable razors, and other personal care items.

Thank you so much to the MCEA for your support of Bloomington's immigrant neighbors and for the difficult and invaluable work you do as educators. ❤️

10/02/2026

Our Donation Migration Project (i.e., our circulating donation barrel) took a short break for the month of September, so we wanted to take this time to post a belated thank you to Bloomington DSA who hosted our donation barrel throughout August.

As an activist organization, DSA took a creative approach to filling our donation barrel, utilizing a mutual aid grant that ultimately brought in hundreds of dollars of much needed supplies such as detergent, dish soap, shampoo, and cooking oil.

Between their hosting our donation barrel in August and then fundraising on our behalf with their "Bread and Roses Bash" in September, Bloomington DSA has been a standout community partner. Thank you again. 🌹

09/24/2026

For those of you who may have missed our story from last Saturday, our local Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chapter hosted their second annual "Bread & Roses Bash," helping raise money for Exodus. In total, Bloomington DSA raised $5,400 for us, in an incredible act of support and solidarity with our immigrant neighbors.

These funds will go towards critical supportive services of Exodus families, and we are both honored and moved by the support. Thank you so much for your hard work, Bloomington DSA, we appreciate you! 💙🌹

Photo credit: Bloomington DSA

09/22/2026

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💙 THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our Positive Change Program in August by rounding up your total at the register, and to our anonymous donor for matching funds for the first 7 days of the month!

Thanks to YOU, we were able to give Exodus Refugee Immigration $10,033.91!!! 🏡

💌 A message from Exodus Refugee Immigration:
“The Bloomington staff of Exodus Refugee Immigration wishes to thank all of the Bloomingfoods patrons who helped raise money for us throughout the month of August. The last time that Exodus was a Positive Change recipient was in December of 2023, and Bloomingfoods patrons helped raise over $7,773.25 for us at that time. Last month, the Positive Change program raised an incredible $10,033.91, exceeding our hopes and expectations! These funds could not come at a more critical time, as we continue to face attacks on our federal funding. This money will help us continue to serve refugee individuals and families that we have welcomed to the Bloomington community, funding essential services such as case management services, employment support, and direct cash assistance. Thank you all for your unwavering support of our immigrant neighbors.”