Kewanee Welcomes

02/27/2026

Hi Friends of Kewanee Welcomes! We wanted to share with you a recent update received from Welcome.US. Please read this article and if you feel moved, please show support to our local Ukrainian families AND Ukrainian families all over the nation facing this situation by clicking on the link at the end of the article! It takes ONE MINUTE to fill out the form. Thank you for your time!

"Today marks four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a painful milestone.

It's a moment to honor the bravery and resilience of Ukrainians worldwide and the extraordinary Americans who stepped up to welcome families fleeing war.

Through legal sponsorship pathways, and the support of Americans across the country, Ukrainian newcomers found safety here. But today, that safety is in jeopardy. Severe processing delays now threaten their ability to remain lawfully in the United States.

You can make a difference by voicing the need for faster processing of re-parole applications to your elected representative, ensuring Ukrainians remain safe.

Many are facing a new wave of uncertainty. Once again, families are trapped in delays. Once again, their futures are uncertain. And this time, many risk detention, not because they did anything wrong, but because of administrative backlogs.

Ukrainian newcomers are contributing to communities across the country: working in small businesses, strengthening local institutions, paying taxes, and building new lives. Welcoming them has strengthened America, too.

Four years after the invasion, the need for safety endures and so does the generosity of the American people. Americans want this nation to be defined not by fear, but by welcome. Our policies should reflect that truth.

Thank you for standing with Ukrainians, then and now.

With gratitude,
The Welcome.US Team"

https://www.votervoice.net/WelcomeUS/Campaigns/134098/Respond?vvsn=BcN4IBmXBCSvgAIWuMh7FAA

Private sponsorship programs are safe, legal, and orderly pathways for people seeking safety, and are offered by our federal government. Our elected officials in Congress are responsible for helping constituents like you who might have a question or...

01/27/2026

Hello Friends! One thing we have personally loved about Kewanee Welcomes is that we have volunteers from all over the political spectrum and we work toward a common goal! In that spirit, we want to share an update from a support organization called Welcome.US:

"This month marks one year since a wave of federal policy changes reshaped how newcomers are welcomed—and, in many cases, whether they are welcomed at all. Over the past year, the systems meant to help people build stable, secure lives in this country have weakened. For many families who have rebuilt their lives here, their futures feel uncertain at best.

Recent news, including what’s happening in urban centers like Minneapolis, adds to that uncertainty, leaving many with questions. To help provide clarity, we want to share with you what your fellow Welcomers and the people they’ve welcomed are experiencing. Many newcomers who arrived through legal pathways and followed all the rules are being apprehended and detained. Within 24–48 hours, they’re put on flights to detention facilities in Texas. The only recourse their Welcomer friends have is to file legal paperwork for their release.

Because of these increased detainments, many newcomers no longer feel safe going to work or school as they fear the arrival of law enforcement at their front doors. This is a credible fear that they’ve never faced before in our country."

"It may surprise you to know that you are part of a community of over 2.8 million Welcomers. You represent every corner of the country—red, blue, purple, rural, urban. At a time when our country feels deeply politically divided, especially around welcoming newcomers, it feels important to share that Welcomers are conservatives, moderates, progressives, and people who don’t fit neatly into any political box, but who believe in showing up for their neighbors. And your will to welcome endures. Welcomers like you continue to show up—even as the work gets harder—because you have first-hand knowledge of how these changes are impacting the people you welcomed.

It gives me great hope that when given a choice between human beings in need and our politics, this community chooses welcoming over fear and community over division.

With gratitude,
Nazanin Ash, CEO,
and the Welcome.US Team"