The Refugee Advocacy Lab

09/29/2026

For generations, refugees have invested deeply in the communities that welcome them – bringing needed skills, building businesses, and sharing food & culture. Closing the door on families seeking safety is closing the door on our communities' potential. 450+ state and local elected officials sent a letter to the administration saying just that.
https://www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/450-us-state-and-local-elected-officials-call-to-restore-refugee-program

09/28/2026

“The White House is once again taking money from the American people’s pockets. Congress set aside these funds to make our communities safer, more sustainable, and more prosperous. Misappropriating our taxpayer dollars this way is not only unlawful, but incalculably damaging to our families and neighbors,” said Kate Brick, Executive Director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has, once again, infuriated lawmakers from both political parties by using a controversial maneuver to cancel funding previously approved by Congress.

09/25/2026

One month ago, catastrophic flooding tore through communities across northern and central Nepal, devastating 1.6 million people.

Today I led a bipartisan letter with Grace Meng & Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urging Trump and DHS Secretary Mullin to immediately grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Nepal. TPS will allow Nepalis already in the U.S. to stay and work here while it's too dangerous to return home.

Forcing Nepali families back to a home that no longer exists is cruel. We need to act now.

To learn more, visit: https://chu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-chu-meng-and-krishnamoorthi-lead-bipartisan-letter-requesting

09/24/2026

Our refugee neighbors in Broomfield are business owners, hardworking taxpayers, and most of all, kind members of our community. They are our neighbors and friends.
Today, I’m proud to stand with our vibrant refugee community by adding my name to the letter of more than 450 elected leaders nationwide calling for the federal government to once again allow us to welcome refugees. Read more at https://freedomtowelcome.us/

09/23/2026

“Hundreds of elected officials—from Alaska to Florida, from Maine to Ohio—are showing us how, time and time again, communities across the country stand up and proudly declare they are ready and willing to welcome people seeking safety,” said Kate Brick, Executive Director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab. “The message couldn’t be clearer: It’s time to rebuild and restore our freedom to welcome.” https://www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/450-us-state-and-local-elected-officials-call-to-restore-refugee-program

09/23/2026

“For anyone who looks, there are signs that pluralism — the simple and quintessentially American idea that we can cooperate across difference for the common good — is alive in communities across the nation. Neighbors show up for one another, providing comfort and food and working to protect basic human rights and dignities...If we put an increased focus on what we agree upon — re-anchor ourselves in shared humanity, rather than disagreement — we might, over time, find it easier to resolve our disagreements.” https://religionnews.com/2026/09/15/immigration-policy-divides-us-whether-to-show-up-for-people-hurt-by-it-shouldnt/ RNS Interfaith America

(RNS) — In time of a humanitarian crisis, Mary Ellen Giess argues that interfaith communities in Springfield are showing what’s possible.

09/22/2026

More than 450 state and local elected leaders – across the nation and across party lines – have come together to urge the federal government to restore our communities’ .
The American people overwhelmingly support welcoming refugees, but this administration has attempted to undermine and politicize the popular, time-honored, and bipartisan humanitarian program.
Check to see if your community is represented on the letter!
https://freedomtowelcome.us/

09/16/2026

For families affected by the termination of TPS, this is not an abstract policy question. It is about family unity, human dignity, community stability, and the ability to continue the lives they have built in the United States.

As people of faith, we are called to stand with our neighbors in times of uncertainty. We call on the administration to restore and extend TPS for countries where conditions remain unsafe, and on Congress to provide permanent legal pathways for those who have built their lives, families, and communities here.

Our faith calls us to recognize the inherent dignity of every person and to speak up when our neighbors face separation, detention, deportation, or being returned to unsafe conditions.

We will continue to advocate for protections rooted in compassion, justice, and human dignity.

09/09/2026

Let’s take back our 🏡 Contact your elected officials today and urge them to invest in a vibrant, prosperous, healthy future. Take action today and visit https://freedomtowelcome.us/reaching-out-to-elected-representatives/ 💥

09/08/2026

📣The 2026 state legislative session has come to a close in most states.
As we start to plan for 2027, we’re taking a look back at the work we accomplished together, both in fighting anti-immigrant bills & advancing proactive, welcoming legislation.
From Virginia to Oregon and every Lab state in between, our local partners - Center for Victims of Torture, World Relief, World Relief Durham, Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies, International Rescue Committee in Iowa, CWS, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, & Vibrant Ohio - continue their tremendous work and tireless commitment to ensuring our committees remain welcoming.
Check out the full 2026 recap here👇
https://www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/how-are-states-stepping-up