Media
Commentary: Offer safe haven to persecuted religious minorities
Baptist Standard
By Jenny Yang, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy
Nations of the world regularly have opened their arms to those fleeing tyrants, terrorists and authoritarian governments. This openness has been a hallmark of the United States, whose response to refugees, especially in the past 40 years, befits the heritage of a nation founded by those fleeing religious persecution.
Since 1980, the United States has admitted more than 3.1 million refugees, many of whom fled persecution because of their faith.
World Relief Demands Pres. Biden raise refugee ceiling as promised.
The Biden administration sent the report to Congress on Feb. 12 announcing the entry of 62,500 refugees. A month later, over 700 refugees are still waiting and had to cancel their flights to the U.S. due to delayed action by the administration.
On Friday, Senior Vice President Jenny Yang moderated the “Justice Delayed” panel with other aid organizations to discuss why they’re urging the Biden administration to raise the refugee cap.
2020 May Finally Be Over, But the Plight of Refugees and Other Immigrants Is Not
By Matt Soerens, US Director of Church Mobilization at World Relief
2020 was a hard year. The coronavirus pandemic upended lives and forced millions of Americans to stay socially distanced and isolated. Many spent Christmas apart from family for the first time ever. As we enter the new year, I know we’re all yearning for a return to normal so that we can reunite with our friends, families and loved ones.
But the anguish and loneliness many of us feel right now should give us a deep sense of empathy for immigrants and refugees who have been separated from family for much longer and can’t count on a return to normal.
How refugees could help the U.S. become unified again
By Jenn Foy, Vice President of U.S. Programs at World Relief
President-elect Joe Biden has stated his intention to raise the ceiling for refugee admissions to 125,000 for fiscal year 2021. Unifying around this goal, and welcoming those who have fled persecution and are desperate to find safety and freedom in America, could help the U.S. to again find unity.
A World of Hope for the Refugee
The Gospel Coalition
By Jenny Yang, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy
The warm and cozy feelings we often associate with the Christmas season belie the cold, harsh, and unwelcoming environment in which Jesus Christ was born.
The journey that Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus took is not altogether unfamiliar to the millions worldwide who are forcibly displaced from their homes every year––40 percent of them children. We do not hope in Christ abolishing all the conflict and injustice that force people to flee their homes, but in the knowledge that he came in the midst of suffering himself.
Leading in Unprecedented Times
Christian Headlines
By Scott Arbeiter
That these times are unprecedented is undeniable. We’re reminded daily by politicians, health experts and our social media feeds that the world has shifted dramatically to a new state of (dis)order – and the uncertainty feels crippling.
Trump administration admitting fewer persecuted Christian refugees
A Christian woman in northern Iraq cries as she surveys the damage at her church, which was attacked by Islamic State fighters in 2016. (Hussein Malla/AP) // The Washington Post
By Carol Morello for The Washington Post
The number of Christian refugees admitted to the United States after fleeing persecution in their native countries has plummeted 90 percent since 2015, according to a report released Friday by two Christian advocacy groups.
Immigrants are playing a vital role in COVID-19 response and recovery | COMMENTARY
Photo: Immigrants are filling many vital jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including front line medical staff. home caregivers and farming.(Mukhtar Khan/AP) // Baltimore Sun
By Tim Breene for The Baltimore Sun
President Trump issued an executive order last week temporarily halting immigration to the U.S. Not only does this keep families apart during an already psychologically trying time, but it puts a stigma on America’s immigrant community, many of whom are putting their lives at risk as health care and other front-line workers.
America’s Nonprofits Need a Stimulus Package Too
By Scott Arbeiter & Stephen D’Esposito
Even in the best of times, there are people in our communities who face desperate need. But in times of crisis like now, the desperation is deeper, and many who were able to survive just above homelessness, hunger or despair have now lost their narrow margin.
Not a Threat: Immigrants Are on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Fight
photo: Relevant Magazine
By Jenny Yang for Relevant
While many Americans are feeling fearful and vulnerable as COVID-19 continues to spread, one demographic finds themselves in a particularly frightening situation. Hate crimes against Asian Americans have spiked over the past month, and the FBI believes it will continue to rise in the coming months. I was particularly grieved to hear about two young Asian-American children being stabbed in Midland, Texas, because of their perceived connection to COVID-19. The victims survived, but the incident has sent shock waves through the Asian American community, leaving many fearful about going about their routine activities.