Op-Ed’s & Press Releases
World Relief Announces Opening of New Location in Western Washington to Welcome Refugees to Thurston County
March 08, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Olympia, WA – World Relief is opening a new office location in Western Washington to provide refugee resettlement services to those in Thurston County. The grand opening of the Thurston County location will occur Friday, March 10 at the New Bridge Community Church from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony set to occur at 10:30 am.
“We are thrilled to open this new office as an expansion of Western Washington’s efforts to welcome refugees and demonstrate God’s heart for displaced people,” said Medard Ngueita, Executive Director of World Relief Western Washington. “At World Relief, we walk alongside refugees and immigrants in the beginning stages of their move to Washington to help them rebuild a sense of home.”
World Relief’s Thurston County office will provide resettlement support for refugees entering the community by helping them secure safe housing and providing services such as cultural orientation and assistance in enrolling children in local schools. This new location anticipates welcoming at least 50 refugees in its first year of operation. As in all World Relief locations, the new Thurston County office will work closely with local churches and volunteers to facilitate the integration process. To welcome refugees as they first arrive in Western Washington, the office is seeking host home volunteers and cultural companions, along with community assistance in creating welcome kits that meet refugees’ most immediate needs.
“Refugees are a uniquely vulnerable group of people who need support when they first arrive in their new communities,” said Aerlande Wontamo, Senior Vice President of US Programs at World Relief. “World Relief aims to provide them with resources and support that empowers them to start their lives in the United States with confidence.”
This Thurston County office is the most recent addition to World Relief’s growing presence in Western Washington, as the new location joins offices in King County and Whatcom County.
To learn more about World’s Relief’s work in Washington and how to get involved, please visit worldrelief.org/western-wa/.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Announces Opening of New Location in North Texas in Response to Increased Refugee Needs
March 1, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Dallas, TX – In response to an increased number of refugees arriving in Northern Texas, today World Relief is opening a new office in Dallas County to meet the community needs for refugee resettlement services. World Relief North Texas Dallas County office services are now being made available to provide support to refugees in the initial stages of rebuilding their lives in Texas.
“As refugees continue to enter our communities, we are grateful to provide them with a warm welcome by expanding World Relief’s refugee resettlement resources in our state,” said Garrett Pearson, Office Director of World Relief North Texas. “With over forty years of serving the refugee community in Texas, we have experienced first hand how our state is made stronger by their presence and contributions, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to play a role in helping them rebuild their lives in their new home.”
World Relief’s Dallas County office will build upon the resettlement services provided by its longstanding Fort Worth location, helping newly arrived refugees and other vulnerable immigrants in the process of securing housing, finding employment, adjusting to a new culture and integrating into the Dallas community. The new location anticipates welcoming at least 80 refugees in its first year of operation. As in all World Relief locations, the new Dallas County office will work closely with local churches and volunteers to facilitate the integration process.
“Refugees are a uniquely vulnerable group of people who need support when they first arrive in their new communities,” said Aerlande Wontamo, Senior Vice President of US Programs at World Relief. “At World Relief, we aim to provide them with resources and support that empowers them to start their lives in the United States with confidence.”
To learn more about World Relief’s refugee resettlement work in Texas and how to get involved, please visit worldrelief.org/texas.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Mobilizes to Provide Immediate Support to Devastated Communities in Wake of Turkey and Syria Earthquake
February 7, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md. – In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, World Relief has mobilized resources on the ground to provide immediate assistance and long term support for search and recovery efforts.
“We join with our international partners in grieving the significant loss of life from the earthquakes and extend our prayers to the impacted communities,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “At World Relief, we desire to see a world free from suffering, and when disaster strikes, our faith compels us to respond. By providing immediate emergency aid, World Relief is committed to delivering hope to impacted communities and assistance in rebuilding from this disaster both in the short term and in the years to come.”
World Relief is partnering with local partners and churches on the ground in Turkey and Syria to provide support and resources to impacted communities including food and clean water, emergency medical assistance, safe shelter, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support.
World Relief is committed to extending the love and compassion of Christ to suffering and grieving communities in Turkey and Syria by joining with its international partners to provide immediate support and build resilience.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against Human
Trafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children
January 31, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md., January 31, 2022 – World Relief joined with other like-minded organizations to
send a letter today to members of Congress urging them to vote against H.R. 29, a bill recently
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. If signed into law in its current form, H.R. 29
would leave many vulnerable people fleeing persecution and violence shut out from protections
offered under current law, including unaccompanied children who are among the most
vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking.
“[H.R. 29] would effectively nullify several important provisions of the William Wilberforce
Trafficking Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008 governing the treatment of certain
unaccompanied children. This bill, which was passed with broad bipartisan support and signed
into law by President George W. Bush, has been a vital tool in protecting children and others who
are uniquely vulnerable to human trafficking,” says the letter, which was signed by World Relief.
Other signatories include International Justice Mission U.S., World Vision U.S., the Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of
Evangelicals, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Bethany Christian Services and
Women of Welcome. “Our concerns are rooted in our Christian faith, believing that each person
is made in the image of God and is worthy of protection. In particular, a child unaccompanied by
his or her parent(s) is uniquely vulnerable.”
World Relief is deeply concerned that H.R. 29 would roll back significant anti-trafficking
protections by nullifying portions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
(TVPRA), which stipulates proper treatment to protect unaccompanied children. The TVPRA
requires that unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries who are encountered at
the U.S. border be cared for in secure, child-appropriate settings until the U.S. government can
determine their eligibility to remain lawfully in the United States.
“Unaccompanied children seeking asylum at our borders are uniquely vulnerable and worthy of
our protection. Thankfully, current U.S. law ensures that these children are protected and are
legally allowed to remain safely in the United States if they meet the necessary criteria,” said
Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. “But if H.R. 29 is
signed into law in its current form, many children will be turned away, forced to return to
countries where they face increased risk of violence or trafficking. This bill would fail to treat
unaccompanied children seeking protection in our country with the compassion and due process
they deserve.”
As an organization grounded in Christian principles, World Relief believes that each person is
made in the image of God and is precious in his sight. We urge Congress to continue protecting
“the least of these” by voting against the H.R. 29 bill in its current form, and we urge Christians to
voice their concerns with their lawmakers.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Applauds Creation of the Welcome Corps, A New Refugee Private Sponsorship Program
January 19, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, a new refugee private sponsorship program that will allow everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the United States. This extraordinary new program will expand community support for refugees and also eventually allow private citizens to sponsor refugees they identify abroad to be resettled to the United States. World Relief applauds this effort and is eager to partner with the U.S. government and communities all across the United States to welcome refugees, both through our own refugee resettlement program as well as through the new private sponsorship program.
The Welcome Corps has a goal to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to partner with members of their communities to help refugees secure initial housing in the U.S., greet them at the airport, enroll children in school, and help adults to find employment. World Relief is committed to assisting the Welcome Corps reach that goal.
“At a time of unprecedented displacement, innovative programs like the Welcome Corps are needed to expand U.S. resettlement to the persecuted abroad. For years, faith communities have desired to welcome refugees independently, utilizing their resources and connections to create a sense of belonging for new Americans,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Our hope is that this program expands public-private partnerships and also catalyzes a greater movement of Americans to welcome refugees into their communities.”
Over the past few years, Americans have been overwhelmingly supportive of welcoming refugees, including Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans. The launch of the Welcome Corps helps formally support these efforts and will hopefully lead to a greater number of refugees eventually being resettled to the United States.
“The introduction of the Welcome Corps program is a meaningful step in the right direction, empowering our communities to support vulnerable individuals who are seeking protection from persecution in their countries of origin,” said Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief.
Through the Welcome Corps, groups of at least five individual American citizens or permanent resident adults are able to apply to privately sponsor refugees resettling to the United States. Private sponsors are responsible for independently raising funds to support refugees for their first 90 days in their new community, as well as helping refugees find housing, employment, and connecting them to community services.
For more information on the Welcome Corps or to become a private sponsor, visit the Welcome Corps website. Further information and education is also available on the World Relief website. We encourage churches, individuals, and other community organizations to explore these resources for more information and reach out with any questions or concerns.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Affirms New Biden Administration Proposal Expanding Legal Pathways for Those Fleeing Hardship, Decries New Asylum Restrictions
January 5, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, President Biden announced a series of new immigration policies seeking to address the challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration plans to significantly expand parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — allowing individuals with U.S.-based sponsors to lawfully enter the U.S. and be authorized to work upon arrival — while creating new restrictions for individuals from these and other countries who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border and wish to seek asylum. To do so, the Biden administration is relying upon the legal authority of Title 42, a public health law whose use the administration has previously said is no longer justified, but which the U.S. Supreme Court has kept in effect with a temporary hold issued last month. Under the Title 42 policy, individuals are expelled to Mexico without the ability to seek asylum under the terms of longstanding U.S. immigration law. The administration also announced expansion of refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere and additional new proposed restrictions on asylum eligibility.
World Relief welcomes the expansion of lawful mechanisms for entry for individuals from these countries and is eager to partner with local churches to facilitate their integration, but opposes new proposals that would deny due process to those seeking refuge in the United States along the border.
“We strongly denounce any policies imposed by any administration that prohibit, deter, or limit individuals from seeking refuge in the U.S. as allowed by U.S. law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Those fleeing their countries due to conflict, violence or fear not only have the right to seek safety and protection but to plead their case to determine if they qualify to stay in our country lawfully.”
World Relief has persistently advocated for the reversal of the previous administration’s harmful, illegal, and ineffective anti-asylum policies and now calls on President Biden to fulfill his promise to “secure our border, while ensuring the dignity of migrants and upholding their legal right to seek asylum.”
“We certainly acknowledge that not every individual who arrives at the border will qualify to be granted asylum under U.S. law, but we must respect our nation’s moral and legal obligations to ensure due process for those seeking protection from persecution,” said Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief. “We are encouraged by the expansion of legal avenues for those who have fled countries where people are enduring incredible hardship. However, such processes should not be paired with new restrictions on asylum for those with no other avenue for protection under current U.S. law but for reaching the U.S. border to seek asylum. We urge President Biden to work with Congress to develop a pathway forward that both protects our nation’s borders and respects the dignity and value of all human life, especially those who are vulnerable.”
To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Urges Congress to Protect Dreamers After Appeals Court Decision Leaves Future of DACA Program In Doubt
October 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
BALTIMORE — Today, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with a lower court’s earlier decision that the Obama administration created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) illegally. The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider in light of new rules announced by the Biden administration. World Relief laments the ongoing uncertainty that this decision creates for DACA beneficiaries and urges Congress to act immediately.
“This is devastating news for Dreamers and underscores the urgent need for Congressional action,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “Although today’s ruling provides the court system another opportunity to consider the legality of DACA, the program is still in serious legal jeopardy, and for the sake of both its beneficiaries and for our economy and society as a whole, we’re urging Congress to act quickly and proactively to protect Dreamers. As an organization guided by biblical principles, World Relief has long advocated for passage of bipartisan legislation such as the Dream Act, which would allow these long-term residents of our communities who arrived as children the opportunity to pursue citizenship in the country they consider their home.”
The Biden administration recently finalized a rule to codify DACA into federal regulation, which is set to take effect on October 31. In its decision to remand the case, the appeals court determined that it did not have enough information to rule on the case in consideration of the new regulation.
Importantly, today’s ruling continues to block new DACA applications despite allowing the estimated 600,000 current recipients to maintain their status. World Relief expresses great concern about this decision, signaling that many young people who meet the requirements for DACA will continue to be denied an opportunity to apply for legal protections and employment authorization. Working through its network of local offices and church partners recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide authorized, affordable immigration legal services, we will continue to assist eligible individuals to renew their DACA for as long as the courts allow them to do so.
“Today’s decision is devastating, but it’s not surprising,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “We’ve known for many months that this decision was likely, and nothing about today’s decision changes the reality that the fate of the DACA program is likely to eventually end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — which, based on past precedent, is quite likely to rule against DACA, throwing hundreds of thousands of lives into chaos. The best solution is for Congress to act on a bipartisan basis, as super-majorities of Americans want them to do, to resolve this situation now, making these court decisions moot.”
To learn more about World Relief visit: www.worldrelief.org
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
World Relief Praises New Refugee Ceiling, Urges Biden Administration and Congress to Work Together to Aid Refugees and Asylum Seekers
September 28, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
Yesterday, the Biden administration set the annual refugee ceiling to allow up to 125,000 refugees into the United States for fiscal year 2023. World Relief affirms this decision, which comes at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, but urges the Biden administration and Congress to do more to strengthen the U.S. refugee and asylum programs in order to aid individuals and families seeking protection from persecution.
“The 125,000 ceiling for fiscal year 2023 is a welcome goal,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “However, it’s also the same goal that the U.S. has fallen short of by roughly 100,000 refugees in the fiscal year that is ending this week, which demonstrates that setting a relatively high refugee ceiling is not sufficient. The administration and Congress must work together to commit more resources and enact reforms to our refugee resettlement program to ensure we can actually reach the goal of resettling 125,000 refugees while fully supporting refugee integration when they arrive in the United States.”
The U.S. refugee resettlement program has been a vital tool in protecting those facing violence and persecution. In the past year, the U.S. has offered protection to tens of thousands of individuals from countries including Afghanistan and Ukraine; however, the majority of these individuals were not formally admitted as refugees, which has meant they face an uncertain future and a lack of access to permanent legal status. The Biden administration and Congress must strengthen and rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program to continue to aid Afghans and Ukrainians, to offer resettlement to those who have fled protracted refugee situations many years or even decades ago and to be able to nimbly respond to emerging refugee crises.
U.S. law also rightly offers protection for those seeking refuge at U.S. borders through our asylum process. World Relief urges the Biden administration to ensure due process for asylum seekers who reach the U.S., while also encouraging the administration to rebuild the refugee resettlement program so as to allow more individuals to access safety in the U.S. without the need of a dangerous journey to the U.S. border.
“At a moment when there are more refugees globally than at any time in recorded history, we need ongoing leadership from the U.S. government to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “In partnership with hundreds of local churches, World Relief is eager and ready to welcome more refugees and ensure they have the support that they need to integrate into new communities and thrive.”
A recent Lifeway Research poll found that 70% of American evangelicals believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to receive refugees.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief visit: www.worldrelief.org
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
New Lifeway Research Study Reveals Widespread Evangelical Support for Immigration Reform
September 27, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
BALTIMORE — Today, Lifeway Research released a new study revealing that in almost every area, American evangelicals’ views have come closer to the positions of World Relief and its Evangelical Immigration Table partners on immigration policy. When compared to a similar study conducted in 2015, the results show significant improvements in terms of the number of evangelicals who cite their faith as a significant factor in their views. The study, which is sponsored by World Relief and the Evangelical Immigration Table, pulls from an online survey of 1,007 Americans.
“This study underscores what World Relief offices around the country have found in their interactions with the thousands of local churches and tens of thousands of volunteers: Large majorities of evangelical Christians recognize that their faith compels them to care sacrificially for refugees and other immigrants, and they want to see governmental policies that reflect those concerns as well,” said World Relief president and CEO Myal Greene.
When asked to characterize their perspectives, the top three responses selected by evangelicals were to view the arrival of immigrants to their communities as “an opportunity to show them love,” “an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus Christ,” and “an improvement to America’s cultural diversity.” By comparison, in 2015, the top response was to describe the arrival of immigrants as “a drain on economic resources.” The share of evangelicals who selected that response has dropped by double digits since 2015, the study finds.
The study also found that at least 78% of evangelicals support legislation guided by each of six principles that have guided the Evangelical Immigration Table’s advocacy for more than a decade, including protecting the unity of the immediate family, ensuring secure national borders and establishing a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally who meet certain requirements. Moreover, 70 percent now affirm that the U.S. has a moral responsibility to refugees and 69 percent also believe that Christians have a moral responsibility to care sacrificially for refugees and other foreigners. 64 percent of self-identified evangelicals now say they are very familiar with what the Bible has to say about how immigrants should be treated, compared to 53 percent in 2015.
“This encouraging research confirms overwhelmingly that evangelicals have a significant interest in protecting the dignity and well-being of refugees and other immigrants, with particularly high levels of support from those between the ages of 18 and 24,” said Shirley Hoogstra, president of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. “As Christians who believe a biblical worldview should undergird how we approach any complex policy issue, we were pleased to see a significant increase in the share of self-identified evangelicals who cite the Bible as the primary influence on their views on immigration. We hope our work with others at the Evangelical Immigration Table will continue to help Christians think biblically about these immigration issues and, more importantly, about immigrants themselves as people made in God’s image.”
The results of the study make it clear that evangelicals are eager to see reforms to immigration laws. Four out of five evangelicals said they would support Republicans and Democrats working together on a combination of reforms to strengthen border security, create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and provide a reliable number of screened, legal farmworkers. 65 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported these positions, while only 7 percent of evangelicals said that support for these positions would make them less likely to vote for a candidate. Furthermore, 71 percent of evangelicals said it is important or very important that Congress passes new immigration legislation in 2022.
“I’m encouraged by this evidence that more evangelical Christians are hearing biblical messages on immigration, and that support for the biblically-rooted policies that we have long advocated continues to grow,” said Reverend Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. “Fully 85 percent of Latino evangelicals and 78 percent of evangelicals overall support reforms that would combine an earned path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants with improvements to border security. Congress should listen – and act now.”
To view the full Lifeway dataset visit: https://research.lifeway.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Evangelical-Views-on-Immigration-2022.pdf.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
About the Evangelical Immigration Table
The Evangelical Immigration Table is a broad coalition of evangelical organizations and leaders advocating for immigration reform consistent with biblical values.
World Relief Praises Bipartisan Introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in Congress, Urges Swift Congressional Passage and Support by the President
August 9, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
BALTIMORE — Today, World Relief praises the bipartisan introduction of an Afghan Adjustment Act in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House and urges swift congressional passage of the bill.
Over 70,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in the weeks following the fall of Kabul one year ago this month. The need to continue to support their full integration is not finished, as most remain in legal limbo, with parole and work authorization that bear an expiration date. These individuals include translators who helped U.S. troops, women’s rights activists, religious minorities and others who were fleeing violence and persecution and were resettled in communities across the United States.
The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans with parole to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status without needing to rely upon woefully backlogged legal processes to apply for asylum or Special Immigrant Visas.
“Over the past year, World Relief has had the privilege of resettling approximately 4,000 Afghans who fled Taliban persecution and have been welcomed by communities throughout the United States,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “During the same time period, we’ve welcomed roughly 3,000 refugees from other countries of origin – but whereas those formally resettled as refugees are able to apply for permanent resident status one year after arrival, the overwhelming majority of these Afghans lack the certainty that they need to fully thrive in their new home.”
“Americans have shown unprecedented hospitality in welcoming thousands of new Afghan neighbors,” Greene continued. “Swiftly passing the Afghan Adjustment Act will help ensure we treat Afghans as well as we treat other refugees. We urge Congress to act immediately to pass it into law and listen to the voices of people who have helped to welcome new Afghan neighbors, including thousands of local churches that have stepped up to build communities of love and welcome to receive them.”
“We’re thankful to the strong group of Republican and Democratic Senators and Representatives who have jointly introduced this bill, demonstrating that Congress can still work together on a bipartisan basis to find common sense solutions to policy challenges,” added Matthew Soerens, World Relief’s U.S. director of church mobilization and advocacy. “We’re praying for swift passage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and then that President Biden will immediately sign the Afghan Adjustment Act into law.”
To learn more about how you can advocate, visit: https://worldrelief.org/advocate/.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
Learn more at worldrelief.org.