Press Release

April 29, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – As President Biden completes his first 100 days in office, World Relief commends his administration’s early actions around some of the most pressing challenges we face today: addressing racially-motivated violence, combating gender-based violence globally, tackling climate change,  expanding refugee resettlement, and pushing for broad immigration reform. Yet while World Relief remains hopeful that Biden will continue to respond to these critical areas, we urge the president to continue to show leadership in other key arenas as well.

Since taking office, President Biden has issued several executive orders designed to help the United States create a more humane asylum system, promote immigrant integration and inclusion and reunite families separated at the border.  The administration has also committed to processing unaccompanied children under the terms of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and, despite logistical challenges, has made significant progress to ensure that such children are protected and cared for under the terms of the law. And the administration has taken important steps to combat sexual and gender-based violence globally. World Relief applauds the actions that Biden has taken thus far. 

We also urge President Biden to strengthen U.S. refugee and asylum systems in the United States while leading globally to combat extreme poverty and support local communities engaged in relief and development. At the end of February, the President released a revised Presidential Determination that would raise the refugee ceiling to 62,500 for the current fiscal year, but the President has yet to officially raise the ceiling. In addition, while the President has taken the steps necessary to restore a functional asylum process for adults who arrive along the U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. continues to use Title 42 to expel asylum seekers from the country. World Relief calls on President Biden to raise the refugee ceiling and strengthen our asylum protections for adults and families, not just unaccompanied minors. 

In addition, while the President’s memo on April 16th expanded the categories of eligibility for refugees resettled to the U.S., World Relief urges the White House to continue to make critical changes in the U.S. refugee admissions program to increase processing capacities for refugees, streamline inefficiencies in the system and provide more robust resources for refugees before and after their arrival to the U.S.

“President Biden campaigned on the promise to restore our refugee resettlement program and restore American leadership on humanitarian issues,” said Scott Arbeiter, President of World Relief. “So far, he has taken steps in that direction, but much of his promise remains unfulfilled. In particular, President Biden can make good on his promise by immediately signing a Presidential Determination on refugee admissions of 62,500 refugees for the remainder of the 2021 fiscal year.”

Additionally, World Relief supports the Biden administration’s broad framework for immigration reform, which led to introduction of the United States Citizenship Act in February. This bill provides an 8-year path to citizenship for millions of Americans without legal status, outlines an expedited path to citizenship for Dreamers and others who have already been residing lawfully in the U.S. and proposes several other vital changes to our immigration system. 

“Immigration is a complex policy issue that can ultimately only be resolved through bipartisan congressional action,” said World Relief Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Jenny Yang. “We welcome President Biden’s efforts to address these challenges in a holistic way, including addressing the root causes that fuel migration to the U.S. and an earned path to citizenship for the undocumented. We now need him to play a proactive role in forging the bipartisan consensus necessary to actually pass reforms, with Dreamers as a particularly urgent priority.”

Globally, World Relief also applauds the Biden administration’s substantial commitments to combat sexual and gender-based violence, including his Executive Order on Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council which would “advance gender equality globally through diplomacy, development, trade, and defense; implement U.S. government commitments to women’s involvement in peace and security efforts; and recognize the needs and contributions of women and girls in humanitarian crises and in development assistance.” These are all key recommendations World Relief made to the White House during the transition and throughout the early months of the administration. 

U.S. leadership is critically needed to lead on global health efforts and combat extreme poverty. The U.S. government, and other governments worldwide, have promoted partnerships with faith-based organizations to improve social and health outcomes. Policies and procedures that include faith-based organizations as stakeholders need to shift from national level dialogues to include district and local actors, and the actual areas of faith-based difference must be understood by governments and donors so that there are not critical gaps in programs. A key example of this is World Relief’s work to meet the pressing humanitarian needs spilling out of the Tigray region in Ethiopia into neighboring Sudan. The established partnerships World Relief has developed on the ground prove the importance of engaging local and community actors to stabilize regions experiencing the effects of conflict.

World Relief also calls on the Biden administration to engage in diplomatic efforts to promote peace in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other areas experiencing conflict. U.S. leadership in partnership with local communities and faith-based organizations is critically needed to address the ongoing, complex humanitarian crises that are unfolding in many areas around the world.

As President Biden leads efforts to strengthen U.S. refugee and asylum systems, respond to international humanitarian disasters, combat COVID-19 and other diseases, reduce gender-based violence and address climate change, World Relief stands ready to partner with him and his administration to pursue these goals in partnership with local communities in the U.S. and around the world.

To learn more about World Relief’s programs around the world, visit worldrelief.org.

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.

###

April 23, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Yesterday, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) introduced the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act in both chambers of Congress. World Relief applauds this necessary first step toward resolving longstanding and recurring challenges along the U.S.–Mexico border and affirms that bipartisan legislation is critical for advancing solutions that would protect vulnerable children, women and men at the border and beyond. 

“In a political climate that is all too often divisive, it’s encouraging to see both parties work together to introduce bipartisan legislation that would provide much needed resources and processes to help those seeking asylum in the United States,” said World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “World Relief hopes to see more conversations take place across party lines that are centered on protecting those fleeing persecution – particularly children – and ensuring efficient and effective processes are in place for fair and timely hearings.”

The bill’s introduction shows that there is indeed a broad range of support for commonsense, bipartisan immigration reform. World Relief acknowledges that the legislation is a stepping stone toward a permanent solution for Dreamers, agricultural workers, long-term TPS recipients and others who are vital members of our communities in need of access to permanent legal status and eventual citizenship.

“Yesterday’s bipartisan cooperation is a prime example of the type of model members of Congress must strive for if they are to lay firm groundwork for broader immigration reforms,” said Matthew Soerens, World Relief U.S. director of church mobilization and advocacy. “World Relief believes every person is made in the image of God and longs to see dignity restored within marginalized and underserved communities. Ultimately, what’s happening at our nation’s border is not a partisan issue – it’s a moral matter of defending those in need of protection while maintaining legal order. Democrats and Republicans must work together to achieve meaningful change in all areas where reform is needed.”

As bills continue to be introduced in the coming months and years, we recognize that Christians have a unique opportunity to call on our elected officials in Congress to ensure immigrants are not dehumanized and life-affirming principles are taken into consideration when forming legislation. World Relief calls on our Senators to approach immigration reform with passion over fear and urge them to work together to develop workable solutions that transcend mere rhetoric and result in true transformation.

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.

###

March 17, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE —

In the devastating wake of the Atlanta-area spa shootings that occurred yesterday evening, World Relief adamantly decries the violence committed against the eight victims who were killed, six of whom were Asian and all but one of whom were women. While some details relating to the current case are still emerging, these attacks occur amidst a clear trend of increased racially-motivated violence toward Asian Americans.

“World Relief is heartbroken by the recent increase in crimes against Asian-Americans and urges our community to join us in prayer for victims and their loved ones,” says Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “World Relief entirely condemns violence and the racist rhetoric that can fuel such attacks.”.

World Relief is proud to follow the lead of Asian-American Christian leaders by affirming their Statement on Anti-Asian Racism in the Time of COVID-19, released last March, which states that while all Americans are living in fear of contracting COVID-19, Asian Americans in particular face the added fear of discrimination and violence on a daily basis. The FBI warned that hate crimes against Asian Americans would likely increase across the U.S., and as an organization committed to serving the needs of our world’s most vulnerable and marginalized, World Relief laments that racist rhetoric in response to the pandemic could manifest itself in increased incidences of violence toward Asian Americans.

“Hate and violence towards Asians must stop. It’s absolutely sickening to see the rash of hate crimes increase exponentially against Asians in the U.S. Asians are not a virus. This is our home,” says Jenny Yang, World Relief Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy. “All of us must collectively do more to fight against the scourge of hatred manifested both through our words and actions against not just Asians but other people of color as well. I call on the broader church to denounce such acts of violence and stand in solidarity with those of us in the Asian community.”

“Among the refugees we have welcomed to the U.S. in the past decade, many have been individuals who were originally from Burma in Southeast Asia,” observes Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief. “While they are generally very grateful to be free from persecution that is often targeted at them for their ethnic and religious minority status in Burma, it is unconscionable that they and other Asian-Americans should face threats on account of their race in the U.S.”

World Relief leadership and our extended community of staff and volunteers acknowledge and repent that racism is not just a scourge afflicting American society but an undeniable disease within the U.S. church. We resolve to challenge the U.S. church to disciple people toward a Christ-like response to prejudice that celebrates the dignity of all people and decries all racist rhetoric, violence and systems.

World Relief calls upon the redemptive power of the Gospel to bind up wounds and empower true reconciliation across every social and racial divide. We urge individuals, organizations and churches to support the Asian American Christian Collaborative by going to www.asianamericanchristiancollaborative.com for resources for faithful action to address anti-Asian racism. We pray for the gift of true repentance in every heart and for the collective body of Jesus Christ to pursue healing, justice and unity as one.

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.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

###

March 8, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE —

This International Women’s Day is centered on the ways women are challenging gender bias and using their leadership platforms to forge a gender-equal world. Today, World Relief celebrates the achievements of women and girls who persevered through the many social, economic, and COVID-19 related challenges of the past twelve months to help transform their communities for the better.

The difficulties of the pandemic have been deeply felt, and its exposure has awakened us to the collective change we want and need to see take place.

Women play a vital role in building and strengthening communities, and we honor their commitment to seeing our world transformed.Over the past 77 years, World Relief has remained committed to empowering women and improving their health, safety and well-being. Over 80% of those who directly benefit from World Relief’s programs are women and children.

“Today, we join with millions of others around the world in celebration of women everywhere who are challenging their communities to change, even through their suffering,” said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “Their leadership is challenging gender norms, changing beliefs, shifting systems and combating systemic injustice. They are strong, courageous women whose stories are worthy of honor and celebration. They challenge us to dig deeper, push harder and speak louder.”

On a national and international scale, World Relief is equipping women to lead as agents of change in the transformation, restoration and development of their communities. In the Maasai community of Kajiado, Kenya, for example, just one way gender inequality manifests itself is through female genital mutilation (FGM), a harmful practice that 78% of girls in the community face. Girls and women in the Maasai community and beyond have little to no agency over their futures. And yet, seeds of change are taking root as we work to facilitate change and community transformation. In partnership with local churches, World Relief is teaching women and men of God to embrace the concept of “Imago Dei,” a Latin phrase meaning “image of God.”

“In places like Kajiado, South Sudan, and Burundi, we are seeing men and women begin to speak out against cultural beliefs that harm or marginalize young girls and women,” says Karen González, World Relief director of human resources. “There remains much work to be done both internationally and through our U.S. offices serving on the forefront of refugee resettlement, but we are committed to continuing the journey together through programs that promote the well-being and thriving of women and girls.”

World Relief celebrates our U.S.-based women in leadership and volunteers, including our many Community Ambassadors, who have persevered through the challenges presented by the pandemic to find creative solutions for helping refugee families thrive through change. World Relief has focused on increasing gender balance in leadership roles at all levels of staffing, a change that has manifested in an increased proportion of women in all our staff roles, with a special focus on most senior roles.

“These accomplishments would not be possible without leadership in each country’s office understanding and prioritizing gender equality, not only through their own actions, but by addressing gaps recognized organizationally and programmatically,” says Eeva Sallinen Simard, project director for the SCOPE project and gender focal point. “World Relief is committed to raising the value of women and their insight in every community we serve.”

“We choose to challenge gender inequality that is all too commonplace in our world. Over the past year, research shows that women and girls have disproportionately experienced the consequences of COVID-19. I’m pleased to know that today President Biden adopted several of our key recommendations around addressing gender-based violence, including through an executive order appointing a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor on Gender-Based Violence; mandating a National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence; updating the 2016 U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally; and focusing on Gender-Based Violence as an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jenny Yang, senior vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief.

Please take a moment to read our digital magazine for Women’s History Month.

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.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

###

February 22, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE — World Relief is grieved and shocked by the recent attack on the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) convoy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Luca Attanasio, Italy’s ambassador to the Congo since 2017, was killed, as well as an Italian police officer and their Congolese driver.

The ambush occurred as the convoy was traveling from Goma, DRC’s eastern regional capital, to visit a WFP school feeding project in Rutshuru. These individuals were attacked while carrying out critical work in helping provide food assistance to those who do not have it. 

“We have worked with the World Food Programme to respond to critical hunger needs in the DRC and other countries and are saddened by this devastating news,” said Charles Franzén, director of humanitarian and disaster response at World Relief. “Humanitarian organizations often have to take dangerous routes to reach vulnerable populations around the world, and this is a reminder that safety measures should be a top priority to ensure critical humanitarian aid reaches those who are most vulnerable.” 

Since 2001, World Relief has been on the ground in DRC, helping communities restart their lives and address the social fractures that exist as a result of long-term conflict. In the eastern DRC, World Relief works in areas where multiple armed groups are operating and where violence persists. World Relief runs programs in HIV/AIDS prevention, peacebuilding, sexual and gender-based violence and trauma healing, agriculture and food security, saving groups, and church mobilization and empowerment. 

“Over the years, World Relief has worked with stakeholders in the DRC to reach some of the most vulnerable populations and hardest areas in the region,” said Myal Greene, senior vice president of international programs. “This situation is a devastating reminder of the significant challenges and dangers our staff and other humanitarian workers face every day. We are committed to continuing to bring peace and sustainable solutions to the DR of Congo.” 

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.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

###

February 19, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Despite the many hardships and challenges presented by the pandemic in 2020, World Relief found new and innovative ways to serve the most vulnerable to meet their evolving needs. World Relief’s teams proactively addressed the COVID-19 crisis in some of the world’s most volatile places both internationally and in the United States. Nearly 1 million people worldwide were reached with COVID-19 preventative messaging and over 1 million dollars of food was donated to those in need in 2020.

In 2020, from Haiti to Cambodia, nearly 700,000 people were reached with messaging by staff and volunteers on health education and medical assistance to help combat the pandemic. In Rwanda, for example, churches from across the six Church Empowerment Zones creatively mobilized to serve over 4,000 families in need through programs in areas like savings, gender equality and agriculture. Furthermore, in Burundi, displaced families were able to wash their hands thanks to the 500 hygiene kits World Relief distributed to families in an internally displaced person camp. In addition, World Relief continued to bring hope and healing to South Sudan. In August of 2020 alone, clinics supported by World Relief delivered 112 healthy babies, treated 276 children for malnutrition and treated 3,268 men, women and children for malaria.

World Relief Cambodia empowered new churches to serve the most vulnerable in their communities through a new partnership with Khmer Evangelical Church. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, volunteers reached tens-of-thousands of people with prevention messages like hand washing, covering a cough and wearing masks. In addition, we celebrate the success World Relief Cambodia saw as our 34-person field staff shared COVID-19 prevention information with the communities in which they work, reaching nearly everyone in their church networks (4,000 households in 200 villages).

“The positive impact our international teams were able to make throughout a year of COVID-19 is a testament to the power of prayer and the dedicated support World Relief received from our staff, volunteers, and supporters around the world who remain committed to standing alongside the vulnerable even in the hardest of times,” said Myal Greene, SVP of International Programs at World Relief.

On a national scale in 2020, World Relief’s U.S. offices also found innovative ways to serve the most vulnerable during this past year of the COVID-19 pandemic. World Relief offices around the U.S. adapted to the shutdowns by offering vital programming such as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and Immigration Legal Services (ILS) virtually, and increasing outreach to ensure our clients received accurate health information. Many U.S. offices also began offering virtual services to help families work through unemployment claims and understand stimulus check qualifications. To aid in remote services, our offices secured laptops and similar technology for newcomers.

Some of the main challenges for our clients during the stay-at-home period was, and continues to be, finding immediate housing in isolation and building community as newcomers during the pandemic. World Relief’s local offices have various partners assisting with the cost of housing and caseworkers have helped foster community through regular phone calls and delivering (at a safe distance) necessities to newcomers who are settling in. As usual, refugees are still picked up from the airport and are provided with face masks, hand sanitizer and a thermometer by our staff as needed.

In further cause for celebration and gratitude, from January through December of last year World Relief had outstanding levels of volunteer engagement in ESL, Youth & Family Services, and food distribution with over 5,374 active volunteers and 157 community teams. As of September 2020, over $1,554,722 worth of food had been generously donated, which in turn allowed offices to serve over 42,800 families. Volunteers committed over 12,860 hours to making a difference in their communities by assisting with food outreach initiatives. By December of last year, World Relief had gained 1,450 new volunteers.

“The World Relief family is thrilled by the outpouring of support we saw from those who were able to sacrifice their time and resources to support their vulnerable brothers and sisters,” said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “Our work simply would not be possible without changemakers like these.”

Throughout the pandemic, our national offices have continued to enroll clients and serve refugees and other vulnerable immigrants during the pandemic. Between March 16, 2020 and the end of the calendar year, World Relief welcomed 515 newly arrived refugees and 372 immigrants granted special visas as a tie to their service to the U.S. military and other parts of our government. We also helped immigrant families respond to the challenges of a contracting job market and provided cash assistance for families struggling with pandemic-related economic hardship.

Despite the limitations caused by COVID-19, last year World Relief adapted to change and adopted creative strategies for serving the most vulnerable people around the world. “While the challenges of fighting against the pandemic will remain into this year, our work would not have been possible without a community of local churches who steadfastly offered prayer and donated offerings throughout these challenging times,” says Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief. “It is with immense gratitude that we reflect on the way our supporters, volunteers and staff worked together to restore hope and rebuild lives in communities around the world.” 

Together, we will continue to empower churches to stand with the vulnerable through this pandemic and beyond.

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.

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

###

February 12, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Today, World Relief’s Board of Directors announced the upcoming retirement of Scott Arbeiter, president, and Tim Breene, CEO, at the end of the summer and expressed deep gratitude for their sacrificial service and extraordinary commitment to World Relief’s mission, staff, partners and clients. The duo has collectively served the organization in a number of leadership roles for more than 30 years, and it is with hope and expectation that the board enters into the search for their successor.

Scott and Tim entered into their roles as president and CEO, respectively, with prayer and intentionality. It is with that same spirit that they have worked with the World Relief Board over the last year to navigate their retirement. As former board members themselves, Scott and Tim brought complementary skills and experience when they joined forces to lead World Relief in 2016. While for the majority of World Relief’s history its leadership has resided in one individual, the dual capabilities of Scott and Tim met the unique need of the season.

Scott and Tim have worked tirelessly over the last five years to build a high-performance culture that is highly collaborative, fosters new leaders and thinks strategically. Their tenure has been marked by the development of a strong and capable senior leadership team, who together will offer continuity through this transition. Scott and Tim, along with the board, believe the time is again right for a singular leader to work with this team to guide World Relief into a season of flourishing — of exceptional programming and technical expertise that is demonstrating real progress in tackling the world’s greatest problems. S/he will be responsible for stewarding the rich history, mission, people, and brand of World Relief.

Tim Breene commented, “It has been a deep privilege to be entrusted to lead such committed and capable people and for the organization to now be in a position to move forward, having strengthened our foundations. Scott and I feel a source of profound joy as we look back over what we’ve accomplished together these last five years and great anticipation as we look to the future.”

“Our belief is that there is a greater risk of leaders staying too long than leaving too early, especially at our stage of life,” commented Scott Arbeiter. “We have fulfilled our season, and it is now our joy to make room for the leaders we have among us and whoever might be selected to embark upon the next season as the new president/CEO.”

This new leader will be joining World Relief at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. In addition to domestic immigration services and the expected resurgence in refugee resettlement, the organization anticipates increasing excellence and growth in its international humanitarian, health and disaster relief work —as well as its advocacy of a Christian conscience to the broader church and culture.

The World Relief Board of Directors is committed to a broad, open search process and a diverse set of candidates. In partnership with CarterBaldwin, the board will issue a call for applications beginning in mid-February. The interview and evaluation process will extend through the spring and into the summer if necessary, and is open to internal and external candidates alike. A successful candidate must wholeheartedly demonstrate a commitment to the growth and evolution of World Relief — building on the tremendous path paved by Tim, Scott and all those who came before them.

“We have much to anticipate. We will be inviting the next leader into a stable, well-positioned organization,” said Steve Moore, chair of World Relief’s Board of Directors. “Our executive team is strong and well placed. Our global impact is extraordinary, and our economics strong. We are navigating well the challenges of a global pandemic and the stage is set for World Relief’s next president/CEO to bring about evolutionary change. And for all of this, we are immensely grateful to Tim and Scott for modeling leadership with ‘integrity of heart and skillful hands’ (Ps. 78:72).”

World Relief has a rich history of serving the most vulnerable through its programming, empowering the local church and speaking truth to power in its spheres of influence. Throughout its 75+ year history, World Relief has stood firm in the knowledge that the work and organization have always belonged to God, and they are confident that the work that God has started He will continue.

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.

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.

February 4, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Today in an address at the State Department, President Biden announced an upcoming executive order focused on strengthening the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which includes consultations with Congress on refugee resettlement that will lead to a Presidential Determination for FY22 of 125,000 refugees. World Relief commends President Biden for taking necessary steps forward in the ongoing process of rebuilding the U.S. refugee resettlement program, and we eagerly await the opportunity to welcome more refugees to the United States.

Today’s announcement follows three executive orders related to immigration signed on Tuesday centered around creating a task force for reunifying immigrant families, developing a strategy to address irregular migration across the Southern border, creating a more humane asylum system and promoting immigrant integration and inclusion in American society.

“Rebuilding our nation’s significantly-dismantled refugee resettlement system will take a great deal of effort and advocacy, as will reuniting families separated by our government along the border, restoring our asylum system and re-opening legal immigration processes that have been restricted in recent years,” says World Relief CEO Tim Breene. “While pleased with the swift release of executive orders related to immigration and this announcement on refugee resettlement, World Relief urges the administration to follow through on these preliminary actions with concrete policy changes that are within the administration’s authority, including resetting the refugee resettlement ceiling for the current fiscal year, ending the ‘Migrant Protection Protocols’ and other policies restricting access to asylum and restoring immigration legal processes that facilitate family reunification.”

As one of nine national agencies that resettle refugees in partnership with the U.S. State Department, World Relief is particularly pleased by today’s declaration that the United States will be re-committing to global leadership in refugee resettlement. For more than four decades, World Relief has partnered with both the U.S. government and with thousands of local churches to welcome and provide integration support to refugee families who fled persecution in their countries of origin because of their faith, their ethnicity, their political opinions and other reasons.

Along with our peer organizations, we are ready and eager to once again welcome a historically normal number of refugees to the U.S., and we urge President Biden to expeditiously follow up on today’s announcement by resetting the refugee ceiling, ramping up overseas processing and rebuilding the refugee resettlement infrastructure within the U.S.

“World Relief offices around the country are eager to expand and welcome those who have fled their homes in pursuit of a better, safer future,” says World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “It is imperative that we come together in recognition that this is not a partisan issue; it’s a belief issue. It’s a matter of loving our neighbors as Scripture commands.”

World Relief also acknowledges that many other immigration policy changes will require bipartisan congressional action. We thank Members of Congress for reintroducing the Dream Act of 2021 today and we urge them to continue to work together on a bipartisan basis to forge the consensus necessary to provide permanent legal status and eventually the opportunity to apply for citizenship for DACA recipients and other Dreamers, for long-term residents of the U.S. with Temporary Protected Status and for undocumented immigrants who would meet appropriate qualifications, such as the payment of a fine. Together with our partner churches, we will continue to advocate for immigration reforms rooted in our biblical values.

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.

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.

January 20, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Today, President Biden proposed an immigration bill that would provide an 8 year path to citizenship for millions in America without legal status, an expedited path to citizenship for Dreamers and others who have already been residing lawfully in the U.S. and proposes several other vital changes. The president also will sign a series of immigration-related executive orders. World Relief applauds the administration for following through on its promise to prioritize immigration reform, including an earned legalization process for the undocumented.

World Relief is encouraged by the broad thrust of Biden’s proposal. We urge the administration to address other urgent immigration priorities, including resetting the refugee resettlement ceiling, restoring the U.S. asylum process and restoring legal immigration processing, as quickly as possible.

“These day-one actions are worth celebrating, and we hope they will be a down payment on further necessary immigration and refugee policy changes. While we urge President Biden to do what he can administratively, ultimately Congress must cooperate on a bipartisan basis if we are to see the long overdue reforms needed to repair our broken immigration system,” says Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “World Relief, along with our many partner churches and supporters, is eager to help garner bipartisan support in the coming months for a bill that would provide an earned legalization process for undocumented immigrants and meet other priorities.”

World Relief commends the Biden administration for advancing policies and legislations that will serve refugees and immigrants within and across our nation’s borders. While the president’s legislative proposal provides a positive starting point, it is ultimately up to Congress to forge bipartisan consensus to craft an immigration bill that will provide hope to millions of immigrants, ensure secure borders and facilitate lawful migration, which includes reuniting families and offering refuge to some of the world’s most vulnerable people who have fled persecution. We hope and pray that bipartisan unity will be forthcoming in Congress so that lasting and broad-reaching reform is possible.

“We firmly believe that America has a moral imperative to welcome refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants once again into our nation,” says Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief. “Our hope is that Americans, regardless of political party, will set aside their differences and come together to rebuild an immigration process that will reflect the best of American values and the biblical values that guide many Americans.”

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.

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.