Posts Tagged ‘Chicagoland’
Answering Your Questions About Asylum Seekers
Last week, buses sent from Texas began arriving in Chicago carrying asylum seekers from the U.S. southern border. Since then, local government officials and organizations have been working quickly to ensure that the new arrivals have access to food, housing, and the other essentials every human needs to survive—while also creating longer-term solutions.
With the news that some of the asylum seekers have been relocated to temporary lodging in the suburbs, many people in Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, Elk Grove Village, and other neighborhoods in Chicago’s Western suburbs are asking “What’s going on? What does this mean for my community?”
World Relief has served immigrants and refugees in the Chicago area for more than 40 years. We have offices in Aurora, Chicago, and DuPage County and work with hundreds of local partners. We know you have questions and concerns – and we want to help you stay informed and ready to respond.
Your Top Questions
Who are the people coming on these buses from Texas? Are they illegal immigrants?
The people who are arriving in Chicago came to the United States after traveling for days or weeks. They have come from places like Venezuela, Colombia, and other countries in order to seek asylum. Federal law allows people who flee their home countries to escape persecution to seek asylum in the U.S., and requesting asylum grants them legal protection and the right to remain in the United States as an “asylee.” Every person who has arrived on the buses from Texas has been permitted entry by the federal government as they await the opportunity to present their asylum case.
Asylum seekers are following what U.S. law requires. In order to seek asylum, people must physically come to the United States and present themselves to an official to declare their request for asylum. Once here, they are granted entry as they wait to present their case at an appointed time.
Why do these asylum seekers need so much help?
An asylum seeker may wait months before getting the chance to present their case for asylum. During this time, they need money to live and a place to stay just like everyone else. However, there is little to no financial provision from the U.S. Government for asylum seekers. Additionally, they are not legally allowed to work in the U.S. until they have received work authorization. That process can take 6-9 months. This puts many families at risk of homelessness and makes them very vulnerable to predatory actors and poverty. Programs like World Relief’s HOME program give opportunities for the community to come alongside asylum seekers during this difficult time – helping people get stable housing and other support while they wait for their asylum claim to be heard.
I’m worried about drugs and crime coming into my community.
It is concerning to see the rise in drug-related deaths linked to fentanyl. However, historically, people seeking safety and asylum are not a major cause of increased drug availability. There is substantial evidence that the majority of people who smuggle fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. are actually U.S. citizens. In fact, most of the fentanyl that comes into the country is from truckers or U.S. citizens coming legally through ports of entry. It’s not from undocumented immigrants or asylum seekers.
Generally, migrants are not more likely to engage in criminal behavior. In fact, both documented and undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens!
One way we can help protect our communities and those who have recently arrived is by providing support to families and individuals who are in particularly desperate and vulnerable situations. Asylum seekers are uniquely vulnerable due to fleeing persecution, war, violence, or extreme poverty and not having support in the U.S. When our community responds to help newcomers, like those arriving on buses from Texas, we actually make the community safer and more welcoming for everyone!
What can I do to help the asylum seekers in my community?
Each year, hundreds of people like you, and churches across the Chicagoland region, make our community a welcoming place for refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants. We are so grateful for people like you who have the heart to help others! You can help the recent newcomers by giving to the asylum program at World Relief Chicagoland.
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A Common Roadblock to Citizenship: Carlos’ Story
The day Carlos went into the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to renew his driver’s license nearly cost him everything he struggled for on his path to U.S. citizenship.
Carlos’ Story
Carlos Marcos, formerly Abboud Abbas, came to the United States as a refugee from Egypt in 2016. He was grateful for the safety and freedom he found in America. After living peacefully within its borders for 5 years, it was time for the next step. In June 2021 he attended a World Relief Citizenship Clinic to apply for U.S. citizenship.
But there was one problem in his quest to become a naturalized citizen.
Sitting across from an Immigration Legal Services (ILS) team member, Carlos revealed what happened to him after that day he walked into the DMV to renew his license. He received a voter registration card in the mail with his name on it.
The “Motor-Voter” Dilemma
Initially, Carlos didn’t give his newly acquired voter card much concern. After all, he trusted the U.S. systems put in place and was careful to adhere to them. Unfortunately, the systems in place let him down. Through no fault of his own, the DMV registered Carlos to vote, leading to a significant problem: only U.S. citizens can vote.
Voter registration by noncitizens is a serious offense with serious consequences. At the very least, intentionally registering to vote as a non-U.S. citizen could delay eligibility to naturalize for 5 years. However, if the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determined Carlos claimed to be a U.S. citizen, the government could attempt to deport him.
This situation was unsettling. Carlos never asked to vote, nor did he ever claim he was a U.S. citizen. And he isn’t the only one. Coined by immigration advocates as “motor-voter,” this tends to be a common situation that can cause big problems. An immigrant’s visit to the DMV can result in their unlawful registration to vote when they never asked for it. They’re left to untangle a potentially costly, legal mess they never initiated.
After Carlos learned his voter registration card was a serious error, he immediately canceled it. But he grew more uncertain as he considered the impact this could have on his immigration status.
The Path to Proof
Carlos found great relief in the support network of World Relief ILS. Walking alongside him, they helped him collect documents from the DuPage County Election Commission and the Illinois Secretary of State proving his innocence. These papers revealed Carlos never claimed to be a U.S. citizen. And he never asked to register to vote during his visit to the DMV.
After the necessary paperwork was completed, his application was submitted. The wait began. Nine months later, he was scheduled for an interview with USCIS where his ability to become a U.S. citizen would be determined.
The Life-Altering Day
The interview was difficult. It felt like question after question was directed toward that voter card. Carlos answered the best he could but remained worried. Was his application going to be denied because of an issue he had no control over?
Arriving at the World Relief office after the interview, the ILS staff assured him they were thorough in preparing his application and covered every possible base. David Dischinger, Citizenship Associate for World Relief ILS, recalls, “We were able to reassure him that everything should be fine with his application because we were able to demonstrate in his application that the voter registration did not make him ineligible to become a citizen.”
And, of course, he was right.
Less than one month after his interview, everything Carlos struggled for finally culminated in a dream come true. He attended his Oath Ceremony and became a U.S. Citizen.
We need Your Help
Every year, World Relief Chicagoland helps hundreds of people apply to become citizens of the U.S. You can help others reach that goal by becoming a trained volunteer.
World Relief Chicagoland Welcomes Texas Bus Arrivals, Prepares for Community-Wide Response
CHICAGO, September 1, 2022
On Wednesday night, the first buses commissioned by the State of Texas carrying asylum seekers and other migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border arrived in Chicago. At World Relief Chicagoland, we serve asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants by extending welcome, providing vital services and connecting people together. We do this in partnership with hundreds of local churches, businesses and community organizations across Chicagoland.
World Relief Chicagoland welcomes those who have arrived on buses from Texas. These individuals and families have fled hardships such as corruption, threats against their lives, loss of loved ones and authoritarian regimes. They have been permitted by the federal government to be present within the United States while they await further court hearings to determine their permanent eligibility for asylum or other protections offered by U.S. law.
When individuals and families seek safety at the U.S.-Mexico border through interactions with Border Patrol agents, we believe it is vital that they receive due process under the law, and that they are kept safe while working their way through that process.
Often, families who are lawfully permitted into the United States as they apply for asylum will travel to be with family and communities of people they already know within the United States. We believe it is vital for those who are being bused to Chicago to fully understand and consent to the journey. For those who are seeking family and community in Chicago, or have destinations elsewhere in the Midwest, we offer welcome.
In line with our Christian faith, we believe immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers are human beings and deserving of dignity and respect. Having fled dangerous situations and traveled long and difficult journeys from places like Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and other parts of the world, these individuals and families need broad community support. As the City of Chicago coordinates a response, World Relief Chicagoland joins with many other partners to welcome and serve.
That so many individuals are making dangerous, grueling journeys to the U.S.-Mexico border speaks to a need for a better immigration system. A more robust system would offer individuals the opportunity to apply for refugee or other immigration status closer to their homes, and without having to avail themselves of their last recourse under U.S. immigration law: requesting asylum once reaching the U.S. World Relief continues to advocate for the federal government to support and enact fair and just immigration reform.
As opportunities for community members to support welcome efforts for those arriving on buses, they will be posted at www.worldrelief.org/chicagoland/bus-response.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
(571) 405-1606
About World Relief Chicagoland
At World Relief Chicagoland, we come alongside refugees and other immigrants in vulnerable situations as they rebuild their lives in the United States. For over 40 years, we’ve been welcoming immigrants and refugees across Chicagoland, starting with refugee resettlement in Chicago and DuPage County (1979), and later in Aurora (1999). Today, World Relief Chicagoland is part of a national network of offices through which over 400,000 immigrants and refugees have been welcomed into this country.
1 Year After Kabul…Farishta’s Story
Today marks one year since Kabul fell to the Taliban. Read Farishta’s captivating story as she fled Afghanistan with her family, and was resettled in North Texas by World Relief.
Farishta’s Story
Farishta and her husband Omid Shah lived normal lives in Afghanistan, both with successful careers in the medical field. She and Omid Shah come from generations of doctors and medical professionals. Farishta received a Bachelor’s degree in Pakistan, and after marrying Omid Shah, moved to Kabul where she completed another medical degree. Shortly after, she and Omid Shah celebrated the birth of their first son, and were happy with their lives in Afghanistan. Before the Taliban came, she desired to move into a specialized practice, but now, everything she would have worked for in Kabul is destroyed. Her husband practiced and studied medicine in Pakistan for many years, then became a general surgeon, eventually moving to work for the U.S. army.
A History of Displacement
August of 2021 marked the fourth time in Farishta’s family history that they had to flee Afghanistan for their own safety. Farishta can recall as a child fleeing to Pakistan during the first Taliban invasion. As Farishta’s mother fled from the Taliban with 3 children, they left everything behind. While living in Pakistan, they experienced many hungry nights, as it was hard for them to start their lives over. Her mother eventually brought them back to Afghanistan after five years when the country had become safer. She vividly remembers returning to her empty home in Afghanistan. Everything that was left in their home when they fled was stolen.
Life became normal back in Afghanistan. All of her brothers and sisters, despite the trauma of displacement, grew up to become extremely successful. Her own brother became a college professor, spokesperson for the Republic of Afghanistan, and a policy maker. Her husband’s job for the U.S. military as well as her brother’s profession, would end up placing a target on their backs during the next Taliban invasion.
August 15th, 2021
In early August of 2021, they celebrated their son’s 2nd birthday. 5 days later everything was different.
She described to me the day the Taliban invaded. That morning she awoke to what seemed like a normal day. She was busy caring for her son, and was concerned with going to the market and buying milk. On her way to the market, she saw those around her running and thought “what is happening? Why is everybody running?” The answer: the Taliban is coming. “This happened in a second and no one was ready”, she shared. People started immediately closing their shops out of fear of what would happen.
By that night, everything was different. “How did it change?? How did they take Kabul?” She remembers hearing the Taliban run through the streets at night, firing guns and yelling. As this happened, her husband was in another city for work and she wondered if he was okay.
After the Invasion…
She stayed in her home with her son and parents after the invasion, knowing her husband was safe in another city. Her husband spent those next few days at the airport to not endanger his wife and son by being home with them, as he was a direct target for the Taliban. After a few days she received a call from her husband to meet him at the Kabul airport.
When she left her home for the airport, she looked around and saw that everything was different. Farishta saw many people waiting in long lines outside the airport trying to find a way out of Afghanistan. “The situation was like a dream. It was like a horror movie.” When she left for the airport, she also had to leave behind her parents and siblings. “When I close my eyes, I see the crying faces of my father and mother, but they are happy for us because we are no longer in danger.”
The Airport in Kabul
Upon seeing her husband, he immediately embraced Farishta and their 2-year-old son. “When I looked at his face, I saw he was so scared.” Shortly after arriving at the airport, a bomb exploded in the Kabul airport attack. On August 26th 2021, a suicide bombing took place outside the Kabul airport that killed at least 183 people, among those being 13 U.S. military members and 170 Afghan civilians. Her husband looked at her and said “we need to go fast.” As she ran through the airport with her son and husband, she could still see the aftermath of such a terrible explosion, people crying, and complete chaos around her. She wondered if they would make it to safety.
They loaded into a cargo plane with no seats and hundreds of other people. “It felt like a nightmare for me, a bad dream.” Upon boarding the plane, they did not know what country they would be going to. After several hours of traveling, they made it to Washington D.C, then to a military base in Indiana, where they lived for 2 months before coming to Texas. They have now been in the U.S. for almost a year.
Life in North Texas
They arrived in North Texas on October 3rd, 2021 and were resettled by World Relief. They were very excited when they came to Texas, as they had the opportunity to start their new lives. Life has not always played out as they thought it would, but they are still hopeful. They are happy in America, and they are happy they have each other.
Once resettled in North Texas, they developed a relationship with their caseworker, and love her deeply. Their caseworker came alongside them and assisted in helping them become sufficient on their own in a new place. They began making friends with neighbors and found a small community. “I know Allah has a plan for us.”
Her husband now desires to work in the medical field in the U.S., just as he did in Afghanistan. He has currently passed a surgical exam, and is actively looking for jobs. Farishta desires, as any mother does, that her son has a good life in the U.S. As she reflects on having to flee Afghanistan as a child herself, she sees similarities in her son’s early life and her own. She desires that her son will never have to flee a country again, but can grow up in one place.
As they set up for a future in the U.S., she recognizes the good things she has. Farishta is thankful they did not lose any family members to the Taliban, and feels a burden to share her story to show the world what has happened, not only to her own family, but all those affected by the Taliban takeover. Her parents and siblings are still in Afghanistan, and she speaks with them regularly as she deeply misses them and worries for their safety. “At first, I cried every day, but now I am okay. Everything has changed for me here.”
Her story deserves to be told.
Advocate for Afghans
Her story is also a reminder of a call to action. Currently, we can advocate for Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act to allow Afghans, like Farishta and her family, to remain in the U.S. permanently. Entering the U.S. under the status of humanitarian parole was a temporary protection that does not grant immigration status. If you desire to advocate for our Afghan friends, many with stories just like Farishta’s, click HERE.
Learn how you can get involved with World Relief Chicagoland HERE.
5 Ways to Keep Welcoming Afghans
In August 2021, the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, and Kabul fell to the Taliban. Many Afghans who had assisted the U.S. government were left at considerable risk. Since the withdrawal, an estimated 84,600 Afghans have been evacuated to the U.S.
Over the last year, people like you have helped us welcome over 330 of those Afghans to Chicagoland. World Relief staff, volunteers, church partners, and donors have given generously of their time, friendship, and resources to help these families and individuals begin rebuilding their lives.
Within weeks of Kabul’s fall, churches gathered household supplies to transform empty apartments into homes for Afghan arrivals. Volunteers formed Good Neighbor Teams to help families adjust to life in the U.S. And, even as they began rebuilding their own lives, leaders emerged from the Afghan community to help us better welcome our new neighbors.
Now, we invite you to keep leaning in. Do not grow weary of doing good — the work of welcome doesn’t stop when headlines fade.
Here are 5 ways you can keep building a movement of welcome for Afghans in the U.S. By continuing to advocate with, pray for and walk alongside them, you can embody Christ’s love for all people, whether or not they’re making headline news.
1. Ask Congress to provide lasting protection for evacuated Afghans
Many of the Afghans evacuated to the U.S. were granted entry as “parolees”, meaning their immigration status is temporary. If left unchanged, tens of thousands of women, men, and children from Afghanistan resettled in the U.S. have uncertain futures.
Take action today on behalf of your Afghan neighbors by emailing Congress and urging them to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which will provide lasting protection to evacuated Afghans in the U.S.
2. Learn about Afghan culture to better connect with your Afghan neighbors
As evacuees from Afghanistan continue to rebuild their lives in the U.S., you may find yourself wondering — How can I better connect with and serve my Afghan neighbors?
In the Afghan Culture Guide, an interactive, online course from the World Relief Workshop, we share essential knowledge about Afghan culture, unpack common tension points and provide practical tools to help move you towards a mutually enriching friendship with your Afghan neighbors. Now through September 30, enroll for 50% off with code AFGHANCULTUREGUIDE50.
3. Volunteer alongside Afghans in your community
Over the last year, volunteers across the U.S. have demonstrated love for their Afghan neighbors by serving alongside them. Whether providing transportation, helping newcomers learn English, or making an apartment feel like home for a new arrival, volunteers play an essential role in embodying hospitality and welcome for refugees and immigrants, including those who have fled Afghanistan.
Start volunteering here!
4. Apply to work at World Relief
If you’ve ever wanted to grow your gifts and talents while serving your refugee and immigrant neighbors, this is your chance! World Relief is hiring for open positions across our U.S. network and internationally.
Whether you have a passion for mobilizing volunteers and churches to welcome refugees, advocating for immigrants’ rights, or providing support and services to your newcomer neighbors, we need people like you to join our team. Apply today to put your faith into action and be part of the movement of welcome.
5. Join The Path and give a gift that lasts
Rebuilding lives and regaining stability takes time. Over the next few months, World Relief is expected to resettle an additional 500 Afghans. When you join The Path as a monthly giver, you help ensure our newest immigrant neighbors are welcomed and supported. Together, we can sustain a movement of welcome long after the headlines fade.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina before moving to Salt Lake City. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
How to Sustain Your Compassion When Headlines Fade
Can I create change that lasts even when I’m exhausted? How can I sustain my compassion when headlines fade but problems persist?
We live in an interconnected world. Sometimes, that thought can feel warm and fuzzy, conjuring up images of unity and togetherness. But today, it can also feel overwhelming.
The world’s challenges are complex and can’t be fixed overnight. For example, in Kenya, Turkana County is currently experiencing its fourth consecutive season of drought. This crisis is made worse as the war in Ukraine turns “agricultural fields turned into battlefields” blocking the export of millions of tons of wheat and maize. As a result, food prices are rising and millions of people are at risk of malnutrition and starvation.
Even before Ukraine, the world was already bending under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic. Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban continued to need resettlement. Men, women and children in South Sudan were experiencing historic flooding, and southern Haiti was still recovering from a devastating earthquake and political upheaval after the assassination of their president.
At World Relief, we know you want to be a part of creating change that lasts. As one crisis compounds another, you might ask — How can I create change when I’m so exhausted? How do I stay engaged and sustain my compassion when headlines fade but problems persist?
How Dennis Finds Compassion
Dennis Mwangwela has been working at World Relief for more than 20 years. He currently serves as the Director of Integral Mission for International Programs. Dennis shared that he continues to have hope and persevere even after the earthquake in Haiti.
His words are a call and an encouragement to all of us as we lean in and look for ways to sustain our compassion when hardship persists and headlines fade.
“Biblical hope is different from being optimistic. Biblical hope is enduring even in the most difficult circumstances because it’s not based on what I see, but it’s based on God’s unchanging character and promises.” — Dennis Mwangwela
Hear more from Dennis in the interview below:
Where can I lean in?
The ability to lean in comes from remembering. Remembering that God is with us fuels our compassion for the long journey ahead. As our compassion grows through this season, may we be moved closer to our refugee and immigrant neighbors. Take a step to lean in by journeying with refugees and other immigrants through joining the path today.
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/chicagoland/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/chicagoland
Everyday Advocacy: Simple Actions That Lead to Justice
World Relief Chicagoland Executive Director Susan Sperry.
Many define advocacy as acting, speaking, or writing in support of something or someone; often with those in a position to make change – or as we shared in last week’s blog – advocacy is “putting love into action.”
But beyond public advocacy, calling our political representatives, we can practice everyday advocacy: using our voices to intercede on someone else’s behalf.
What is Everyday Advocacy?
Growing up, I never thought of myself as an advocate. In fact, when I thought of “advocacy,” I was intimidated. My earliest calls to elected officials involved a series of starts and stops. I would review my script, think about answers to possible questions, pick up the phone, and pause. I would repeat that cycle before starting to dial. Then I would take a deep breath, pause again, finish dialing, talk as fast as I could, and breathe a sigh of relief after hanging up.
And you know what? It went well, although it was terrifying. But while this type of advocacy is important, it is just one of the many ways we can each use our God-given voice to intercede for immigrants and refugees.
Over time, I’ve learned that advocacy takes many forms. And I have realized that we all advocate, all of the time for the decisions and beliefs that we believe are good.
Yes, advocacy includes speaking to those in authority. But it also looks like helping people navigate complex systems (like healthcare and school), calling the utility company to discuss an unexpected charge on our bill, educating friends and neighbors about immigration systems, and learning about the realities of our country and world through another person’s eyes… and allowing that to shape our actions.
A Biblical Foundation
As I’ve studied the Bible, I’ve learned about many different examples of advocacy. Some people, like Moses and Esther, found themselves in situations where they had the attention of kings. For them, advocacy meant using their positions of influence to speak up and bring freedom and safety for a large group of people. Other biblical figures were more like you and me. We don’t usually have a chance to talk with kings and rulers, but we do get to speak up on matters that impact other people.
The early church was known for standing with the vulnerable and neglected, bringing about healing and freedom, and disrupting systems. A common thread from those stories is the way their actions sprang from belief in God’s love for all people. Early Christians spoke up when they saw situations that did not reflect God’s heart for people to thrive – and this was a pattern throughout church history.
The strongest biblical example of advocacy is found in the person of Jesus, who regularly prayed to God on behalf of his followers and the world. Through Jesus, we see the power of prayers of intercession – of advocacy.
Advocacy Leads to Justice
Advocacy itself is never the goal. Shalom, meaning God-given peace and justice, is the goal. Advocacy is the action, the momentum, that brings about change in hearts and systems and even laws. Hopefully, our advocacy can bring about greater Shalom – justice, freedom, reconciliation, and wholeness. When it does, it reflects God’s ultimate design for relationship between humans and between humans and God.
What Does Everyday Advocacy Look Like?
- Helping a newcomer understand U.S. systems like banks, mail, and schools
- Learning more about local and state laws in an area of your interest, and talking about what you learn with neighbors and friends
- Helping someone access healthcare
- Calling your national, state, or local representatives. Click here to contact your local representatives.
- Talking about the need for more affordable housing with developers, investors, landlords, and anyone in the housing industry
- Telling people in your church or community group about the situations refugees and immigrants face
- Speaking up when you hear and see situations of discrimination or disrespect to others
- Also get creative! There are many ways that your unique abilities can be everyday advocacy.
We All Have Influence
We can choose to use our influence to bring greater justice and wholeness for our neighbors and ourselves. When we do this – whether it’s at work, with our family, at the gym, at church, or volunteering with World Relief – we act justly and serve others in ways that honor God.
Read More of Susan Sperry’s Reflections
Why Christians Should Support the Right to Seek Safety
How You Can Take Action for Refugees and Immigrants in Chicago
Though news channels and social media might fixate on issues on the national stage, one of the most important ways you can support your immigrant and refugee neighbors is by advocating for them on the local level. Advocating for action in your own community is one of the best ways to make a difference for the people around you – by tackling issues in your neighborhood, city, and state!
What is Community Advocacy?
First, we can define “advocacy” as seeking to influence those in positions of power, including elected officials, to enact change for those affected by a specific issue. Advocates use their own voices, positions, and knowledge to speak up and intercede on behalf of those who are suffering, in poverty, or need protection.
At World Relief, we think of advocacy as putting love into action for our immigrant and refugee neighbors, especially those who are in the most vulnerable positions. This means that we want to:
- Address structural inequality and violence
- Increase awareness of issues impacting immigrants and refugees
- Deepen empathy and understanding
- Catalyze engagement
- And ultimately, build a movement for justice!
On a local level, like in the neighborhoods of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, advocacy can mean that you become a bridge. You have the power to share with your local representatives about the issues impacting immigrants and refugees in the community – facts, stories, and needs that they might not know otherwise! And you have the ability to ask them to take action to make life better for immigrants and refugees.
Why Advocate for Immigrants and Refugees?
If you believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and has God-given value and rights, then you have the opportunity to be a strong voice for justice! There are millions of immigrants and refugees around the world and in our communities who are suffering and in vulnerable situations that put them and their families at risk.
Individuals, churches, and community groups have an important role to play. But we also know that our elected officials have the power to make decisions. They can create change on a much broader scale. And when we speak up, we can help them understand why it is important to help immigrants and refugees around the world and in the United States – and that it’s something we care about!
How Can I Be an Advocate?
Becoming an advocate for immigrants and refugees in your local community can take so many different forms! And at World Relief Chicagoland, we are here to help you take action in lots of different ways. We want you to know you are not alone, but part of a bigger movement. A community of advocates!
Ways to Get Started
1. Look Up Your Elected Officials
First, you can start by learning about your elected officials. Who are they? What are the issues they care about? If you are in Illinois, you can click here to search for your elected officials and use your address to find a list of people at a local, state, and federal level. In Chicago, you may also want to click here to find your ward’s alderman. Or if you are outside of Illinois, visit this page on USA.gov for help identifying your elected officials in other states.
Because these are the people you will call to share your perspective, write letters to, and reach out to for meetings, it’s a good idea to know who they are, what their focus areas are, and how you can engage.
2. Learn About the Issues Impacting Immigrants and Refugees in Your Neighborhood
If you are not an immigrant or refugee yourself, one of your first actions should be to learn more about the experience of immigrants in your community. Talking with your neighbors or others in your church or school communities can provide all kinds of insight! Ask them questions based on their own experience and what they think would make their lives better. And try talking to lots of different people to identify common themes. Don’t assume that there is only one “right” answer.
Reading and watching videos is another great way to learn! You can find all kinds of stories and helpful information from reading the World Relief Chicagoland blog. But don’t stop there! In addition to learning about the experiences specific to immigrants and refugees, (many of the biggest issues that impact them affect a broader group of people…such as people of color, religious or ethnic minorities, or low-income families), consider looking up issues like:
- Does your town have enough affordable housing?
- Are there sufficient healthcare and mental health resources?
- Do the schools in your area have enough teachers and educational supplies?
3. Take Note
As you learn, pay attention to the solutions that trusted leaders share. Organizations like World Relief are part of community coalitions and networks that share information and work to identify good solutions together. But there are plenty of experts in your community too. Take the time to ask your immigrant neighbors, organization leaders, and others what they think needs to change. And take note of what they say!
4. Mobilize
There are so many different ways you can mobilize your community to take action. Here are just a few ideas!
- Join Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) Advocacy Days. World Relief is part of RCUSA, which hosts advocacy days each year. These advocacy days bring together community members and organizations in support of refugee issues. When you sign up, you get to participate in training opportunities and meetings with members of Congress! You will get to join a facilitator and others in your community who care about refugees. Invite your friends and neighbors to join too by posting about these opportunities on social media.
- Attend city council meetings, school board meetings, and neighborhood council meetings in your area. Show up and pay attention to meetings where big decisions impacting your community are made. Additionally, you can use the information you have learned to inform your questions and bring refugee and immigrant issues to the forefront of the conversation.
- Lastly, learn more about World Relief Chicagoland’s advocacy efforts and how you can get involved!
Read More About How to Address Barriers
How the Affordable Housing Crisis Is Impacting Refugee Families
How to “Drive” Change by Donating Your Car
4 Ways to Read, Watch, and Listen to Powerful Immigrant and Refugee Stories
5 Times in U.S. History When Christians Advocated for Refugees and Immigrants
This year, the number of displaced people reached 100 million. That includes refugees, asylum seekers, and 53.2 million people displaced within their home country by conflict. And it’s a higher number than ever recorded in history.
In light of this, World Relief and other organizations have called for action – by the U.S. Government, community members, and the Church. Christian leaders are at the forefront of this advocacy, motivated by verses like Matthew 25:31-40.
“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Matthew 25:31-40, in which Jesus tells His followers that caring for others is a way to serve Him directly.
A History of Welcoming the Stranger
The crisis may be greater than ever before, but throughout history, Christians have spoken up about immigrant and refugee needs.
In recent U.S. history, Christians have referenced Deuteronomy 24:14 as a moral reason to look out for the good of immigrants: “Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.”
This Scripture has inspired countless people of faith to seek justice and care for immigrants navigating a foreign culture in the United States.
At times of prevalent anti-immigrant narratives, Christians have returned to the Bible’s command to care for immigrants and refugees. At times when the Church forgot its mandate, bold leaders reminded the Church of this biblical calling.
Here are 5 Times in History When Christians Led in Advocating for Immigrants and Refugees.
Advocating for Chinese Immigrants
In the 1840s and ‘50s, work in the California gold mines and garment factories, agricultural fields, and railroads drew thousands of Chinese immigrants to the U.S. West Coast. Eventually, more than 25,000 Chinese immigrants became the state’s largest non-white minority group. They formed vibrant communities in California. But despite being only .0002% of workers in the U.S., anti-Chinese sentiment began to grow, as white workers blamed them for taking jobs and depressing wages. Chinese immigrants faced growing discrimination, exclusion from community, and new anti-Chinese legislation. Eventually, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 restricted Chinese people from migrating to the United States.
During this time, a Presbyterian pastor and missionary named William Speer became a vocal advocate for the fair treatment of Chinese immigrants. He used his relationships, knowledge of their language, and workforce data to argue against anti-Chinese legislation and even planted a Chinese Christian church in San Francisco in 1853. During his lifetime, he was vocal in opposition to racial prejudice and left a legacy of successors who contributed to fighting the racist anti-Chinese sentiment and joined with Chinese Christians to lead and channel Presbyterian support for the community.
Supporting Immigrants in the Community
At the turn of the 20th century, immigration to the U.S. ballooned. While conflicts and poverty pushed some immigrants to leave their home countries, the promise of jobs and economic opportunity drew others to the United States. Between 1880 and 1920, more than 20 million immigrants arrived – the majority from Southern, Eastern and Central Europe, including 4 million Italians and 2 million Jews. Unfortunately, many Protestants responded by working to restrict immigration and limit who could come to the United States (excluding Asians and other racial or ethnic groups) and promoting anti-Catholic messages and discrimination.
However, other Christians formed organizations and associations that helped immigrants integrate into the community. The YMCA in Cincinnati hosted the first known English as a Second Language (ESL) class in 1856 to help German immigrants gain language skill. Additionally, the YMCA served Asian communities in San Francisco. Then, in 1903, the YMCA created a specific department to work with industrial workers and immigrants, a legacy continued through to the YMCA’s present day adult education classes, refugee services, and New American Welcome Centers.
Welcoming World War II Survivors
By the end of the catastrophic World War II, millions of people were displaced throughout Europe or within their home countries. Many returned to their countries of origin within a few months of the war’s end. But for others, their home countries were irrevocably changed or unwelcoming. Among these were Jewish Holocaust survivors, many of whom spent years living in displaced persons camps alongside imprisoned Nazi perpetrators.
During this displacement, Catholic and Protestant congregations organized to respond. Christians joined with U.S. policymakers to convince American citizens to sponsor refugees. And while the U.S. Government created new resettlement legislation, Christian agencies and churches planned and implemented resettlement efforts, while also advocating before the government. In 1948, the United States passed the country’s first refugee and resettlement law. As a result, the government and Christian agencies partnered to help displaced Europeans seeking permanent residence in the United States after World War II. And to welcome the newcomers into community life.
Responding to Vietnamese Refugees
In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act fundamentally changed the American immigration system. Specifically, it removed quotes from the 1920s that had favored racial and ethnic groups over others and limited immigration from specific countries. The Act replaced them with a preference system that emphasized family reunification and skilled immigrants. In the next five years, immigration from countries torn by conflict, such as Cambodia and Vietnam, quadrupled. During this time, particularly from the 1950s until 1980, the U.S. Government’s refugee resettlement program was inconsistent, and the U.S. did not invest in refugee assistance. However, churches and faith-based organizations stepped up to fill in the gaps and help refugees get their footing.
Sometimes, this was done reluctantly. After two decades of conflict in Vietnam ended in 1975, 2 million Vietnamese people had been killed, 3 million were wounded, and 12 million had become refugees. In response, a woman named Evelyn Mangham emerged to call the Church to welcome Vietnamese refugees. With 20 years of experience as a missionary, Evelyn Mangham cold-called churches. She quoted the Bible. And she told stories. Because of her commitment to the Church and Scripture, she worked tirelessly to convince churches to sponsor refugees from Vietnam.
In the span of a year, she had convinced churches to sponsor 10,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Founding World Relief
Ultimately, Evelyn Mangham went on to found World Relief’s refugee resettlement program alongside her husband, Thomas Grady Mangham, Jr.
We can thank this woman’s tenacity and conviction for World Relief’s 40-year history of refugee resettlement. And the impact continues today! All because Evelyn Mangham read Scripture and responded, believing that the Church must welcome the stranger.
“Her impact on the lives of those who are vulnerable will be felt for generations to come… I know there was a huge celebration for her in heaven as so many people whose lives she touched welcomed her to her eternal home.”
Jenny Yang, World Relief’s VP of Advocacy
Providing Safe Haven for Asylum Seekers
In the 1980s, nearly a million people fled Central American countries, crossing the U.S. border to seek asylum. Civil war and violence pushed people to leave home in El Salvador and Guatemala to seek safety. Yet a tiny fraction of those who crossed Mexico to the southwestern United States were approved for asylum.
The change came when Christians, alongside Jewish and other faith leaders, advocated on behalf of these migrants. The Sanctuary Movement began in 1980 with a goal: to provide shelters to Central American refugees fleeing civil wars. For instance, churches provided English lessons, basic humanitarian help, and legal aid through immigration attorneys. Additionally, leaders preached sermons, organized protests, and advocated to the government on behalf of the asylum seekers. And hundreds of religious communities provided sanctuary, usually inside houses of worship.
At its height, the movement grew to include more than 500 congregations.
Consequently, the Sanctuary Movement was successfully pushing the Reagan administration to pass the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. This landmark piece of legislation extended temporary worker visa programs and helped 3 million people gain legal status.
Recent History
Today, there are nine agencies that work with the U.S. Government to resettle refugees. World Relief is one of them, along with five other faith-based organizations. One is Jewish, one is Catholic, and three others are Protestant. World Relief invites churches and Christians as a whole to welcome refugees and serve immigrants in the community – regardless of the religion, ethnicity, or country of origin of the newcomers.
As these five examples show, Christians have often been on the front lines of serving immigrants and refugees. Together, they have shaped history and the future of the country. Through action in faith, the Church has moved.
Today, Christians have another opportunity to act. And it’s at a pivotal time. Just like Christians throughout U.S. history, those who join World Relief are motivated by faith. And like Christians in the past, we have a calling. In response to a crisis, we can move together. Because of our faith and in light of the need, we can love our neighbors as Christ loves us.
And we can welcome the stranger.