8 Ways to Help Refugees and Immigrants
By Abigail Gadd Pixton
Right now in the U.S., Pew Research Center estimates there are 45 million foreign-born persons. Every year, the U.S. receives tens of thousands of refugees seeking asylum with as many as 85,000 per year or as few as 13,000 per year. Nearly all of the resettlement agencies recognized by the U.S. government are faith-based.
Healthy religious practices have proved to be a great help to the resettlement process because, according to a study titled, “Divine Boundaries: How Religion Shapes Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Immigrants,” religiously-active Americans tend to have more positive attitudes toward all immigrants.
Have you ever wondered how you can help support immigrants and refugees have a positive experience in America? There’s a lot more you can do than you might think.
Here are a few suggestion:
1. Hire a refugee. The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service website at LIRS.org provides an employer’s guide for how to legally hire a refugee, as well as other sources like I-9s and video guides. LIRS was founded in New York in 1939 by the National Lutheran Council to resettle 30,000 refugees created from World War II. Eighty years later, they have resettled more than 100,000 refugees from countries all over the world.
2. Donate your frequent flyer miles. This could help an immigrant or refugee set up immigration appointments or search for housing on the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society website at HIAS.org. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society was founded in New York as an aid to Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. Soon after, HAIS set up a Kosher kitchen translation center on Ellis Island for Jews coming to America. Throughout the decades, HAIS has fought for fair treatment of Jewish refugees and immigrants coming to America and has resettled hundreds of thousands of people.
3. Find a service project. Use the search function on JustServe.org and set “immigrants & refugees” as your interest. This online announcement board is a place where non-profits and other service-oriented organizations meet volunteers. The website is serviced and provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
4. Look up local immigrant service organizations. You can find them using the search tool at immigrationadvocates.org. Founded in 2007 by several immigrants’ rights organizations, the Immigration Advocates Network is a pro bono program seeking to expand immigrants’ access to legal aid.
5. Sign petitions and pledges for legislation. You can find this information concerning immigration at fwd.us. FWD.us President Todd Schulte leads a team of highly skilled professionals who have been directly impacted by immigration. They seek to influence legislation on easing the process for immigrants coming to America.
6. Find immigrant events happening in your area. You can find these resources already listed at iamanimmigrant.com. I Am An Immigrant seeks to spotlight immigrants from around the country while also advertising different immigrant events happening in your area. iamanimmigrant.com is an affiliate website of FWD.us
7. Donate. There are ways to give to the refugee cause at catholiccharitiesusa.org. Established in 1910, the National Conference of Catholic Charities sought “to bring about a sense of solidarity” among the independent catholic charities throughout the nation. They now operate several locations throughout the country.
8. Listen to immigrant stories. To better understand immigration, try listening to a podcast like Immigrantly. This podcast focuses on eliminating the cross-cultural stereotypes that follow immigrants by sharing the stories of successful immigrants and refugees. Saadia Khan hosts more than 100 episodes, tackling hard issues surrounding immigration opinions in America.
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