IRAP is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
External link for International Refugee Assistance Project
Refugees are essential members of our communities, and we stand in solidarity with all of the people impacted by President Trump’s #RefugeeBan. Faith leaders, humanitarians, refugees, members of Congress, and resettlement agencies came together this week to affirm that welcoming refugees saves lives, unites families, and makes our communities stronger. #RefugeesWelcome
"'These flights set the stage for egregious rights violations, indefinite detention, and crushing family separations,' said Hannah Flamm, interim senior director of policy for the International Refugee Assistance Project. 'The United States has a deplorable history of detaining different groups of people unlawfully at Guantánamo to avoid oversight and the public eye, and this latest chapter is no exception.'" https://lnkd.in/eksabd-X Take action to #CloseGuantánamo: https://lnkd.in/e5rRcwvW
"'Targeting immigrants doesn’t make our communities safer,' said state Rep. Emily Randall, who just took office, representing the Olympic Peninsula. 'What it does is spread fear through our communities, so that folks are afraid to go to work, afraid to send their kids to school, afraid to call the police when something happens in their neighborhood.'" https://lnkd.in/e4Vr2knR
"Stephanie Gee, senior director of U.S. Legal Services at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), addressed the executive order to suspend refugee admissions...'We are already seeing immediate and sweeping harms to refugees and their families as a result of this executive order,' she said. 'We have heard this week from so many of our clients who are absolutely devastated [...] One of our clients already had his bags packed when he learned that his flight was canceled. After over a decade of waiting for his case to finish processing, he is now again indefinitely stranded, away from his close relatives.'" https://lnkd.in/efq8kYyp
From our founder, Becca Heller, for The Hill ✍ https://lnkd.in/e9RZJiqB "The Trump administration wants us to feel hopeless, but we are not. When we stand together to defend our shared values, we can stop the backslide, and in the process start building a country where we all belong."
"'We had hopes to be able to start over in the U.S., to build a future for our families,' said Homaira Haidari, 28, who has been in Pakistan since early 2023 waiting for relocation to the United States. She found out about Trump’s executive order on social media. 'It feels like our dreams are falling apart,' she said." Essential reporting from Rick Noack, Haq Nawaz Khan, and Abigail Hauslohner for The Washington Post on the impact of the new administration's executive actions on Afghans seeking safety. https://lnkd.in/g5xPWmb3
Take action now to protect refugees, immigrants, and thriving communities. Contact your elected officials to ensure they know we stand firmly against harmful, exclusionary practices. Together, we can create a more inclusive and welcoming society. #UnitedInWelcome bit.ly/UnitedInWelcome
José G. Miranda, Supervising Attorney in IRAP's Climate Department, wrote a blog post highlighting the key gains from the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action, particularly as they relate to climate displacement. The blog also explores what actions practitioners and participants in climate and migrant justice movements should take to hold the U.S. government accountable for its fair share of climate injustice. Read the blog here:
Today, on International Human Solidarity Day, we are reminded that our fight for justice and freedom for people seeking safety is inextricably linked with the struggles for racial justice, gender equity, disability justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, climate action, and more. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with advocates within and across our movements to build a world where every person has a fair chance to live a life filled with safety, dignity, inclusion, meaning, and joy. #InternationalHumanSolidarityDay #StrongerTogether