In the US, faith-based organisations are concerned about the immigration policy landscape
United States RNS While congressional Democrats are chiding Republican senators for walking away from a compromise immigration bill that restricts asylum, faith-based agencies that work with refugees and asylum-seekers expressed alarm in recent days about provisions of the bill and the turn that the conversation about immigration has taken. “You’re not going to solve anything […]
Arthur Gay, NAE leader who introduced Reagan’s “evil empire” speech, dead at 86
RNS Arthur Gay, an evangelical leader who oversaw the National Association of Evangelicals when President Reagan gave his historic “evil empire” speech, has died at the age of 86. Gay was president of the association from 1982 to 1984 and held the same role at World Relief, its humanitarian arm, from 1991 to 1996. President Ronald Reagan […]
Wow!: In North Carolina, a church network turns unused church buildings into homes for refugees
YONAT SHIMRON, of Religion News Service, reports on how a glut of under-utilised church properties offers a solution to the severe shortage of affordable housing for newly arrived refugees…
US immigration: What Biden’s latest deal for Venezuelans means for other refugees
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, speaks to representatives of US refugee resettlement agencies about what the US President Joe Biden’s deal focused on Venezuelan migrants means in the wider context…
Biden’s Uniting for Ukraine program is a start, faith-based refugee agencies say
RNS Leaders of American faith-based refugee resettlement agencies are expressing mixed feelings about President Joe Biden’s plan to streamline entry to the United States for Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country. At a news conference on Thursday, John Slocum, executive director of Refugee Council USA, described the response from refugee resettlement agencies as “Yes, and.” […]
Ukraine conflict: Polish Catholic community houses refugees as US agencies urge action
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports on how the Polish Catholic community has responded to help some of the millions of refugees who have left Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on 24th February and why US agencies are calling for that country to take greater action…
Essay: We need equity and justice in vaccine distribution. The church can help.
In an article published by Religion News Service, LANRE WILLIAMS-AYEDUN and MYAL GREENE, of World Relief, say faith leaders can advocate for better distribution and lower resistance to getting vaccinated…
In lawsuit, Catholic lawyer claims World Relief rescinded job offer because he is gay
RNS A lawyer in Spokane, Washington, is suing an evangelical-run humanitarian organization for discrimination, alleging the organization rescinded his job offer due to his sexual orientation. Emmanuel Campos Gonzalez, a licensed attorney, filed a lawsuit against World Relief on 24th January stating that the group violated Washington’s law against discrimination. “The allegation he’s making is […]
Welcoming the stranger: How one Chicago church is stepping up to help Afghan evacuees
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports on how Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Warrenville, Illinois, is among churches willing to help incoming Afghan refugees…
US agencies celebrate as Biden raises refugee ceiling to 125,000; UN says expulsions of Haitians may violate law
RNS Faith-based refugee resettlement groups are celebrating the Biden administration’s proposal to admit as many as 125,000 refugees to the United States in the coming year, calling the decision a “return to moral leadership”. The news came Monday afternoon as the Biden administration submitted its report to Congress setting the refugee ceiling for the new fiscal year, […]