A letter from Associate Director for Development Mary Ellen Poe
Dear Friend,
I know you care about refugees and immigrants. So, I wanted to share the impact of a number of new executive orders from the Trump Administration that reverse decades of precedent for welcoming those fleeing violence and persecution.
These executive orders have indefinitely suspended the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) as well as limited access to asylum protection for people fleeing life-threatening persecution.
This is tragic news for some of the world’s most vulnerable people. There are over 200,000 refugees who are waiting in the U.S. refugee resettlement pipeline, refugees we have pledged to protect.
Included in the pipeline of cancelled flights is Asha* whose son Ahmed* was resettled in North Carolina eight months ago after fleeing Somalia. Since his arrival, Ahmed has been anxiously waiting for his mother to join him. Originally scheduled to arrive next month, Asha’s arrival has now been cancelled. She remains stranded alone in dire circumstances in a refugee camp in Kenya, indefinitely. (*Names changed for safety.)
CWS pledges to stand with refugees and immigrants, and we’re asking you to join us. Now more than ever, the world needs people who believe that everyone deserves food, voice, and a safe place to call home.
You can make a difference today:
- Call Congress: Use this easy script to let your members of Congress know that you oppose the new executive orders that harm refugees and asylum-seekers.
- Give Now: Over the past 4 years, CWS has welcomed over 1,300 refugees to the Triangle. Your gifts allow us to continue serving them through critical immigration legal services, case management, employment services, and mental health services.
Our community has been welcoming refugees for over 40 years. These newcomers have fed us in the restaurants they’ve opened, served us in hospitals as nurses and doctors, and nurtured our children as teachers. They are our neighbors. And they are counting on you.
Our community has been welcoming refugees for over 40 years. These newcomers have fed us in the restaurants they’ve opened, served us in hospitals as nurses and doctors, and nurtured our children as teachers. They are our neighbors. And they are counting on you.
In solidarity,
Mary Ellen Poe, Associate Director for Development
PS. You can read Church World Service’s full statement here. Make a gift and make your voice heard today.
