LSS/NCA REFUGEE RESOURCES: GET INFORMED TO TAKE ACTION

Author: Dana Lea, Guest Blogger

2017 was a year full of headlines concerning refugee crises, immigration hurdles, and immigration bans to the United States. This relentless barrage of news had many looking towards local resettlement agencies to better understand the refugee process itself, immigration executive orders and refugee arrival interruptions, and to learn how to take action.

For LSS/NCA and other resettlement agencies like us, it is important to have an informed public that understands the facts of the resettlement process and can reinforce the benefits of refugee resettlement and immigration to the United States. It is vital that our community members reach out to their elected representatives to demand that their voices be heard through messages of love, acceptance, and truth.

To that end, we have complied the following resources to equip our community with the information tools necessary to defend refugee resettlement and immigration. These resources provide information on the resettlement process, experiences of refugees, and immigration law; and will equip you to advocate accurately and intelligently for refugees, as well as make our community a welcoming home for our newest neighbors.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Books on Refugees and Immigration

• Refuge: Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World by Alexander Betts and Paul Collier.
• The New Odyssey: The Story of the Twenty-First Century Refugee Crisis by Patrick Kingsley
• Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal By Aviva Chomsky
• Exodus: Immigration and Multiculturalism in the 21^st Century by Paul Collier
• City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ismael Beah
• Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan
• What is the What by Dave Eggers
• “25 Great Books by Refugees in America” – NY Times

Documentaries to Watch

• Climate Refugees (Itunes/Amazon)
• ‘Europe or Die,’ Vice News (Youtube)
• ‘Left for Dead: Myanmar’s Muslim Minority,’ Vice News (YouTube)
• ‘Immigrant America’ Playlist, Vice News (Youtube)
• ‘Lost Boys of Sudan,’ PBS
• ‘New Arrivals: Refugee Resettlement in Lexington, Kentucky,’ Lexington Public Library (YouTube)
• ‘Salaam Neighbor’ (VIMEO)
• ‘From Damascus to Chicago,’ PBS
• ‘Fire At Sea’ – NY Times Review
• ‘Neuland,’ PBS

Teaching Kids about Refugees

• Paddington by Michael Bond
• The Name Jar by Yanksook Choi
• Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes
• The Journey by Francesca Sanna
• I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien
• My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald
• The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffmen and Karin Littlewood
• UNHCR’s Teacher’s Toolkit

 

REFUGEE AND RESETTLEMENT PROCESS AND RESOURCES

US Immigration and Refugee Process Information

• The Resettlement Process – RCUSA
• Refugee Processing and Security Screening – USCIS
• Refugee Resettlement Programs and Resources – ORR
• Refugee Admissions information from the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) – State Department
• A Profile of Current DACA Recipients by Education, Industry, and Occupation – MPI
• Immigration under Trump: A Review of Policy Shifts in the Year Since the Election – MPI
• Ten Facts About U.S. Refugee Resettlement – MPI
• Moving Beyond “Root Causes:” The Complicated Relationship between Development and Migration – MPI

Shareable Charts and Infographics

• RCUSA Monthly Report Card
• Infographic: The Screening Process for Refugee Entry into the United States – Obama White House Archives
• US Refugee Admissions Program – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Factsheets
• US Refugee Resettlement Facts – UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR
• S. Annual Refugee Resettlement Ceilings and Number of Refugees Admitted, 1980-Present – Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
• Shareable social media graphics from CWS’s #GreaterAs1 campaign

 

TAKING ACTION

Resources for Advocacy on Refugee and Immigrant Issues

• Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) Tools
  • Refugee Policy Updates
  • Advocacy Toolkit
  • Advocacy to Congress
• Church World Service, Economic Impact Study Snapshot

Make Your Voice Heard

• Call the White House and Your Members of Congress:
  • President Trump: (866) 961-4293
  • Your Senators and Representatives: (202) 224-3121
• Tweet to the President and your representatives to express your support for refugees and immigrants:
  • @realDonaldTrump
  • @POTUS

 

SUPPORTING REFUGEES IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Resources for Refugees and Immigrants

• Know Your Rights – American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
• Cultural Orientation Resource Center – Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
• Citizenship Test Prep – USCIS
• The Refugee Center Online – Free website of resources for refugees and immigrants
• Career Development with Upwardly Global

Tools for Welcoming

• Welcoming Week Sept 14-23, 2018. Host your own event or finding one near you!
• Building and Sustaining Community Collaborations for Refugee Welcome Toolkit and Get-Started Guide – Welcoming Refugees
• Building Welcoming Schools Webinar – Welcoming Refugees
• Investing in Refugee Entrepreneurs – Welcoming Refugees
• Seeds of Growth – Welcoming Refugees
• Neighbors Together – Welcoming America

 

And finally, don’t forget to sign up for the LSS/NCA newsletter for the latest volunteer and agency news, as well as information on upcoming events and stories from our clients!