In August 2013, when she was just 24, Joseline* fled her home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo after surviving a brutal act of sexual violence perpetrated by six unknown male attackers. Now 27, she is getting a new lease on life thanks to the help she received from HIAS.
With the global refugee crisis at the forefront of the discourse related to a presidential election for the first time in recent history, we felt it was necessary to set the record straight on some crucial points.
For 20 years, Ellen Dubin was at the center of refugee resettlement efforts in Charlotte, North Carolina. Following her passing on September 29, 2016, HIAS remembers her integral contributions to the refugee community and her central role in resettling more than 1,500 refugees from at least 15 countries in North Carolina.
Refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons from each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia participated in the Refugee Congress, sharing their own stories and helping to inform policy makers about the realities and challenges of fleeing persecution and restarting life in a new land.
George has called America home since he was seven years old. Originally from Liberia, his family fled a violent civil war. George was on Capitol Hill last week to meet his representatives in Congress because, he said, “I wanted to be a voice for refugees. I know their struggle.”
Despite an international ban on the use of torture, it is still a heartbreakingly common tactic around the globe. HIAS Kenya took on 180 such cases last year. This year, they already have more than 70 new ones.
“I just think that this is really a matter of values when you come right down to it, and I think our country is enriched by refugees like my grandfather,” said Senator Al Franken (D-MN). “I think we have to do a gut check here, and see who we are as a people.”
In advance of a September 28, 2016, congressional hearing on the Obama administration's plans for the U.S. refugee resettlement program for fiscal year 2017, HIAS submitted a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest.
“These young people were looking to talk about their lives, their dreams and their experiences as refugees. We thought that photography was a good way to tell these stories,” said HIAS Psychologist Cesar Torres. The exhibition, held at one of the largest theaters in the area, featured the work of six refugee youth following seven months of training and artistic development.
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