Advocate for Refugee Rights

Resources and Publications

• Action Guide and Resources for Synagogues, Clergy, & Communities

  *Revised 2/18/2026* Over the last months and with no end in sight, major immigration enforcement operations are expanding into a growing number of cities across the country. This resource is intended to help you identify ways to support impacted immigrant communities – both during initial emergency stages and for the long-term.

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• From Commitment to Implementation: Recommendations for the EU Relocation Mechanism

  The Berlin Governance Platform (BGP), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and HIAS Europe call on EU institutions to strengthen relocation efforts and on Member States to prioritize relocations. When implemented properly, relocation accelerates asylum procedures, improves access to assistance, and fosters longterm integration. At a time of highly polarized migration debates, an effective and well-structured relocation system – rooted in fairness, transparency, and meaningful participation – can help shift public perceptions and demonstrate that migration, when managed proactively and humanely, benefits both newcomers and host communities.

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• Meeting with Your Members of Congress and Other Elected Officials

  How to set-up, plan and carry out an in-person meeting with your Representatives and Senators. Typically, Congressional office schedules fill quickly, so you should plan ahead. Learn how to set-up, plan, and carry out an in-person meeting.

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• Calling Your Elected Official: How to call your representative

  Calling our elected officials is an effective and relatively easy way to ensure that they hear from us before they take a public stance. If we don’t tell them what is important to us – their constituents – then they will not know our priorities.

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• Needs Assessment: Wellbeing of Asylum Seekers in New York City and the Washington, D.C. Area

  This assessment aimed to explore the needs of asylum seekers in New York City and the greater Washington, D.C. area, with an emphasis on social services, and particularly mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Through documenting existing services, needs, and opportunities, HIAS aimed to determine whether and how HIAS could add value through programming, partnership, and advocacy.

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• Forgotten Crises: Displacement in Latin America

  In Latin America, millions of people experience displacement — including many from Venezuela. This fact sheet considers the impact of this displacement and details HIAS' response to the crisis.

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• Forgotten Crises: Displacement from Sudan to Eastern Chad

  Since April 2023, conflict in Sudan has killed tens of thousands and caused almost 2 million more to flee elsewhere for safety. This fact sheet examines the humanitarian impact of Sudan's violence on neighboring Chad and details HIAS' response to the crisis.

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• New Migration Management Policies in the Aftermath of Title 42

  This policy brief analyzes new U.S. migration management policies, their pros and cons, and the implications and legal precedent they will set for asylum, complementary pathways, and border management for the United States and other countries.

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• Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Ukraine

  Ukraine has, for many years, been both a transit and destination country for people fleeing persecution and violence in other parts of the world. In 2021, approximately 5,000 asylum seekers and refugees were seeking refuge in Ukraine or were in transit to the EU. While heterogeneous, they share common vulnerabilities.

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• “They told me they couldn’t help me…”

  Thousands of non-Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers who fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion continue to face significant barriers to protection and integration across the European Union, according to new research from HIAS and its Ukrainian partner Right to Protection (R2P).

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• How To: Advocacy Meetings with Members of Congress

  Everything you need to know about scheduling and preparing for meetings with your member of Congress.

  Read the guide to learn more

• Sample Congressional Advocacy Meeting Script

  A sample script for having successful conversations with your members of Congress.

  Use this script to guide your conversation

• At Risk and In Need

  The international community has provided an unprecedented level of support to people fleeing Ukraine, but despite this response, vulnerable populations are at risk. This HIAS policy brief examines the serious protection risks that certain groups are experiencing and recommendations to address these gaps.

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• Roadmap to Recovery

  For years, the U.S. government allowed individuals applying for asylum to physically remain in the United States while their cases were adjudicated. However, in January 2019, the Trump administration introduced the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program, which fundamentally changed this process by forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for the duration of their immigration court proceedings.

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