Greetings Friends of Refugee Resettlement,
Newsletter #3 - following are the latest updates regarding refugee resettlement in our community.
Upcoming Local Events:
Below are a few very time sensitive announcements about local events this week. Please consider participating and please forward this newsletter and invitation to your own networks.
(Please note: there are links in the footer of this email to "unsubscribe" and to "subscribe" to this update newsletter.)
***We urge all of our friends and supporters of refugee resettlement to attend the***
ROC Stands with Refugees Rally ***
Date: Friday Feb. 3rd
Time: 5pm
Place: 30 Church St (outside of City Hall)
Bring signs, banners and lend your voice in support of the refugee community and the refugee program!
Check out ROCitizen Facebook page for more on this event: https://www.facebook.com/events/144566272715014/
***Concerned religious leaders from across Monroe County invite one and all to attend***
Welcoming the Stranger: Interfaith Prayer Service
Date: Sunday, February 5, 2017
Time: 3:00 PM
Place: Temple B’rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Avenue
For more information: (585)244-7060
*** Drop off a flower in support of our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community ***
Drop off a Flower at the Mosque
Date: Friday February 3, 2017
Time: 12:15pm
Place: Islamic Center, 727 Westfall Rd
Drop a flower off in show of support for our Muslim community. If you are free/interested, please bring a single flower or arrangement (whatever you would like) and meet at the mosque: 727 Westfall Road, Rochester. The President welcomed anyone who is interested to attend the sermon at 12:30 or prayer following the sermon. Or you can simply stop by and just say a quick hello. You can enter at the main entrance.
Refugee Arrivals
Catholic Family Center was happy to receive a few more refugee case families this week. These were refugee families who were already in transit from refugee camps on their way to us and who were not denied admission under the seven nationality ban included in the President’s Executive Order (EO). After today, we expect no further refugee arrivals until May 27, 2017. Although the EO did allow for exceptions for certain cases to be admitted during the 120 day refugee ban, we expect that very few cases if any will receive a waiver and be allowed to enter during this time.
Attached is the latest FAQ document produced by our national offices regarding the EO updated 1/30/17.
A note regarding Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders from Iraq and Afghanistan
Although not categorized as refugees on their immigrant documents, SIVs have also been able to receive refugee benefits from resettlement agencies such as CFC. SIVs are those persons from Afghanistan and Iraq who have provided direct support to US government agents or military personnel and subsequently found themselves in danger of violence or oppression due to that support. Many SIVs acted as interpreters for the US military. Although originally Iraqi SIVs were included in the refugee ban and even Afghan SIVs were having challenges being admitted since the EO, the latest news indicates that SIVs will be granted waivers so that they may still be admitted to the US. In the last year SIVs represented less than 5% of CFC’s overall refugee resettlement caseload.
Links and Other Points of Interest
There is so much information regarding advocacy coming at us that it’s hard to keep tabs on all of it. We’ll aim to keep posting links through this newsletter to sources we think may be of interest to everyone although due to time constraints we can’t post all that we’d like to. Here are just a few:
The NY Times did a beautiful video and report on the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which is one of the largest camps housing Syrian refugees. It is very educational about who the people are who come to these camps, how they live, and what they are hoping to do (and some of the steps they must take to achieve their hopes). Check this out on CFC’s website: http://www.cfcrochester.org/
Latest Action Alerts from Justice for Immigrants (National):
Latest Action Alerts from Empire Justice (NY State):
