February 28, 2013
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama and Members of Congress:
We, the undersigned faith, refugee, and humanitarian leaders and organizations, write to ask for your leadership as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program faces a crisis. Without your intervention, America’s ability to provide persecuted refugees and vulnerable migrant children with safe haven and a chance at a new life could be dramatically diminished. Currently, the federal agency responsible for responding to refugees and unaccompanied migrant children lacks the robust funding required to succeed.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the populations most vulnerable to organized crime in Central America are unaccompanied children, as well as single women and female heads of household with young children. A recent surge in widespread organized crime and violence in the region has led to an unanticipated increase in the number of unaccompanied children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Thousands of children in the region are fleeing their homes to escape extortion, killings, forced recruitment, and generalized fear. As these children flee the dangers of their home countries, their age and vulnerability place them at special risk for abuse, exploitation and trafficking during their journeys.
As a result of several acts of Congress, the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is responsible for caring for these children after their apprehension in the U.S. and prior to the conclusion of their immigration cases. In FY 2013, ORR budgeted for the arrival of 14,500 of these “unaccompanied alien children” (UACs), anticipating the number of UACs to be consistent with FY 2012 levels. However, current ORR and DHS projections anticipate that 20,000 children will arrive this fiscal year, creating a significant budget shortfall.
Unless ORR receives additional funding to respond to this crisis, ORR will have to find the funding to care for these children elsewhere in their budget. We fear that ORR will have no choice but to take funds from programs supporting refugees and the communities that welcome them. Reprogramming funding in this way may force ORR to reduce or disrupt services to refugees and the other vulnerable populations that fall under its mandate, hampering the road to self-sufficiency and integration. In addition, the funding that ORR provides to states, counties and cities that welcome refugees would also be at risk.
Further, a lack of additional funding to respond to this crisis would impact the future of refugee arrivals. This could be the beginning of a downward spiral for the U.S. refugee program, wherein our inability to appropriately serve refugees would cause the United States to reduce the number of refugees we welcome each year. Our nation’s leadership in offering hope and safety to the world’s most vulnerable persons is at risk unless increased funding allows ORR to meet the needs of all the populations it is expected to serve.
One of the greatest strengths of the resettlement program is the partnership between the U.S. government and private organizations. Refugee resettlement agencies, houses of worship, local community groups, and dedicated citizens have worked together for decades to create successful and sustainable partnerships and welcoming communities for refugees across the country. We are committed to continue our support to refugees and vulnerable migrant children. We respectfully and urgently request your immediate intervention to ensure we can continue to work together to offer hope and safety to refugees and vulnerable migrants to the United States.
Sincerely,
National Organizations
Agudath Israel of America
American Forum of Russian Jewry
American Jewish Committee
Anti-Defamation League
Association of Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies
B’nai B’rith International
The Center for Victims of Torture
Church World Service
The Episcopal Church
Ethiopian Community Development Council
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights (Chicago, IL)
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
International Rescue Committee
Jewish Council on Public Affairs
Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Labor Committee
Keshet
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepard
National Council of Jewish Women
Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Grand Rapids, MI
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Reformed Church World Service, Reformed Church in America
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
Women’s Refugee Commission
World Relief
Local Organizations
Catholic Social Services Alaska
Arizona Immigrant and Refugee Services
Catholic Charities Community Services of Phoenix
Catholic Social Services Arizona
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Tucson, AZ
Refugee Focus, Division of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Phoenix, AZ
Alliance for African Assistance
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Northern California Chapter
Catholic Charities CYO, Archdiocese of San Francisco
Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Los Angeles (CLUE-LA)
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Immigrant Legal Resource Center – San Francisco, CA
Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice – California)
Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service, Los Angeles
Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the East Bay
Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley
Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Jewish Labor Committee Western Region CA
Lutheran Office of Public Policy- California
Opening Doors, Inc., Sacramento, CA
Program for Torture Victims (Los Angeles, CA)
Survivors of Torture, International (San Diego, CA)
Ecumenical Refugee and Immigration Services, Denver, CO
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains
Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition
IRIS – Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, New Haven, CT
Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut (JFACT)
AJC Miami and Broward
AJC Palm Beach County
Catholic Charities Northwest Florida
Church World Service Miami, FL
Coptic Orthodox Charities, Inc.
Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services
Lutheran Services Florida
Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta, GA
Catholic Charities Hawaii
AJC Chicago
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Lutheran Advocacy- Illinois
RefugeeOne, Chicago, IL
The American Red Cross, St. Joseph County Chapter, South Bend, IN
Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc., Indianapolis, IN
Lutheran Services in Iowa, Inc.
Catholic Charities of Louisville
Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Lexington, KY
Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Louisville, KY
Catholic Charities Maine
Jewish Community Services of Baltimore
Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (Boston, MA)
Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston
Catholic Charities Worcester County
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Family and Children’s Services Boston New American Services
Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
Bethany Christian Services, Grand Rapids, MI
Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan
Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit
Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit
Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
St. Vincent Catholic Charities, Lansing, Michigan
Minnesota Council of Churches, MN
Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri
Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma (St. Louis, MO)
Jewish Vocational Services, Kansas City
St. Louis Mental Health Board (St. Louis, MO)
Southern Sudan Community Association
Jewish Vocational Service of Metrowest NJ, Inc.
Encuentro – Albuquerque, NM
AJC New York
Catholic Family Center, Rochester, New York
Federation Employment and Guidance Service, Inc.
HealthRight International (New York, NY)
InterFaith Works Center for New Americans, Syracuse, NY
Jewish Family Service of Buffalo and Erie County
Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Lutheran Social Services of New York
UJA-Federation of New York
Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency – Charlotte, NC
Church World Service Durham, NC
Church World Service Greensboro, NC
North Carolina African Services Coalition
American Jewish Committee – Cincinnati Regional Office
Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS), Columbus, OH
US Together, Inc.
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon / Sponsors Organized To Assist Refugees, Portland, OR
Advocacy for Justice and Peace Committee of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, PA
Catholic Charities Counseling & Adoption Services – Erie, PA
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Church World Service Lancaster, PA
Jewish Family and Children's Service of Pittsburgh
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Harrisburg, PA
Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota
Nashville International Center for Empowerment
Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi
Center for Survivors of Torture (Dallas, TX)
Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services El Paso
Dominican Sisters of Houston, TX
Refugee Services of Texas – Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, TX
Catholic Community Services of Utah
Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
Utah Health and Human Rights (St Lake City, UT)
Church World Service Harrisonburg, VA
Northern Virginia Family Service (Falls Church, VA)
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Jewish Family Service of Seattle
AJC Washington
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Pan-African Community Services
Community and Faith Leaders
National
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernandez, Director, Church and Community Engagement, Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod Office of National Mission
Rev. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ
Alabama
Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Arkansas
Bishop Anthony Taylor, Bishop of Little Rock, AR
Rev. Stephen Copley, Chair, Arkansas Interfaith Alliance, Little Rock, AR
Arizona
Dr. Larry Stoterau, Pacific Southwest District (Southern California, Arizona, Southern Nevada)
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Rev. Bishop Stephen S. Talmage, Grand Canyon Synod (Arizona, Nevada), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
California
Rev. Jason E. Bense, Pastor, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Sacramento, CA
The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of San Diego and Retired Bishop of Washington, D.C.
Rev. Monsignor Gregory A. Cox, Executive Director Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc.
Debra DeBondt, Executive Director, Opening Doors, Inc., Sacramento, CA
Debbie Decker, the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Mark Diamond, Regional Director of AJC Los Angeles and President of Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders
Most Reverend Jose` H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
Mark Schroeder, O.F.M., Franciscans for Justice, West Coast, U.S.
Dr. Larry Stoterau, Pacific Southwest District (Southern California, Arizona, Southern Nevada)
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Meghan Tumilty, Executive Director, Attorney at Law, Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service (IRIS) and Chair of the Refugee Forum of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
E. Stephen Voss, President & CEO, International Institute of Los Angeles
Colorado
Senator Betty Boyd, Board Vice-Chair, Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service, Lakewood, CO
Connecticut
Angela Bovill, President/CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Chris George, Executive Director, IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, New Haven, CT
Kelly Hebrank, Deputy Director, IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, New Haven, CT
Angela Rossi Zurowski, Executive Director , International Institute of Connecticut
Florida
Bishop Edward R. Benoway, Florida-Bahamas Synod , Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Oscar Rivera, Director, Church World Service, Miami, FL
Most Reverend Thomas G. Wenski, Archbishop of Miami
Georgia
Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Idaho
Roberta Nestaas, President/CEO, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Illinois
Laura Lonneman, Housing and Policy Manager, RefugeeOne, Chicago, IL
Bishop Wayne N. Miller, Metropolitan Chicago Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Heidi Moll Schoedel, Executive Director, Exodus World Service, Itasca, IL
Iowa
Bishop Steven L. Ullestad, Northeastern Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Kansas
Bishop Gerald L. Mansholt, Central States Synod (Kansas, Missouri), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Kentucky
Elizabeth Kaznak, Executive Director, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Louisville, KY
Louisiana
Bishop Michael Rinehart, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Maryland
Tal Widdes, Chief Operating Officer, Jewish Social Services Agency
Bishop Richard H. Graham, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Massachusetts
Angela Bovill, President/CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Michigan
The Rt. Rev'd Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr., Bishop of Michigan
Kimberly Hassan, Program Advocate, Arab American and Chaldean Council
Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim, Chaldean Bishop of St. Thomas, The Apostle Chaldean Diocese
Mark Stutrud, President and CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Michigan
Hanna Sullaka, Pastor, Lutheran Church
Minnesota
Rabbi Morris J Allen, Beth Jacob Congregation, Mendota Heights, MN
Kitty Goggins, International Institute of Minnesota Board Member
Rosanne M. Hope, International Institute of Minnesota Board Member
Marry Ann Nowak, International Institute of Minnesota Board Member
Mississippi
Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Missouri
Anna E. Crosslin, President & CEO, International Institute of St. Louis, St. Louis Missouri
Thuy-Tien Dang, Vice President and Secretary, Representative of Vietnamese American Community in Kansas City
Bishop Gerald L. Mansholt, Central States Synod (Kansas, Missouri), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
New Hampshire
Angela Bovill, President/CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
New Jersey
The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, Bishop of Newark
Nevada
Dr. Larry Stoterau, Pacific Southwest District (Southern California, Arizona, Southern Nevada)
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Rev. Bishop Stephen S. Talmage, Grand Canyon Synod (Arizona, Nevada), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
New York
Rev. Kevin J. Agee, Pastor, Hopps Memorial CME Church, Syracuse,, NY.
Linda Alexander, CEO/President, The Jewish Federation of C.N.Y.
Douglas J. Anderson, Director, Church World Service Upstate, NY
Mehtab Bajwa, Sikh Society of Syracuse, NY
Charles W. Beach, President, Board of Directors, InterFaith Works of C.N.Y.
The Rev. Sherry Chayaf, Zen Center of Syracuse, NY
Manpreet Dhami, Gurinder Dhillon, Sikh Society of Syracuse, NY
Gurinder Dhillon, Sikh Society of Syracuse, NY
Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn
Rabbi Michael E. Feinberg, Executive Director of the Greater New York Labor/Religion Coalition
Rabbi Daniel J. Fellmary Temple Concord, Syracuse, NY
Daryl Files, Volunteer, InterFaith Works of C.N.Y., Syracuse, NY
Rabbi Ari Hart, Founder of Uri L’Tzedek and Rabbi at Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
Stephanie Horton, Program Facilitator, SCSD Refugee Assistance Program, Syracuse, NY
The Rev. Jim Kerr-Whitt, N. Manlius United Church, Kirkville, NY
Mohamed Khater, Islamic Society of Central New York, NY
Helen Malina, Interfaith Works of Central New York, Syracuse, NY
Rev. Simone W. Montgomery, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Syracuse, NY
Rev. William Redfield, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Fayetteville, NY
Molly Short, Director, Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Madalyn F. Smith, Coordinator, Rangrig Yeshe of Syracuse, NY
Tiffany Steinwert, New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Syracuse, NY
Rabbi Joshua Strom, Temple Shaaray Tefilam, New York, NY
Rev. Edith Washington, Unity of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Rev. Jon Werner, Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, NY
Roberta Yackel, InterFaith Works of C.N.Y.
North Carolina
Ruth H. DeHoog, Mercy Ministry Coordinator, Christ Church, Greensboro, NC
Mono Khan, Mercy Ministry Coordinator, Christ Church, Greensboro, NC
The Rt. Rev. Alfred "Chip" Marble, Assisting Bishop of North Carolina and Retired Bishop of Mississippi
Ohio
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., Bishop of Ohio
Angela Plummer, Executive Director, Community Refugee & Immigration Services, Columbus, OH
Rev. Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro, Assistant Professor of Theology, Xavier University, Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Board of Directors; Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Cincinnati, OH
Oregon
Roberta Nestaas, President/CEO, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Pennsylvania
Judith Bernstein-Baker, Esq., MSW, Executive Director, HIAS Pennsylvania
Bishop Claire Burkat, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rt. Rev. Michael W. Creighton, Retired Bishop of Central Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Michele Adamo, Marketing Consultant Board Member, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Angela Bovill, President/CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Claudia Cardozo, Board Member, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Carol L. Holmquist, CEO, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Rabbi Howard Mandell, East Greenwich, RI
Mary K. Morse, President Morse Search Firm, Board Member Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Robin A. Smith, Community College of Rhode Island Board Member Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Colleen E. Stevenson, Esq., Board Member, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
Robin Ward, Bryant University Board member Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island
South Carolina
George Kanuck, Social Justice Advocate, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, Bluffton, SC
Bishop Herman R. Yoos, South Carolina Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Tennessee
Leila Buzan, Case-manager, Bridge Refugee Service, Chattanooga, TN
Angel Daugherty, Senior Case-manager, RCA eligibility specialist, Bridge Refugee Service, Chattanooga, TN
Amanda Fackler, Case-manager, Health Navigator, Bridge Refugee Service, Chattanooga, TN
Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Marina Peshterianu, Office Coordinator, Bridge Refugee Service, Chattanooga, TN
Texas
Elliot Gershenson, President and CEO of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (IMGH), TX
Ajit Giani, Board member of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and leader of the Bahia Community in Houston, TX
Bishop Michael Rinehart, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Ali Al Sudani, Director of Refugee Services, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, TX
Nancy Tully, Outreach Director, First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth, TX
Vermont
Lauren Berrizbeitia, LMHC, Diversity Rocks International Youth Group Advisor
Angela Bovill, President/CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Todd Centybear, Executive Director, Howard Center
The Rt. Rev. Thomas C. Ely, Bishop of Vermont
Dr. Karen Fondacaro, Director, Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy Center at UVM
D. J. Hellerman, Burlington City Arts Curator, Burlington, VT
Dr. Anne Judson, Director , Graduate Education Program at St. Michael’s College
Amy Mellencamp , Burlington High School Principal, Burlington, VT
Nina Meyerhof, Director, Children of the Earth
Reverend Karen Mendes, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Burlington, VT
Julie Berger Pierson, Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity
Carolyn Rushford, Joint Urban Ministry Program Board Member
Shawna Shapiro, Middlebury College Visiting Assistant Professor of Writing
Rebecca Trudeau , Vermont Department of Labor
Virginia
Lisa Gibson, Director, Church World Service, Tidewater Region, Newport News, VA
Bishop Richard H. Graham, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rabbi Amy M Schwartzman, Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church, VA
Rev. Eric Wester, Chaplain, U.S. Army, Arlington, VA
Washington
Dianne Aid, President, The Episcopal Network for Economic Justice, Kent, WA
Aida Bound, The Hat Project, Wenatchee, WA
Roberta Nestaas, President/CEO, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Bishop of Olympia
Washington, DC
Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Washington, DC
Bishop Richard H. Graham, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Craig C. Roshaven, Witness Ministries Director, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Mari Castellanos, D. Min., United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
Sr. Marie Lucey, OSF, Franciscan Action Network
Rabbi David Shneyer, Am Kolel Jewish Renewal Community of Greater Washington, DC