From a bridge over the Spree river in Berlin, Germany, we can see multiple ferry boats on the water. On the left side of the river are modern buildings and the Berlin Television Tower. On the righthand side of the river, is a historic stone building with a green patina dome and a gold spire.

IRAP Europe

Originally founded in the United States, with offices in Amman, Jordan and Beirut, Lebanon, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) officially expanded its services to Europe by opening its IRAP Europe office in Berlin, Germany in 2021. The expansion was in part triggered by increasing political attacks on the U.S. resettlement program.

Since then, a team of lawyers, caseworkers, and operations staff has been dedicated to helping displaced people identify and access complementary pathways to safety in European countries through family reunification, humanitarian visas, humanitarian corridors, and private sponsorship. 

As with our offices in the Americas and the Middle East, IRAP Europe uses the power of the law to help displaced people from around the world find a safe place to live and a safe way to get there. IRAP Europe has assembled a staff with vast legal training and experience in various European countries, including Germany, France, and Sweden, and has developed valuable partnerships with European NGOs that allow IRAP to continue its work on behalf of refugees and displaced people on a much wider scale.

Our Team

Miriam Aced
Co-Director, Operations
Kristine Rembach
Co-Director, Programs
 
Lina Al-Samaraee
Program Coordinator
Daniel Ayitey
Senior Office and Accounts Manager
Elisa Costadura
Staff Attorney
Mai Greitz
Staff Attorney
Aicha El Sadda
Staff Attorney
Julia Kessler
Senior Program Manager
David Loveday
Staff Attorney
Jakob Oxenius
Caseworker
Nadia Sebtaoui
Supervising Attorney
Nasim Sharafi
Caseworker
Mandy Taylor
Staff Attorney
Dr. Corinna Ujkašević
Supervising Attorney
Peter Varga
Supervising Attorney
Shannon Vine
Administrative Assistant
 

Client Story

Aaron* and Miriam* were separated from their mother when she was forced to flee their home in Eritrea. Their mother was able to safely resettle in Germany, and the children stayed in a refugee camp in Sudan. Staff inside the camp had been trained by IRAP to identify cases eligible for family reunification, and Aaron and Miriam became IRAP clients.

The German government initially denied the children’s application because they did not have passports. IRAP challenged the denial in German court, explaining the dangers of requesting passports from the Eritrean government. The German government agreed to settle the case, and Aaron and Miriam were reunited with their mother in Germany in June 2021. We also began to establish a precedent to ease the passport requirement for thousands of refugee children in similar situations.

*Name changed to protect client identity.

Contact

IRAP Europe
Revaler Str. 100
10245 Berlin

Email: europeinquiries@refugeerights.org