Mariko Hirose, IRAP Litigation Director, addresses journalists at an outdoor press conference. She is surrounded by several journalists with cameras, microphones and notepads. She has straight, shoulder length black hair and wears a white blouse and black blazer.

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May 15, 2024

TAKE ACTION: Support the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program!

We are asking you to TAKE ACTION and reach out to your mayor, city council members, state legislators, and governors to show the President that our communities support welcoming refugees. The need for resettlement has never been more urgent. An unprecedented 110 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, 40 percent of whom are children. Among them, the UN Refugee Agency estimates that 2.4 million refugees need urgent access to resettlement this year. But less than one percent are afforded this chance. It’s time to do more. State and local elected leaders have a powerful role to play urging the President to invest further in the refugee resettlement program.

Action Alert

May 14, 2024

New Lawsuit Challenges Unexplained Revocation of Three Refugee Families’ Resettlement in U.S.

Today, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) filed a new lawsuit against the U.S. government on behalf of three families living in Kenya, each of whom fled the Democratic Republic of Congo due to war and safety concerns more than a decade ago. In each instance, the family completed the process to qualify for resettlement to the U.S. and received confirmation about their travel being booked to the United States, only to receive a last minute notification from the U.S. government informing them their travel plans were revoked, without explanation. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, calls on the Court to uphold the law, find that the denials of the plaintiffs’ refugee applications were unlawful, and to give them another, fairer chance at refugee resettlement in the United States.

Press Release

Mar 14, 2024

Refugee Mother Stranded in Iraq Sues Government to Return to Safety in United States with Children

Last night, Jane Doe, a refugee mother stranded in Iraq, requested a federal court allow her to return to safety in the United States with her children. By unlawfully preventing her from returning to the United States, the U.S. government is forcing Doe to choose between sending her children back to the United States by themselves, or staying in Iraq where the entire family faces threats.

Press Release

Jan 19, 2024

The Welcome Corps Celebrates First Year of New Service Opportunity for Americans to Privately Sponsor Refugees

"Today we celebrate one year of everyday Americans coming together to sponsor refugees for resettlement in the United States,” said Elizabeth Foydel, Private Sponsorship Program Director at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). “Welcome Corps has expanded resettlement capacity, brought together families and friends, invigorated communities, and showcased this country's spirit of welcome. We look forward to supporting this program for years to come.”

Press Release

Sep 29, 2023

IRAP: President Biden Must do More to Build a Resilient and Robust Refugee Program 

Today, President Biden signed a new Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions (PD) maintaining the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 refugee admissions target of 125,000 refugees for FY 2024. After years of record low admissions, refugee resettlement in FY 2023 doubled to more than 51,000 as of August 31. However, that number remains far below the administration’s annual goal, and more must be done to reach it.

Press Release

Jul 20, 2023

IRAP Welcomes Sharif Aly in New Role as President

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is thrilled to announce that Sharif Aly has joined the organization in the new role of President of IRAP. As part of this expansion of IRAP’s Executive Leadership Team, Becca Heller, Co-Founder and Executive Director, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Press Release

Jun 20, 2023

On World Refugee Day, Calls for Biden Administration to Accelerate Family Reunifications

On a press call held to commemorate World Refugee Day, Congressman Ted Lieu joined advocates, experts, and affected individuals to highlight the tens of thousands of separated refugee families waiting to reunite in safety and called on the Biden administration to make family reunification pathways more efficient, more equitable, and more transparent. 

Press Release

Apr 18, 2023

Fight to Access Trump Report on Muslim Ban Continues After New Court Ruling

Yesterday, a Connecticut federal judge ruled in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case that the U.S. government has not proved that a report on the Muslim ban issued by the Trump administration can be shielded from the public under the presidential communications privilege.

Press Release

Apr 11, 2023

After Seven-Year Separation, Somali Refugee Files Lawsuit to Reunite with Family

Today, Rabi Mohamed, a resettled Somali refugee who has been separated from his wife and their sons for over seven years, filed a lawsuit against the United States government with the support of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and Prokosch Law LLC. The lawsuit challenges USCIS’s unnecessary requests for evidence to prove the family’s relationship, which has blocked the Mohameds from reuniting for years.

Press Release

Jan 19, 2023

IRAP Celebrates Launch of Private Sponsorship Program for Refugees 

Today, the Biden Administration launched the Welcome Corps, an innovative program that will allow groups of Americans to directly sponsor refugees to resettle in their communities. IRAP will support the Welcome Corps as an unfunded consortium partner focused on developing legal resources and guidance for sponsors and refugees.

Press Release

Jan 5, 2023

Separated Muslim Burmese Refugee Family Sues U.S. Government

Today, a Burmese mother who has been separated from her husband for nearly a decade filed a lawsuit calling on the U.S. government to reunite her family. She is represented by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP).

Press Release

Sep 28, 2022

IRAP Urges Biden Administration to Meet 125,000 Refugee Admissions Target

Yesterday, President Biden signed a new Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions maintaining the refugee admissions target at 125,000 refugees for Fiscal Year 2023. The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) urges the Biden administration to commit and prioritize the resources necessary to meet its goal. 

Press Release