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Advocacy
Update/Washington Update
LIRS published "Washington
Update" until February 2005, when the title was changed
to "Advocacy Update," allowing for a broader focus in the
column. The column appears online monthly (except for January), and appears in print in Voices of Hope three times per year.
2008
May: LIRS Opposes the SAVE Act and Other Punitive Immigration Bills
April: Lutheran Communities Hurt by Immigration Raids and Detentions
March: Responding with Hope to the Politics of Fear
February: LIRS Advocates for Iraqi and Afghan Refugees and Changes to the Material Support Bars
2007
December: LIRS and Lutheran Bishops Fight for Law on Human Trafficking
November: LIRS and Lutheran Bishops Unite Against Inhumane Detention
October: LIRS Advocates to Protect Liberians from Forcible Return
September: Increased Enforcement Won't Fix Broken System
August: Comprehensive Reform: Building a More Humane Enforcement System
July: LIRS Continues Comprehensive Immigration Reform Advocacy
June: No "Advocacy Update" published
May: Families Need Comprehensive Reform
April: LIRS Applauds Reintroduction of Legislation to Protect Children
March: U.S. Immigration Detention System Gets Failing Grades
February: No "Advocacy Update" published
2006
December: Looking Ahead to the 110th Congress
November: Barnacle Bills and the Migration-Asylum Nexus
October: Voicing Our Values
September: Burmese Refugees and Material Support
August: Hope's Voice and Fulfillment
July: LIRS Continues Vigorous Advocacy on Material Support and Comprehensive Immigration Reform
June: No "Advocacy Update" published
May: No "Advocacy Update" published
April: LIRS Calls on Friends and Supporters to Advocate on Two Fronts
March: Immigration Reform in the 109th Congress: What Cost America?
February: LIRS Sets Challenging Priorities for 2006
2005
December: Successful Steps: Recapping LIRS's 2005 Advocacy Efforts
November: No "Advocacy Update" published
October: LIRS’s Refugee Mission: A New Fiscal Year and Renewed Commitment
September: Ironic Casualties of the War on Terror
August: Congress Members Go Home in August: Welcome Them With Support for Refugees and Immigrants
July: Legal Orientation Program: A Win-Win-Win Program
June: Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Upholding the Human Rights of Migrants and Refugees
May: National Day of Action in Support of Federal Funding for Refugees Set for June 1
April: Key Child Protection Legislation Still Pending in Congress
March: A Refugee by Any Other Name Still Deserves Protection
February: LIRS Sets Challenging Priorities for 2005 and 2006
2004
December: Seeking New Hope and
New Life in the 109th Congress
November: Rare Lame Duck Session
Holds Fate of Many LIRS Priorities: Your Advocacy Could Help Sway
Important Decisions
October: Mixed Reaction to Refugee
Admissions Proposal
September: With Fiscal Year 2005
Fast Approaching, Spending Bills Not Completed
August: Urge Congress to Restore
SSI Benefits for Refugees and Asylees
July: Refugee Program Funding
Crisis
June: 'Give Justice to the Weak
and the Orphan'
May: Urge Bush Administration
to Protect Haitians
April: New Law Will Strengthen
U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
March: Bush Administration Budget
Proposal Underfunds Key Refugee Programs
February: Expect a Fast-Paced,
Shorter Congressional Session in 2004
2003
December: Kids Can't Wait
for Justice
November: Legislative Watch Report
October: The CLEAR Act: Clearly
Dangerous Legislation
September: It’s Time
To Fight
August: U.S. Refugee Resettlement
Program Crisis Continues
July: Key Congressional Committee
Strengthens Resettlement Program and Feinstein
Introduces Children’s Bill
June: Threats to Asylum Protection
in a Time of Heightened Security
May: ORR Now Oversees Unaccompanied
Refugee Children; More Change Needed
April: New House Caucus Seeks
to Ensure Refugees Aren’t Forgotten
March: Federal Budgeting Process
Provides Opportunity, Prompts Concern
February: Congregations Can Play
Essential Role in Legislative Process
2002
December: Trading Places and
New Faces in Washington
November: Americans Feeling Besieged—Where
Do We Go From Here?
October: Going Down to the Wire
for Kids
September: Children Are Not
a Security Threat
August: Keep Our Doors Open, Part
2
July: Do These Come in a 7½
Narrow?
June: Farewell to LIRS
May: Status and Update on the
Children's Bill
April: Restoring the U.S. Refugee
Program
March: Wisconsin
on the Move for Child Protection
February: Hard Times Ahead
for World’s Refugees
January: The Terror
of Being a Refugee
2001
November/December: LIRS
Advocacy Post-9-11
October: Responding
to Terror...With Courage
September: Innocent
Immigrant Children Treated Like Criminals
August: Day Laborer
Sites—Cutting Edge Service for Economic Migrants
July: Desert Deaths
Move Public Conscience
June: LIRS Advocacy
Hits the Web
May: LIRS Spearheads
Two New Advocacy Efforts
April: Unaccompanied
Children Need Special Protection!
March: Subcommittee
Shake-Ups Give Reason for Optimism
February: LIRS Rolls
Out 2001 Advocacy Agenda
January: Congress
Passes Significant Immigration Legislation
2000
November/December: We
Won!
October: Campaign
for Refugees: The Final Stretch
September: Campaign
for Refugees: Picking Up Speed, Getting Results, Going National
August: Campaign
for Refugees Rolls Through Kentucky
July: Mobile Coalition
Pulls out Stops on Refugee Advocacy
June: Taking a Stand
for Refugees
Ambassador
News
Note: These files are in PDF format—250-650
KB. Click here if you have trouble opening
PDF files.
2006
Winter [This was the final issue of Ambassador News.]
2005
Spring
2004
Fall
2003
Fall
2002
Spring
2001
Winter Spring Fall
Annual
Reports
Note: These files are in PDF format. Click here if you have trouble opening
PDF files.
2006 (19 MB)
2005 (27 MB)
2004: part 1 | part 2
2003
2002
2001
2000
From
the President’s Desk
Articles by Ralston Deffenbaugh, LIRS President appear online monthly (except for January), in print in Voices of Hope three times per year.
2008
May: Remembering Julia Taft, a Great Humanitarian
April: Bringing New Hope and New Life for Iraqi Refugees
March: Lutherans Lead the Way in Addressing the Defining Issue of Our Time
February: A Farewell to Ellen Sauerbrey
2007
December: The Rights We Take for Granted—But Not for Immigrants
November: Top UNHCR Issues: Iraq, Mixed Migration Flows, Protection of Asylum
October: Iraqi Refugees—Will America Respond Nobly or Fearfully?
September: 'Be Not Afraid!'
August: Collapse of Immigration Reform Means Increased Need for Pastoral Care for the Undocumented and Their Families
July: Why Is Immigration So Controversial?
June: LIRS Continues to Call for Truly Comprehensive, Humane and Pro-Family Immigration Reform
May: Family Unity and Family Values.but Not for Immigrants?
April: An Exciting Time, Rife with Opportunity
March: Time for Action for Burmese, Bhutanese and Iraqi Refugees
February: No "From the President's Desk" published
2006
December: 'Something There Is That Doesn't Love a Wall'
November: Refugee Protection at the Heart
October: Bringing New Hope and New Life in a Time of Fear
September: Pitts Bill Gives Hope for Refugees
August: LIRS: Bringing New Hope and New Life
July: World Refugee Numbers Increase; No Decline in ‘Warehousing’
June: Will America Betray Her Roots?
May: ‘I Am Not a Criminal!’: Immigration Becomes the Civil Rights Issue of Our Decade
April: When Is a ‘Terrorist’ Not a Terrorist?
March: What Kind of Community Is Emerging From Ground Zero? A Statement on Humane Immigration Reform
February: Farewell to Gene Dewey; Welcome to Ellen Sauerbrey
2005
December: Is There Room in the Inn?
November: No "From the President's Desk" published
October: Striving to Serve America’s Displaced
September: Dare to Be Welcoming: A Greeting to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
August: The Town That Loves Refugees
July: New High Commisssioner for Refugees: Matching Security Concerns With a Generous Attitude
June: Bringing New Hope and New Life for 30 Years: Vietnamese Refugees in the United States
May: Who Are the Good Guys Now?
April: 'We Hope for a Shady Tree,
Not Just a Cup of Water': Burmese Refugees in Thailand and Malaysia
March: There was no March 2005 "From the President's Desk"
article due to Mr. Deffenbaugh's travel schedule.
February: Making a Better World for
Refugees and Migrants: LIRS's 10-Year Advocacy Goals
2004
December: Rejoice Always! Give Thanks
in All Circumstances!
November: The State of the World’s
Refugees—Emerging Themes in the Current Era
October: Election 2004: Immigration
Is Not a Dividing Issue
September: Canaries in the Mineshaft
August: We Are They and They Are
Us
July: The Situation for Refugees Continues
to Be Mixed
June: LIRS Will Serve the Most Vulnerable
May: LIRS Rolls Out New Organizational
Structure and Guiding Statements—Agency Looks Ahead, and Plans
Accordingly
April: Bright Spots for Refugees…And
Then There’s Haiti
March: Reforms for a New Era of Refugee
Resettlement
February: Immigration Is One of the
Defining Strengths of Our Country
2003
December: Bush Administration Makes
Renewed Commitment to Refugee Resettlement
November: A Shadow is Cast over the
Work of UNHCR
October: Inhospitable U.S. Welcome
for Iranian Cyclist and Runner for Peace
September: Lutheran World Federation
Assembly Wounded by Canadian Visa Denials
August: The 2003 World Refugee Survey:
The Sad State of Refugee Protection
July: Give Me Liberty or Give Me…Detention?
June: Welcoming the Stranger in a
Time of Insecurity
May: Three Wars' Impact on Refugees
April: Goodbye, INS; Hello, Homeland
Security
March: A Time of National Insecurity
February: I Found the 'Lost Boys'
at St. Paul’s in Arlington
2002
December: Resiliency, Joy and Unfinished
Business: The 'Lost Boys' Two Years After Being Found
November: Tough Times for Refugees
and Migrants, and for Those Who Work With Them
October: A Tribute to Cung Pham
September: U.S. immigration System
Falls Short on Service
August: Keep Our Doors Open, Part
1
July: The Times are Uncertain, the
Mission is Sure
June: A Sabbatical, but Ongoing Challenges
May: Refugee Resettlement—Still
Far From Recovery
April: Sexual Exploitation of West
African Refugee Children
March: The Tide is Turning (But There
Are Still Empty Seats on the Lifeboat!) and More Indirect
Victims of September 11—Haitian Asylum Seekers in Detention
February: Rescue Program for Refugees
Needs Full-Court Advocacy
January: Continuing Crisis in the
U.S. Refugee Program
2001
November/December: Ensuring
Respect for Each and Every Refugee
October: Let's Stop
Jailing Children
September: It's a Long
Way to Kissidougou
August: Family Reunification—The
Core of Refugee Protection
July: From Advocacy
to Action
June: Wackenhut Visit
Makes Clear, Asylum Seekers Should Not Be Detained
May: High Commissioner
Calls for 280,000 U.S. Refugee Admissions
April: New Hope and
New Life for Refugees from Burma
March: A New Deal for
Migrants
February: Caring Standards
of Service for Refugees
January: The Joys and
Blessings of Church Sponsorship
2000
November/December: UNHCR
at 50: Above All, Respect Refugees
October: A Year in Baltimore:
Our Paper Anniversary
September: The Presidential
Transition: A Time of Opportunity
August: A Tribute to
the High Commissioner for Refugees
June/July: Good News
for Asylum Winners
April/May: Elian's Brothers
and Sisters Live on in Obscurity
February/March: Proposed
Cuts in Refugee Admissions
January: Advocacy: Always
an Integral Part of LIRS
FYI
Note: Issues before March/April
2002 are in PDF format—250-750 KB. Issues between March and December
2002 are in html format. February/March 2003 and later are in PDF
format—about 150 KB. You must have Adobe
Acrobat Reader installed to be able to view PDF files. Click
here if you have trouble opening PDF files.
2006
February/March
See our new publication, Voices of Hope!
2005
February/March April/May June/July
August/September October/November December/January
2004
February/March April/May June/July
August/September October/November December/January 2003
February/March April/May June/July
August/September October/November December/January
2002
January February March/April
May/June
July/August September/October
November/December
2001
January February March
April
May June
July August
September
October
November/December
2000
February March
April
May June
July August
September
October
November/December
LIRS
Bulletin
Note: These files are in PDF format—350-650
KB. Click
here if you have trouble opening PDF files.
2003
Spring
2002
Spring Summer
(Annual Report Issue) Fall
2001
Spring Summer
(Annual Report Issue) Fall
News Releases & Statements
2008
April 7—STATEMENT: LIRS Responds to Inspector General’s report on DUCS
2007
October 23—NEWS RELEASE: Grants Available to Lutheran Congregations for Service to Immigrants and Refugees: Good Samaritan Grant Application Deadline March 3, 2008
September 17—NEWS RELEASE: LIRS Welcomes President’s 18-Month Extension of Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians
August 31—NEWS RELEASE: LIRS Celebrates Release of Children, Improved Conditions Recommended in LIRS Report
August 13—NEWS RELEASE: LIRS and Wheat Ridge Ministries Award Grants to Lutheran Congregations For Refugee And Immigrant Ministries
July 02—STATEMENT: LIRS Responds to Senate’s Failure to Pass Comprehensive Reform Bill
June 20—STATEMENT: Statement on ‘New’ Senate Immigration Bill from LIRS President Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr., June 20, 2007
June 8—NEWS RELEASE: Lutheran Leaders’ Message on Immigration Reform: ‘Now, Get It Right’
May 21—NEWS RELEASE: Lutheran Bishops and LIRS Express Grave Concern That Senate Immigration Deal Devalues Families
April 20—STATEMENT: Lutheran Leaders Ask, "What Would Jesus Say About Immigration Reform?"
February 9—NEWS RELEASE: LIRS President President Addresses
Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs on Immigration Issues
January 26—NEWS RELEASE: LIRS Lauds President Bush’s Efforts on Immigration and Urges Protection for Iraqi Refugees
2006
December 19—Grants Available to Lutheran Congregations for Service to Immigrants and Refugees
September 6—LIRS Applauds the State Department on Decision to Allow Refugee Victims from Thailand
June 2—On Senate Immigration Legislation—Statement of Ralston H. Deffenbaugh, Jr., President of LIRS
May 16—LIRS Applauds President Bush’s Leadership on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
February 2—LIRS Welcomes President Bush's Support for Refugees, Trafficking Victims and Immigration Reform
January 13—LIRS Applauds Reauthorization of Trafficking Victims Protection Act
2005
October 06—LIRS Strives to Help Hurricane Victims
September 16—LIRS Offers Guidebook for Sponsoring Those Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
June 29—LIRS and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Award Grants to Asylum and Immigration Partners
June 15—LIRS Announces World Refugee Day Celebrations Across America
June 14—Through the Eyes of Children: Award-Winning Photo Exhibition to Be Shown at The Lutheran Center (Release from the Rwanda Project, MS Word)
June 10—LIRS and Wheat Ridge Ministries Award Grants to Lutheran Congregations
May 17—LIRS Welcomes Introduction of McCain-Kennedy Bipartisan Immigration Reform
May 13—LIRS Expresses Dissapointment That Congress and President Included REAL ID Act on Emergency Supplmental
February 3—LIRS
Opposes H.R.418
February 3—Statement
on State of the Union Address
2004
December 8—Grants
Available to Lutheran Congregations for Support Services to Refugees
and Immigrants
November 30—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Appoints Vice President for Policy
and Advocacy
November 10—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Loses Long-Time Partner in Ministry
to Newcomers
September 27 —Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Advocates for Fair and Just Treatment
of Unaccompanied Foreign Children
August 18 —Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Urges Attorney General Ashcroft to
Grant Asylum for Rodi Alvarado
August 03—Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Award Grants
to Asylum and Immigration Partners
July 01—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service and Wheat Ridge Ministries Award Grants
to Lutheran Congregations for Refugee and Immigrant Ministries
June 28—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Announces Independence of International
Social Service—USA Branch
June 9—Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service Announces World Refugee Day Celebrations Across
America, June 20
June 3 —Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Commends President Bush for Commitment
to Refugees, Urges Increased Funding in FY2005
May 5—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Welcomes Introduction of New Legislation
for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
April 22—LIRS
Statement: Malik Jarno Deserves America’s Sanctuary
February 27—On
U.S. Policy Regarding Haitian Refugees—Statement of Ralston
H. Deffenbaugh, Jr., President, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
February 19—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) Remembers Dynamic Leader and
Respected Colleague
February 19—Pennies
From Heaven—Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)
Receives Largest Gift Ever From Women of the ELCA
January 29—The
Rev. August “Gus” Bernthal, D.D., Former Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service (LIRS) Board Chair, Dies January 27 In Winter
Haven, Fla.
January 12—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Offers New Storybook-America:
A Freedom Country
2003
December 22—Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Partners With Court TV and Active
Voice to Raise Awareness on Political Asylum Issues
December 12—Lutheran
Immigration And Refugee Service Expands Services for Children
December 8—Grants
Available to Lutheran Congregations for Support Services to Refugees
and Immigrants
November 26—U.S.
Senate Passes Torture Victims Relief Act—Crucial Funding Bill
Passed in Senate and House
October 22—Presidential
Determination for Fiscal Year 2004 Refugee Admissions Is Good News
to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
October 21—Lofgren
Introduces Bill to Protect Immigrant Children: Bipartisan Legislation
Takes Further Steps Towards Protecting Vulnerable Minors (release
from Rep. Lofgren's office)
October 20—Exhibit
Opens October 24 at the Lutheran Center in the Inner Harbor—
‘Lost and Found: Remnants of the Desert Passage’
September 4—Nepal:
Bhutanese Refugee Screening Seriously Flawed
August 19—Second
Annual National Refugee Labor Day Celebrates Great Work Ethic Essential
to America’s Economy: Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
and Its Affiliated Agencies Across America Lift Up Refugee Workers
and the Employers Who Hire Them September 8
July 18: Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service (LIRS) and Wheat Ridge Ministries Award Grants
to Lutheran Congregations for Refugee and Immigrant Ministries
June 18: Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Welcomes the Unaccompanied Alien Child
Protection Act of 2003
June 9: Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Announces World Refugee Day Celebrations
Across America, June 20-22
May 28: LIRS Welcomes
First Somali Bantu Refugee to Utica, N.Y.
May 13: LIRS
Offers New Manual for Churches Seeking to Reach Out to Immigrants
in Their Communities
April 30: State Department
Undergirds Lutheran Resettlement Infrastructure
March 31: LIRS
Welcomes Formation of Bipartisan Congressional Refugee Caucus
March 25: Operation
Liberty Shield Denies Liberty to Asylum Seekers
February 28: First
Quarter Admissions Put Refugees in Peril and U.S. Refugee Resettlement
Network at Risk of Collapse
2002
November 8: Experts
Examine Religious Persecution and Refugees: Religious Persecution
Claims Are on the Rise, Better Guidelines for Adjudicators Needed
October 28:
LIRS Calls for Congressional Hearings on Refugee Resettlement
October 21:
LIRS Appoints New Washington Representative
September 16: LIRS
Announces Renewal Plan
September 9: Recipients
of the 2002 Detention Watch Network Awards for Ouitstanding Detention
Work to Be Honored at National Conference
September 9: Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Coordinates Fifth Annual Detention
Watch Network National Conference
April 23: National "Kids
Can't Wait!" Event Comes to California—Vista Children's
Advocacy Event Set For May 5
February 19: “Empty
Seats in a Lifeboat: Are There Problems with the U.S. Refugee Program?”
Senate Subcommittee Considers Refugee Crisis
February 19: Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service Supports the Unaccompanied Alien Child
Protection Act (S121/HR1904)—Senate Immigration Subcommittee
Hearing Set For February 28
February 6: LIRS Encouraged by INS Commissioner Ziglar's Promise to Admit 70,000 Refugees in FY 2002
February 1: National 'Kids Can't Wait' Event Comes to Wisconsin: Kick Off Event In Hartland Set For February 16
January 24: U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program in Crisis: LIRS Calls Upon Lutherans to Join National Advocacy Effort to Save U.S. Refugee Program
2001
November 20: Grants
Available for Lutheran Congregational Services to Refugees and Immigrants
July 20: Board
of Directors Elects New Officers for 2002
June 12: Grants Awarded
for Refugee and Immigrant Ministries in Lutheran Congregations
June 6: Simply Giving®
Benefits LIRS Donors (release from Lutheran Brotherhood)
April 25: Ecumenical
Leaders Visit Detention Center and Speak Out for Imprisoned Refugees
2000
November 10: LIRS
Launches Forgotten Refugees Campaign
November 8: U.S. Resettlement
for Children in Kakuma Refugee Camp
RefugeeWorks
Note: These files are in PDF format—up to 5 MB. Click here if you have
trouble opening PDF files.
Issue 23 – Tackling Transportation
Issue 22 – Engaging Employers
Issue 21 – 10th Anniversary Edition
Issue 20 – Pre-Employment Programs
Issue 19 – Financial Literacy
Issue 18 – Employer Feature
Issue 17 – Promising Partnerships
Issue 16 – Marketing and Communication
Issue 15 – Breaking Through Barriers
Issue 14 – Documentation
Issue 13 – Women and Work
Issue 12 – Job Upgrading
Issue 11 – Earned Income Tax Credit
Issue 10 – Working with WIA
Issue 9 – Identity/Documentation
Issue 8 – Interpreter Services
Issue 7 – Unemployment
Issue 6 – Unions/Title VI
Issue 5 – Youth Employment
Issue 4 – Contingency Work
Issue 3 – Transportation
Issue 2 – Employment Rights
Issue 1 – Making Work Pay
Urgent
Actions
2003
April: Encourage
Representatives to Join New Refugee Caucus
April: Arriving
Asylum Seekers of Targeted Nations to Face Extended Detention
2002
September: Help
Preserve the Integrity of the Immigration Courts After the Creation
of the Department of Homeland Security: Support S2452, Title XIII-Agency
For Immigration Hearings and Appeals
August: Send a
“Letter for Justice” on behalf of 16-Year-Old Alfredo
May: Call-In for
Haitian Asylum Seekers Unjustly Detained in Miami!
April: Help a 16-Year-Old
in Adult Immigration Detention
February: Postcards
for Hope
2001
December: Send
Gifts to Detained Children
December: Send
Gifts to Imprisoned Asylum Seekers
Voices of Hope
Note: These files are in PDF format—up to 8 MB. Click here if you have
trouble opening PDF files.
2008
Spring
2007
Spring Summer Fall
2006
Summer Fall
Page last modified May 1, 2008.
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