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Families belong together—whether migrant, refugee or native born—all of us are better off when we are with our families and part of communities.
When people are forced to make the difficult decision to migrate, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is there to help them become part of a new community. We provide support and guidance as they work to recover from their journey and seek to reunite their families.
 Portrait of a Migrant Family
Diana and Julio fled gang violence in their native Colombia. They had almost reached their destination in Canada when Diana was arrested for lacking proof of immigration status. Julio and their 3-year-old daughter, Elena, watched in disbelief as she was hauled away. They did not know where the police had taken Diana or when they might see her again. Read more.
More Portraits of Migrants
and Their Families
 
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How We Serve
Promoting Family Unity
At Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, we believe strongly that families belong together. Through our work, we strive to bring refugee and immigrant families together after difficult and often heartbreaking separations. Read more.
Protecting Migrants at Risk
When asylum seekers and survivors of torture flee to the United States seeking protection, they are often imprisoned before they have the opportunity to make their case. Other migrants fleeing desperate circumstances suffer the same fate. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service helps migrants at risk by offering critical legal support that can make the difference between beginning a new life and being forced to live with persecution or in despair. Read more.
Advocacy
LIRS not only seeks to meet migrants' needs but to create a more welcoming system of laws and policies in the United States. Read more.
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| Facts About Migrants and Their Families
From 2003 to 2009 more than 48,000 asylum seekers—people seeking protection from persecution in their home countries—were detained in U.S. jails and detention centers.
By the end of 2009 the U.S. government was holding more than 440,000 people in immigration custody—more than triple the number just 10 years previous.
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