The clients and communities served by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have been profoundly affected by sweeping U.S. government policy changes. These impacts include:

  • Deep uncertainty for families who spent years waiting to be resettled to America as refugees are being detained for the re-review of their refugee status,
  • Ongoing separation of families from refugee relatives who had undergone intensive vetting and background checks,
  • Undermined protections for children that put them at increased risk of trafficking and abuse,
  • Local and national economic contributions limited, and humanitarian protections cut off for people from countries experiencing severe humanitarian crises.

During these challenging times, IRC offices in 29 cities across 17 states and virtual programs with national reach continue to deliver timely and accurate information, initial resettlement support, legal representation, workforce development, anti-trafficking services and many other humanitarian programs critical to the health, safety, and stability of our clients and the communities that welcome them.

To ensure refugees and other newcomers to America are protected from being sent back to life-threatening dangers and can continue to contribute to communities across the country, IRC programs are stepping up to meet this deeply challenging moment. The IRC is prioritizing delivery of legal information and services to defend refugees’ rights, rolling out a crisis assistance program for children at risk, expanding services for survivors of trafficking, and stepping up support for workforce and other essential needs for clients struggling after the loss of work authorization and service cutbacks.

Available documents & links