Quarterly Update from MO-ORA

Plenty of news to share, so let's jump right in!

Some big changes were announced back in January that greatly impacted migration at the southern border. The White House announced it would end the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11. This would result in terminating Title 42, which has been used to expel arriving migrants to Mexico or their countries of origin. While the courts continue to debate ending Title 42, the Biden administration also expanded the recently launched Venezuela parole program to include Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans. The processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans will now allow up to 30,000 individuals per month from these four countries to apply to come to the U.S. for two years under humanitarian parole.

Under the new parole program, any individual with lawful status in the U.S. will be able to serve as a sponsor for nationals of these countries as long as they file declarations of financial support for prospective beneficiaries and pass required background checks.

To aid in this effort, Welcome.US launched an expanded version of its Welcome Connect platform. Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans can now register to connect with potential U.S. sponsors. Those seeking a sponsor can register here.

The State Department also launched the Welcome Corps, another major change that will allow the U.S. to welcome more refugees. The Welcome Corps is a private sponsorship program that allows small groups of Americans to help with refugee resettlement by sponsoring new arrivals.

As we celebrate the many ways our country is welcoming more refugees, we’re also aware of the tens of thousands of Afghan humanitarian parolees in the U.S. whose legal status is set to expire later this year along with the thousands of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants who are still trying to make their way out of Afghanistan.

Stay tuned in to the latest news by following our News page and Blog in between newsletters.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Blossoming Resettlement Efforts

RAISE in Joplin is officially a local resettlement agency! After becoming a subcontractor offering Refugee Support Services (RSS) in the wake of the Afghan crisis, they are now preparing to welcome their first families as an affiliate of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS). RAISE has already hit the ground running. In conjunction with the Joplin Interfaith Coalition, they hosted a bake sale and raised more than $14,000 to pay for a driving simulator for their clients.

We also welcomed City of Refuge as a new subcontractor in Columbia! They’ll be expanding the support available to newcomers in Central Missouri.

The International Institute of Southwest Missouri launched their new website AND moved to a new location!

And finally, we’re hard at work on our burgeoning LGBTQ+ Refugee Project, and we collaborated with the USCRI St. Louis field office to produce a new refugee mental health newsletter for service providers! Check it out, and subscribe!

More local news spotlights:

Visit our blog

COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP: A Look at Fulton, Missouri

In the early days of Operation Allies Welcome, it was uncertain where, when, and how many Afghan evacuees would be arriving.

Luckily, community groups such as the Fulton Rotary Club jumped into the mix, expanding the resources available to new refugee arrivals and providing much-needed wraparound support in the form of community sponsorship.

More than a year later, the Fulton MO Afghan Resettlement group and the wider Fulton community continue to welcome and support Afghans as their needs evolve.

P.S. - They've partnered with River City Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a family of 14 who arrived in 2021! They're breaking ground on the house March 30, and you can learn more about this project and donate to their fundraising effort here.

RESOURCES: Read, Watch, Explore

In honor of Black History Month: In February and beyond, we reflected on immigration as a Black issue. We also celebrated the profound impact that Black immigrants and refugees have had on this country. Learn more in our growing collection of resources.

To celebrate Women’s History Month: This illustrated celebration of women around the world features five comic artists showing what a community of women means to them. Also, listen to refugee and immigrant women speak about their experiences striving for equality and leadership positions at this We Are All America virtual event.

By the numbers: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) recently published a report on language diversity throughout the state, and Migration Policy Institute published their updated Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigration.

Refugee 101: Learn more about how resettlement agencies work with the U.S. government and five ways communities can help refugees and other newcomers.

Eat it up: Check out the new cookbook Culture Dish: Stories & Recipes by Refugee and Immigrant Women, the result of a Colorado program that connects refugees and immigrants via creative workshops.

Flagmakers: This new National Geographic documentary on Disney Plus, "examine[s] life inside a factory that makes American flags," whose employees are mainly refugees and immigrants.

OPPORTUNITIES: Get Involved

JVS is hosting their annual Global Table fundraising event in May! Global Table celebrates the diversity that refugees contribute to KC and will include food, cocktails, and silent auction prizes.

Della Lamb hosts monthly Lunch and Learn calls where you can learn more about their welcoming efforts and ways to get involved. They’re also hiring!

Catholic Charities Refugee Services is looking for a Community Sponsorship Coordinator, Housing Specialist and more in Columbia.

City of Refuge is looking for volunteers to help watch refugee children while their parents participate in programs. Contact volunteer@cityofrefugecolumbia.org to learn more. Those interested in getting involved are also invited to stop by for tours April 14, May 12, and June 9.

IISMO hosts monthly community sponsorship meetings at the Library Station in Springfield the last Friday of the month at 6:30 p.m. IISMO is also looking for a Community Engagement Coordinator and Youth Mentor Coordinator.

IISTL Youth Mentoring is looking for mentors! Scroll down on this page to learn more and apply. IISTL is also hiring for a Development Coordinator, Social Media & Graphic Design Coordinator, and more.

MO-ORA is hiring an Emerging Initiatives Designer to increase the efficacy of the Missouri Refugee Temporary Assistance Connection Program (MO-RTAC).

Stay tuned for updates about World Refugee Day in June,

and we hope you have a lovely Spring!

Catch up on what you may have missed in our previous newsletters here :)