• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) website has information about the U4U application and process: https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine

• From Welcome.US: Welcome is developing orientation and training materials for sponsors. Information is available on ORR services, connections to medical services, assistance in determining how much funding will need to be raised to support Ukrainian arrivals. Continue to monitor Ukraine landing page on Welcome.US for more information
• Click here for Welcome’s Humanitarian Parole Application Guide for U4U.

• ORR has issued a fact sheet that outlines benefits and services for Ukrainian humanitarian parolees. The fact sheet, featured on the ORR homepage, is in English, but by using the website’s translation feature in the top right-hand corner, it can be translated into over 80 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian.

• Remember any non-Lautenberg Ukrainian who was in the US prior to February 24 can get Temporary Protective Status (TPS) but they will not be eligible for ORR benefits and services. Please read more about eligibility in ORR Policy Letter 22-13.

• The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Loyal Source, is excited to announce the launch of the Uniting for Ukraine Support Line (U4USL). With millions of Ukrainians fleeing their home country and thousands entering the United States as humanitarian parolees, this initiative will provide a telephone support line to Ukrainian humanitarian parolees, to support navigating and accessing resources and referrals for applicable ORR benefits in their new communities in the US. Any Ukrainian humanitarian parolee can call the support line at (407) 591-3963.

• Eligibility for Benefits for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHPs): UHPs are eligible for the following beginning May 21, 2022, or the individual’s date of humanitarian parole, whichever is later. (Note: Due to ORR eligibility rules for ORR services, enter either May 21, 2022 as ‘Date to US/Status’ in MO-RAP or a later date if date of humanitarian parole is after May 21, 2022.)
• ORR benefits: UHPs are eligible for ORR benefits, such as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), Refugee Support Services (RSS), Youth Mentoring (YM) and other ORR services starting May 21, 2022, or the date of Humanitarian Parole, whichever is later. UHPs are not eligible for participation in the Reception and Placement program.
• Public Benefits: While the ORR Policy Letter 22-13 noted above does state UHPs are eligible for public benefits, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF, policy clearances from the different federal departments over these programs are still forthcoming. Missouri’s Department of Social Services (DSS) has requested these clearances, as has other states, in hopes of expediting the situation. MO-ORA is keeping in close contact with DSS and will send out information on eligibility clearances as soon as it is received. Any applications made at this time may be rejected due to an ineligible immigrant status.

• Because eligibility for Ukrainians is somewhat complex, here is a helpful chart courtesy of ORR in terms of ORR eligibility for UHPs eligible through AUSAA (Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022):

• It's happening! MO-ORA has partnered with Left Bank Books in St. Louis to host an event in honor of World Refugee Day! You can tune in on Facebook Live or YouTube to attend our virtual speaker and Q&A event on Friday, June 17 from 6 – 7:15 p.m. Shugri Said Salh, author of The Last Nomad, will be joining us to share her story and get everyone ready to celebrate World Refugee Day.
• You can learn more on our website! 
• And, **exclusive to MO-ORA newsletter subscribers**, you could win a copy of The Last Nomad! Register on Eventbrite and attend the event, and you'll be entered to win a copy of the hardcover edition of the book! 

• Biden’s New Asylum Rules Go Into Effect On A Limited Basis: The Biden administration’s overhaul of the asylum system went into effect for the first time on May 31, but only a limited basis. According to guidance published by the Department of Homeland Security, the rule will initially be applied to several hundred asylum seekers per month. 

• Number of displaced people passes 100m for the first time, says UN, The Guardian 

• Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (FSSP) Requirements Effective October 1, 2022 – The Refugee Support Services (RSS) FSSP requirements that will be effective October 1, 2022, were briefly mentioned at the last Quarterly Refugee Meeting. A brief summarization of those requirements has been posted to the Resources SharePoint site, in the ‘MO-RAP (ClientTrack) Manuals, Training docs’ folder > ‘FSSP revisions effective 10-1-2022’ folder > ‘Refugee Support Services FSSP requirements Per ORR Policy Letter’. As noted on the summarization, a training on the requirements will be held prior to implementation.

KC Office News and Updates

• Enterprise Vanpool for Employment Info Session: This information session will cover how service providers can work with their employer partners and workforce development teams to connect their clients with employment transportation through Enterprise's vanpooling program. For this program, Enterprise provides groups of employees with a vehicle, fuel cards, a number of personal use miles, and covers the cost of insurance and maintenance. Service providers can also utilize this service to provide vehicles for certain employment readiness activities. The program is available anywhere in Missouri and is on track to be subsidized by MODOT for the entire state. Details on pricing and payment options, rider and driver eligibility, and qualifying employment readiness activities will be covered during this session.
• June 23, 2022 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
• Register in advance for this meeting here.

Cuban/Haitian Entrants: ORR has recently reviewed questions MO-ORA has sent regarding C/H Entrants and spouses/children not born in Cuba or Haiti. Once MO-ORA gets a final response to an additional question, MO-ORA will be issuing revised policy on C/H Entrants for ORR-eligible programs. 

MO-RAP Updates

• Non-Ukrainians eligible for UHP benefits: Per ORR Letter Policy 22-13, non-Ukrainian individuals who last habitually resided in Ukraine and who DHS has paroled into the US between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, are also eligible for ORR services and public benefits. To reduce the confusion related to ordinary ‘parole’ status and humanitarian parole status for this limited group of individuals, in MO-RAP enter these individuals as follows:
• Immigration Status – Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee (UHP)
• Country of Origin and Nationality – Enter their actual country of birth

In the Spotlight

Ahead of World Refugee Day, Della Lamb is highlighting case managers, some new neighbors and other teammates who have played a pivotal role in welcoming our new neighbors in the last year on their social media and via email campaigns.

Check out the latest installments on YouTube, and meet one of their former clients who arrived in March 2019.  

If you/your program would like to be ~in the spotlight~ reach out to Marisa (tesorom@iistl.org). You all accomplish so much every day! 

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you to participate in an engagement on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan on Thursday, June 16, from 2-3 p.m. Eastern. During this engagement, USCIS will provide an overview of the designation of TPS for Afghanistan and hold a question-and-answer session. They will not address case-specific questions, questions outside the scope of the engagement, or issues under active litigation. 
• To Register: 
• Visit their registration page. 
• You will be asked to sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences; please enter your email address and select “Submit.” 
• Select “Subscriber Preferences.” 
• Select the “Questions” tab. 
• Provide your location, organization name and organization type (if applicable). 
• Complete the questions and select “Submit.” 
• Once they process your registration, you will receive a confirmation email with additional details. If you have not received a confirmation email within three business days, please email public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov.  
• If you have questions on Afghanistan’s TPS designation, you’re invited to submit one to two questions by 3 p.m. ET on Friday, June 3, 2022, by emailing public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov. Please place "TPS Afghanistan" in the subject heading of your email. 

• Are you participating in Welcoming Week this year? Join Welcoming America for their launch webinars to learn how you can plan/promote your event & activate Welcoming Week in your community: 
• June 29 at 6 pm CT 
• June 30 at 10 am CT 

• Language-neutral court interpreter certification orientation workshop: This orientation will take place at the Office of State Courts Administrator's Judicial Education Center in Jefferson City, MO on August 6-7. The cost for the session is $260. Registration fee covers the workshop and training materials. Participants are responsible for lodging, transportation, meals and any travel related expenses.  Application, background check authorization, and fingerprint results and fees are due by July 1.

• Immigrant Student Success free virtual conference on July 12 and 13, hosted by The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute. As always, we’re bringing you experts from across the country to tackle the big issues facing immigrant and refugee students of all ages as well as how to integrate immigration into the classroom so that all students benefit.  
• This year, you will learn: 
• How to foster belonging, identity and self-efficacy in your students  
• How to recognize and deal with immigrant/refugee trauma  
• How to incorporate culturally relevant pedagogies 

• How Many, Which Ones? The Refugee Crisis and U.S. Immigration: Tune in to this free 60-minute webinar from Poynter at 1 p.m. CT on July 13, 2022, to gain a deeper understanding of the policies and politics that impact which immigrants get refugee status in the U.S. 

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Citizenship is pleased to announce a training opportunity in Kansas City, MO to provide adult educators and program administrators with ideas and best practices for creating a comprehensive adult citizenship education curriculum and program. The full-day training symposium will be held on September 7, 2022 at: 
• National World War I Museum, 2 Memorial Drive, Kansas City, MO 64108  
• This full-day symposium provides information on the naturalization process and effective citizenship instruction, and provides a synopsis of the principles of 2^nd language acquisition. The symposium is free for ESL, civics and citizenship administrators, teachers, volunteers of adults and representatives from immigrant-serving organizations. Participants will have the opportunity to speak with local USCIS representatives, and receive free educational resources. 
• USCIS recommends that interested participants register early for this training as space is limited. Register online at https://www.uscis.gov/teachertrainingregistration. Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the event or once the seminar is full. 

• WES Global Talent Bridge will invite communities to join the 2022-2023 SIIP cohort. Applications must be submitted by July 13, 2022.
• Thirty-two SIIP communities—from Alaska to Maine to Texas—have benefitted from the program’s customized training, coaching, and technical assistance to advance sustainable state and local inclusion efforts. This year, SIIP will build on its success by supporting cohorts organized around the following themes:
• Creating Career Navigation Tools and Resources
• Advancing and Retaining Internationally Skilled Employees (A-RISE)
• Building Workforce Board Partnerships
• Developing Contextualized Digital Skills Opportunities
• You can find a more detailed Request for Proposals here.
• Participating communities are convened by a lead agency that coordinates with a local network of multi-sector stakeholders. SIIP alumni communities are invited to apply for this year’s cohort. Join for an information session on June 30 at 2:00 p.m. CT to learn more about SIIP and the application process.

• Join WES on June 22 at 1:00 p.m. CT for Bridges to Teaching for Immigrants and Refugees: Building Cross-Sector Partnerships to Support Internationally Trained Educators. In this webinar, they will discuss how non-profits and adult education programs in Ohio and Texas are leveraging the power of partnerships to reshape the institutional landscape for immigrant and refugee teachers working to re-enter the classroom. This is the third in a webinar series sponsored by WES Global Talent Bridge’s Teacher Bridge initiative, a collaboration of state and local partners focused on strengthening career pathways into teaching for internationally trained immigrants and refugees.

Lost track of an upcoming webinar or link to register? Check out our Event Calendar, updated weekly with events mentioned in this newsletter and more.

• LGBTQ Refugee Mentorship Program Updates: In 2020, the Tent Partnership for Refugees and the Human Rights Campaign launched a mentorship program for LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers in the US, Canada and Mexico where LGBTQ employees and allies at companies provide one-on-one professional guidance and support to LGBTQ refugee mentees. Since then, they have expanded the program to the UK and Germany! To date, 40+ companies (e.g. Pfizer, Coca-Cola, Hilton) have collectively committed to mentor over 2,000 LGBTQ refugees in North America and Europe. Here is a video that highlights a few of the mentors and mentees who have participated in the program so far! Recruitment for Next Year’s LGBTQ Refugee Mentorship Cohort: TENT will be recruiting another round of LGBTQ refugee mentees for the program from September to December 2022. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help recruit mentees.

• In honor of Pride Month, check out the resources below:
• Resource Round-Up: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Clients: In recognition of Pride, Switchboard has compiled this resource round-up. It includes materials designed for organizations and case managers serving LGBTQ+ clients, including how to create welcoming environments, ensure use of inclusive language, and address the unique needs of this population.
• Stories of LGBTIQ+ Refugees Giving Back to Their Community: Many individuals seek refugee status based on fear of persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In many countries, same-sex relationships are criminalized and sometimes even punishable by death. LGBTIQ+ refugees frequently face risks in their home country, and even if they flee, they are often met with challenges along their journey. UNHCR works to keep LGBTIQ+ refugees safe through inclusive programming, operating with external partners to provide support, safe spaces and identifying solutions.

• June is celebrated as National Immigrant Heritage Month
• Map the Impact of Immigration: U.S. Economic Data & Numbers: This interactive map from the American Immigration Council provides the latest information on the demographics, economic and tax contributions, education level, and other factors of immigrants living in the United States. 
• Today’s immigrants and their children integrate and succeed at rates similar to those in previous generations, according to Forbes.

• World Refugee Awareness Month: World Relief compiled a list of books, podcasts, videos and more to help answer your questions about refugees. 

• Emergency preparedness resources
• This booklet from ORR covers natural disaster preparation that has been translated into the following languages: Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, French, Karenni (Kayah), Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Sgaw Karen, Somali, Swahili, Tibetan and Tigrinya.
• This booklet introduces refugees to the types of disasters that occur in the United States, as well as what to do during them and how to be prepared.
• View the English version on the website, and find links to the translated, print-ready versions in the languages listed above. 
• Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management
• Welcoming America’s Information

• Check out CORE’s new Cultural Orientation toolkit for community partners and sponsors

• Serving Jobseekers with Professional Backgrounds: Workforce Resources for Clients and Staff: Switchboard highlights some of the key resources UpGlo can extend to resettlement agencies as we all work to address the most common barriers for job seekers.  

• Podcast - 80 MINUTES AROUND THE WORLD IMMIGRATION STORIES: It's a show about US immigration - and all things related - national identity, culture, family, and borders. Hosted by storytellers Nestor Gomez and Angel Ling, this is a podcast where we share stories and conversations to examine the historical and contemporary ideas, policies, and events that have forged national identity, community, and belonging in the US. 

• In a new Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report, COVID-19's Effects on U.S. Immigration and Immigrant Communities, Two Years On, analysts Julia Gelatt and Muzaffar Chishti examine the pandemic-related U.S. immigration policies that were implemented, changes to immigration flows and effects on the nation’s immigrant communities 

• The new "Welcome Sesame," from the Sesame Workshop, offers educational materials to Afghan and Ukrainian refugee families, available in Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, Spanish, and English, and [covering] subjects ranging from coping with the trauma of resettlement to fostering a sense of belonging. 

Definitely feeling like this cat this week. Stay cool, y'all!