WHERE WE STAND
Since you last heard from us, we’ve seen record flooding and record high temperatures. It’s so nice to meet again on the other side with autumn upon us!
In this newsletter:
Refugee & Immigration News
In the Spotlight
Welcoming Week 2022
Resources to Read, Watch, Explore
Opportunities to Get Involved
Amidst one of the most sweltering July’s in recent memory, more than 6,600 people across the country became citizens in 140 naturalization ceremonies between July 1-8.

More than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees entered the U.S. with the number of Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. surpassing Joe Biden's pledge of 100,000 in just five months. Even so, the door remains open to Ukrainians as USCIS verified through the FAQ on their website that there is no 100,000 cap for Ukraine applications or arrivals.

Nationally, more than 114,000 sponsor requests have been received with more than 79,000 approved. And more than 42,600 people have arrived through the Uniting for Ukraine program. As of mid-August, there have been 1,005 supporter applications in Missouri. The Springfield region leads the pack with 43% of the state’s total supporter applications. You can learn more about being a supporter through Uniting for Ukraine on the Welcome.US site.

Also in mid-August, we recognized and remembered the fall of Kabul one year later. Missouri has resettled more than 1,800 Afghan arrivals over the past year through Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). Now the last scheduled OAW flight has arrived in the U.S., and the new arrivals will depart the National Conference Center, a temporary destination, by mid-September.

The U.S. has resettled roughly 86,000 Afghans through OAW, 90% of whom through the parole process. As of October 1, the administration will be transitioning to Operation Enduring Welcome, discontinuing the use of the humanitarian parole process and focusing on resettling certain Afghan evacuees who qualify for immigration programs that provide permanent legal status.

Thousands of Afghans who arrived as humanitarian parolees lack a pathway to permanent legal status.
Stay tuned in to the latest news by following our News page and Blog in between newsletters.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Local Resettlement Agency Updates
In June, the International Institute's Southwest Missouri Branch partnered with Beyond Healing’s Silvia Espinosa to facilitate a transformative, two-week art therapy camp experience. Next up: making it a sustainable, long-term program. Read more about their partnership and see photos from the camp on our blog. More photos are available on IISMO’s Facebook page.
The International Institute’s Festival of Nations returned to Tower Grove Park for the first time since the pandemic began.
Thousands attended and filled the park, all eager to try cuisines from across the globe, take in art and live performances, and celebrate different cultures. 
WELCOMING WEEK 2022
Welcoming Week is a national initiative led by Welcoming America. This week, celebrated this year from September 9-18, is full of events and brings together “neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity."

This year’s theme is #WhereWeBelong, which “aims to go deeper and spark individual reflection on how and why belonging occurs, and ways we can break barriers so that places can foster belonging for all, including immigrants and refugees.”

Local resettlement agencies, service providers, and partners across the state are holding events, webinars, displays, and more in celebration of this week and the people that make Missouri a more vibrant and prosperous place for all.

Those are just a few of the upcoming events happening during Welcoming Week! Learn more on our website about events that week and beyond, such as Springfield’s upcoming Culture Fest!
RESOURCES: Read, Watch, Explore


  • To play: This UNHCR video game lets pupils experience a refugee's perilous journey.

  • To watch: A new short film, “Uprooted” from UNHCR, featuring a cast and crew of more than 50 refugees from Ukraine now living in Germany, and "Mo" on Netflix, which "dares to acknowledge what many people know already: Seeking asylum can be just another domestic situation."
OPPORTUNITIES: Get involved


  • Della Lamb: Co-sponsorship groups and move teams are always needed. While the rate at which we welcome refugees has changed since the Afghan evacuee crisis, the number of people we will serve does not. Learn how you can volunteer here. 



  • Welcome Connect is a platform to connect Ukrainians to US sponsors. Sponsors can complete an online training and create a profile. Learn more at connect.welcome.us

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