Latest news with #LutheranSocialServices
The National
30-05-2025
- Business
- The National
From Syria's war to US uncertainty: A refugee caught in Trump's aid freeze
On a rainy afternoon in Maryland, Mohammad Saaid Abdalnabi and a few fellow refugees pitch a tent in the corner of a car park and fire up a grill. The rich aroma of sizzling kebabs fills the air as they prepare traditional Syrian food for an event to thank donors who helped their families to begin new lives in the US. Born and raised in Damascus, Saaid had dreamt of moving to the US since he was 12. When Syria's civil war broke out in 2011 and pro-democracy protests spread across the country, calling for an end to president Bashar Al Assad's authoritarian rule, his desire to leave grew stronger. 'I left Syria because I was at the age of joining the military,' Saaid tells The National. 'When I turned 18, I tried to get my passport and come here as I did not want to fight my people, because the military was fighting our people." Saaid, 27, spent several years in Cairo, Egypt, where he met his wife, Reham Allahham. In October, his long-held dream finally began to take shape. He arrived in Maryland with Reham and their daughter Mirna, 5. He had nothing – no money, no home, just the will to start over. The family was supported by Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, a refugee resettlement agency that covered their hotel stay on arrival. By December, with the agency's help, they had moved into a two-bedroom apartment in Calverton, with three months of rent funded. For decades, the federal refugee resettlement programme has supported people fleeing war, disaster and persecution, offering limited cash and medical assistance along with case management, English-language classes and job placement services. But for Saaid, rebuilding his life came with unexpected hurdles. Just as his family began to settle, the Trump administration froze refugee resettlement funds, leaving tens of thousands of newly arrived families in sudden uncertainty and hardship. 'We were honestly upset that unfortunately [the funding] stopped but we hope that the situation will get better,' Saaid says. The funding freeze led to delays in his rent payments, leaving him anxious about how long the support would last. Families who arrived after him received no assistance at all. Many were at risk of eviction. That is when the non-profit Homes Not Borders stepped in, using private donations to help several refugee families keep food on the table and roofs over their heads. The organisation also furnished apartments, including Saaid's, with beds, sofas and other essentials, helping refugees make a fresh start. 'We had been doing about seven to 10 home setups a week. But then the refugee resettlement stopped when President Trump took over,' says Laura Thompson Osuri, executive director of Homes Not Borders. 'Now we've been doing about four home set-ups a week, mostly for Special Immigrant Visa holders that used to work for the US government in Afghanistan. They're not getting any support from the US government. They're coming here on their own dime or sponsored by a non-profit here.' With the funding freeze, resettlement agencies nationwide were forced to lay off hundreds of staff. So, Homes Not Borders hired some case workers part-time to help refugees connect to their benefits. The group has also helped many refugee families pay their rent. 'We used to be vendors of the resettlement agencies and get money from them for doing home set-ups. That has stopped, so that has been a hit to our budget,' Ms Osuri says. With fewer new arrivals, the organisation has decreased the number of home set-ups it conducts. While this has reduced the need for staff time and resources, the group continues to seek donations and grants to support continuing resettlement work. Refugees are an important part of the fabric of America, Ms Osuri says. 'We need to start resettling all these people, especially the Afghan people that we promised that we'd bring them here.' Navigating a new life In April, Saaid began working at a slaughterhouse in Baltimore, earning $2,500 a month. It was a step forward, but it came at a cost. The new income made him ineligible for food stamps and cash assistance. With $1,850 going towards rent each month, there's little left to support his family. Reham has enrolled in free English classes in Prince George's County and helps Saaid improve his language skills, as his work hours prevent him from attending classes. 'When I first came here it was hard, but each month I feel that I'm improving and so is my English, hopefully,' he said. 'I'm really happy that I came here and as I said it was my dream. I wish my home rent was lower so I could live a better life.' Despite the challenges, Saaid remains hopeful. He expresses gratitude to Mr Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria – a move he believes may ease the burden on his parents and siblings still living in Damascus. 'I wish I could send money home but my current situation doesn't allow me as I can barely pay rent and cover my expenses,' he said. Although the future remains uncertain, Saaid dreams of becoming a chef and building a stable life in the US. He continues to hold on to hope — for himself, for his family and for the people of Syria.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Yankton community rallies to keep organization open
YANKTON, S.D. (KCAU) – Many organizations in the U.S. are still waiting after the Trump administration froze federal funding a couple months ago. One South Dakota organization was set to close due to the freeze, but the community is rallying to keep them open. Lutheran Social Services (LSS) is a pillar for the Yankton community, and residents are helping to ensure the organization stays open. LSS helps immigrants navigate their new lives in the U.S. by helping people get jobs and teaching them how to sign their kids up for school. 'We can't build and grow our community and the workforce within our community without strong partnerships,' Rita Nelson with Yankton Thrive said. 'And LSS is a very strong partner for individuals who are here working to develop their skills and grow their careers and create their life.' Due to the Trump administration's federal funding freeze earlier this year, the organization was set to shut down. Yankton nonprofit celebrates 50 years serving the community 'Which is, I believe, a quarter of their budget. So therefore, they were losing federal funds, which resulted in them needing to close our Yankton office,' Nelson said. However, many in the Yankton community aren't willing to let the organization go down without a fight. 'It actually gave the community a rallying cry, I think,' said Bernie Hunhoff with Muddy Mo's Coffee House. Muddy Mo's has been rallying people to make donations to keep Lutheran Social Services open a bit longer. 'We put a jar up at the coffee shop here, just put a jar out with a little sign and said that your neighbors need help,' Hunhoff said. 'And immediately the jar just filled up, I think, just a couple of thousand dollars in there. And I just got, I'm just walking in here and somebody gave me I think a $200 check just walking down the street.' However, residents aren't the only people wanting to keep LSS open. 'What American Foods [Group] has offered us is half the monthly request to keep the doors open,' Nelson said. 'So they're doing $1,500 per month for the next three months. And that requires that we need to find a match for the other $1,500.' Lutheran Social Services would have closed its doors in March. However, due to these donations, the organization will stay open until June. Yankton, S.D. April 8 Municipal Election results certified Residents say they're wanting to fight for folks to be able to live the American Dream. 'Every person that I've run into, they really want to be here, they want to be part of the American Dream and they want to experience the goodness of what this place can offer and they don't want to move away,' said pastor Jeff Otterman with Trinity Lutheran Church. 'So even if they worked at [Cimpl's Meats] or other places, they want to know that there's a community there behind them.' 'We actually had a baker, while he worked at Cimpl's as he was a baker, and he came in and he showed us his cakes, he did really good,' said Jalyssa Dion, a barista at Muddy Mo's. 'So a lot of those people are very talented coming from simple, you know, they just need the opportunity to be able to do what they want to do.' Nelson wants to emphasize that the donations are only a temporary solution, as officials are working hard to get a permanent funding source. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Takeaways from AP's reporting on U.S.-allied Afghan refugees struggling for basic support
LAUREL, Md. (AP) — Rahmani worked for a U.S.-backed organization in Kabul, which put him at risk of Taliban retribution. Now, the father of two is among thousands of newly arrived refugees who lost financial assistance when the Trump administration cut off funding for the federal refugee program in January. He moved here in November through the vetted form of legal migration. To fast-track self-sufficiency, it provides refugees with wraparound services for three months — help with housing, food and job placement — while other federal grants support their first five years. Instead, Rahmani's relocation services were largely halted after only two months, when the Trump administration upended the refugee program. He otherwise would have qualified for extended rental assistance for up to six months. He has spent weeks looking for work, with no luck. Unable to pay his rent, his anxiety mounts by the day. Here's a look at key elements of the plight he and his family face. Resettlement agencies are reeling from disruption of funding Rahmani is a client of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, a local faith-based resettlement agency that is waiting on $3.7 million in federal funding for work it has already provided. LSSNCA has struggled to make payroll, and its support services have fallen like dominoes after it was forced to lay off 75 people and furlough seven others. Two-thirds of its clients are Afghan allies, who were offered visas and protection in the United States after the Taliban returned to power. These Afghans worked alongside U.S. troops or, like Rahmani, were employed by U.S.-backed organizations. Rahmani is identified using only one of his names because he still fears for his family's safety. The risk of widespread evictions By early March, at least 42 households under LSSNCA's care had received eviction notices, putting nearly 170 people in Virginia and Maryland on the edge of homelessness, with more — like Rahmani's family — at risk. The staff has been fundraising and negotiating with landlords to stave off evictions. The organization raised $500,000 in six weeks, but that doesn't fill the gap left by frozen government funds. Global Refuge is the parent organization of LSSNCA and has long served as one of 10 national agencies partnering with the federal government to resettle refugees. It has received no federal reimbursements for work done since Inauguration Day and has laid off hundreds of staff. Nearly 6,000 refugees in its care were within 90 days of arrival, the initial aid window, when it received a stop-work order from the Trump administration. Across resettlement agencies nationwide, support for at least 30,000 recent arrivals was affected. At LSSNCA, 369 people were within their first 90 days in the U.S., and another 850 clients were eligible for longer-term services. 'We're seeing the de facto wholesale destruction of a longstanding bipartisan program that saved millions of lives,' said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge. Refugees fled instability, only to find more of it in the U.S. LSSNCA's capacity has been stretched thin before. The chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 led to a surge of Afghans being resettled in the U.S. LSSNCA went from serving 500 people a year to 500 people a month. They staffed up to deal with the influx of Afghans, with case managers working long hours. The quality of their work suffered: Federal reimbursements were often delayed, and they struggled to provide services. The difference then was they knew the federal government backed their work. Marjila Badakhsh came to the U.S. in December of 2021. A journalist who worked for a U.S.-funded Afghan media organization, she was evacuated from Kabul and resettled in Virginia. Once a LSSNCA client, she was later hired at the organization, only to be laid off in January when the agency received its stop-work order. 'After three years, with one policy I'm thinking that I'm back to the day that I came to the United States for the first time, and I should start again,' she said. She stays busy applying to jobs in Virginia and California, where her brother — who worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan — was recently resettled. But her dreams of one day welcoming their parents and sister to the U.S. are on hold after the suspension of the U.S. refugee program. The courts are still weighing in Lawsuits against the Trump administration have been filed over its immigration policies, with one judge ruling in favor of three faith-based resettlement agencies. In a recent court filing, administration lawyers argued that initial refugee benefits are 'not required by law.' They indicated it would take months to comply with a court order to restart the program. This week, Global Refuge received some federal reimbursements for its work during the Biden administration. Those funds came through the Department of Health and Human Services. Global Refuge has not received federal payments for work done since late January, and it has not received reimbursements for the 90-day aid offered through the State Department, which did not respond to a request for comment. ___ Associated Press writer Gary Fields contributed to this report from Washington. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's funding freeze leaves US allied Afghan refugees struggling for the basics
LAUREL, Md. (AP) — The rent is due, but Rahmani has no money to pay it. The Afghan father of two worked for a U.S.-backed organization in Kabul, which put him at risk of Taliban retribution. Now he is among thousands of newly arrived refugees who lost financial assistance when the Trump administration cut off funding for the federal refugee program in January. His family's monthly rent and utilities total nearly $1,850, an unfathomable amount compared to what he once paid in Kabul. He has spent weeks looking for work, walking along the suburban highway across from his family's apartment, inquiring at small markets and big box stores. So far, there are no job leads. He moved here in November with the federal refugee program, a vetted form of legal migration to the U.S. for those fleeing persecution. To fast-track self-sufficiency, it provides refugees with wraparound services for three months — help with housing, food and job placement — while other federal grants support their first five years. Instead, Rahmani's relocation services were largely halted after only two months, when the Trump administration upended the refugee program. He otherwise would have qualified for extended rental assistance for up to six months. Still jobless and unable to make ends meet, his anxiety mounts by the day. For the stress, a doctor prescribed medication. 'Without it,' he said, 'the negative talk comes.' Rahmani is a client of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, a local faith-based resettlement agency also in disarray. The organization is waiting on $3.7 million in federal reimbursements for work it has already provided. LSSNCA has struggled to make payroll, and its support services have fallen like dominoes after it was forced to lay off 75 people and furlough seven others. Nearly a third of its staff is now gone, with its case management team hit the hardest, leaving many refugees without a steady presence as they navigate their new lives. Two-thirds of its clients are Afghan allies, who were offered visas and protection in the United States after the Taliban returned to power. These Afghans worked alongside U.S. troops or, like Rahmani, were employed by U.S.-backed organizations. Rahmani worked in information technology in Afghanistan for a large Afghan media organization, which the U.S. helped fund as part of its democracy-building efforts. He is identified using only one of his names because he still fears for his family's safety. Sitting in his spartan apartment, he gestured to his daughter, a bright-eyed, dark-haired toddler in Hello Kitty leggings. She just turned 2; a 'happy birthday' banner still hangs on the wall. Rahmani came here for the futures of both his daughter and 7-year-old son. 'Because in my own country, girls are not allowed to go to school.' Now he wonders if coming here was a mistake. 'If they kick me out from the apartment, where should I stay?' he asked. 'Should I stay with my family in the road?' The risk of widespread evictions Covering the rental assistance promised to new refugees is LSSNCA's most pressing concern. By early March, at least 42 households under its care had received eviction notices, putting nearly 170 people in Virginia and Maryland on the edge of homelessness, with more — like Rahmani's family — at risk. The staff has been negotiating with landlords and fundraising to stave off evictions. 'It is like a daily conversation about how much money came in today,' said Kristyn Peck, CEO of LSSNCA. 'OK, who's most at risk of eviction out of all these people? ... Whose rent can we pay first? And they're just kind of impossible choices.' The organization raised $500,000 in six weeks, but that doesn't fill the gap left by frozen government funds. LSSNCA had expected President Donald Trump to lower refugee admissions, as he did during his first term, but they didn't anticipate losing funds for refugees already in the U.S. The Rev. Rachel Vaagenes, pastor of Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., started a GoFundMe for LSSNCA in February and quickly raised $25,000 to cover rent for three families in Maryland for three months. 'It's a drop in the bucket, right? Even if there were a thousand churches doing this, we still couldn't do what the U.S. government does,' Vaagenes said. 'We cannot make up the gap, no matter how much we want to as individual congregations.' Global Refuge is the parent organization of LSSNCA and has long served as one of 10 national agencies partnering with the federal government to resettle refugees. The vast majority of Global Refuge's funding comes from state and federal dollars, which accounted for more than 95% of its 2023 budget. It has received no federal reimbursements for work done since Inauguration Day and has laid off hundreds of staff. Nearly 6,000 refugees in its care were within 90 days of arrival, the initial aid window, when it received a stop-work order from the Trump administration. Across resettlement agencies nationwide, support for at least 30,000 recent arrivals was affected. At LSSNCA, 369 people were within their first 90 days in the U.S.; 850 more clients were eligible for longer-term services. 'We're seeing the de facto wholesale destruction of a longstanding bipartisan program that saved millions of lives,' said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge. Refugees fled instability, only to find more of it in the U.S. LSSNCA's capacity has been stretched thin before. The chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 led to a surge of Afghans being resettled in the U.S. LSSNCA went from serving 500 people a year to 500 a month. They staffed up to deal with the influx of Afghans, with case managers working late into the night. The quality of their work suffered: Federal reimbursements were often delayed, and they struggled to provide services. The difference then was they knew the federal government backed their work. Marjila Badakhsh came to the U.S. in December of 2021. A journalist who worked for a U.S.-funded Afghan media organization, she was evacuated from Kabul, eventually landing at a military base in New Jersey before LSSNCA took her case and she was resettled in Virginia. She was later hired at LSSNCA, putting her language skills to use with Afghan clients. Though recently promoted, she was among those laid off in January when the agency received its stop-work order. 'I was thinking that I'm stable at this job, and I'm building my career here,' she said. 'But right now, after three years, with one policy I'm thinking that I'm back to the day that I came to the United States for the first time, and I should start again.' She stays busy applying to jobs in Virginia and California, where her brother — who worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan — was recently resettled. But her dreams of one day welcoming their parents and sister to the U.S. are on hold after Trump suspended most of the refugee program. Other LSSNCA clients remain in limbo. Anastasiia De Zoysa fled war-torn Ukraine and received temporary legal status in the U.S. She and her family settled near relatives in Frederick, Maryland, where her husband got a job in his field. But now she worries their status will be revoked. 'I'm willing to go home when it's safe,' she said, noting her former city is under Russian control. 'I have nothing in Ukraine now if I go back.' The courts are still weighing in Lawsuits against the Trump administration have been filed over its immigration policies, with one judge ruling in favor of three faith-based resettlement agencies. In a recent court filing, administration lawyers argued that initial refugee benefits are 'not required by law.' They indicated it would take months to comply with a court order to restart the program. This week, Global Refuge received some federal reimbursements for its work during the Biden administration. Those funds came through the Department of Health and Human Services. Global Refuge has not received federal payments for work done since late January, and it has not received reimbursements for the 90-day aid offered through the State Department, which did not respond to a request for comment. Resettlement can be difficult under any circumstances. Rahmani remembers the first lonely weeks in his new town, when he spotted another Afghan man. He called out to him in Dari, his own language, and cried when they hugged. He now knows of at least 10 recently arrived Afghan families living nearby, and many are also struggling. With his English skills, he often serves as their translator, helping them at appointments. More and more, Rahmani thinks he will have to go back to Afghanistan, despite the danger. 'If I don't have the home rent, then I don't have any other choice,' he said. At least if something happened to him in Afghanistan, his relatives would be there to care for his wife and children. 'But in the United States,' he said, 'there is nobody who would take care of my family.' ___ Associated Press journalist Gary Fields contributed from Washington. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Takeaways from AP's reporting on U.S.-allied Afghan refugees struggling for basic support
Rahmani worked for a U.S.-backed organization in Kabul, which put him at risk of Taliban retribution. Now, the father of two is among thousands of newly arrived refugees who lost financial assistance when the Trump administration cut off funding for the federal refugee program in January. He moved here in November through the vetted form of legal migration. To fast-track self-sufficiency, it provides refugees with wraparound services for three months — help with housing, food and job placement — while other federal grants support their first five years. Instead, Rahmani's relocation services were largely halted after only two months, when the Trump administration upended the refugee program. He otherwise would have qualified for extended rental assistance for up to six months. He has spent weeks looking for work, with no luck. Unable to pay his rent, his anxiety mounts by the day. Here's a look at key elements of the plight he and his family face. Resettlement agencies are reeling from disruption of funding Rahmani is a client of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, a local faith-based resettlement agency that is waiting on $3.7 million in federal funding for work it has already provided. LSSNCA has struggled to make payroll, and its support services have fallen like dominoes after it was forced to lay off 75 people and furlough seven others. Two-thirds of its clients are Afghan allies, who were offered visas and protection in the United States after the Taliban returned to power. These Afghans worked alongside U.S. troops or, like Rahmani, were employed by U.S.-backed organizations. Rahmani is identified using only one of his names because he still fears for his family's safety. The risk of widespread evictions By early March, at least 42 households under LSSNCA's care had received eviction notices, putting nearly 170 people in Virginia and Maryland on the edge of homelessness, with more — like Rahmani's family — at risk. The staff has been fundraising and negotiating with landlords to stave off evictions. The organization raised $500,000 in six weeks, but that doesn't fill the gap left by frozen government funds. Global Refuge is the parent organization of LSSNCA and has long served as one of 10 national agencies partnering with the federal government to resettle refugees. It has received no federal reimbursements for work done since Inauguration Day and has laid off hundreds of staff. Nearly 6,000 refugees in its care were within 90 days of arrival, the initial aid window, when it received a stop-work order from the Trump administration. Across resettlement agencies nationwide, support for at least 30,000 recent arrivals was affected. At LSSNCA, 369 people were within their first 90 days in the U.S., and another 850 clients were eligible for longer-term services. 'We're seeing the de facto wholesale destruction of a longstanding bipartisan program that saved millions of lives,' said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge. Refugees fled instability, only to find more of it in the U.S. LSSNCA's capacity has been stretched thin before. The chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 led to a surge of Afghans being resettled in the U.S. LSSNCA went from serving 500 people a year to 500 people a month. They staffed up to deal with the influx of Afghans, with case managers working long hours. The quality of their work suffered: Federal reimbursements were often delayed, and they struggled to provide services. The difference then was they knew the federal government backed their work. Marjila Badakhsh came to the U.S. in December of 2021. A journalist who worked for a U.S.-funded Afghan media organization, she was evacuated from Kabul and resettled in Virginia. Once a LSSNCA client, she was later hired at the organization, only to be laid off in January when the agency received its stop-work order. 'After three years, with one policy I'm thinking that I'm back to the day that I came to the United States for the first time, and I should start again,' she said. She stays busy applying to jobs in Virginia and California, where her brother — who worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan — was recently resettled. But her dreams of one day welcoming their parents and sister to the U.S. are on hold after the suspension of the U.S. refugee program. The courts are still weighing in Lawsuits against the Trump administration have been filed over its immigration policies, with one judge ruling in favor of three faith-based resettlement agencies. In a recent court filing, administration lawyers argued that initial refugee benefits are 'not required by law.' They indicated it would take months to comply with a court order to restart the program. This week, Global Refuge received some federal reimbursements for its work during the Biden administration. Those funds came through the Department of Health and Human Services. Global Refuge has not received federal payments for work done since late January, and it has not received reimbursements for the 90-day aid offered through the State Department, which did not respond to a request for comment. ___ ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
