September 23, 2022

By Julie Gersten

Over the past few months, we have been hard at work envisioning a future for Refugee Action Fund where we can amplify the generosity of our donors and make the greatest possible impact. Today we share the news that we have decided to close our operations and join forces with Choose Love to carry our mission forward.

March 1, 2022

It is heartbreaking to watch yet another senseless war unfold, causing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes to find safety. As of earlier today, the UN estimates that over 670,000 people have fled Ukraine and crossed to neighboring countries. We know that the flow has just begun, and that there are hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people within Ukraine, and millions more who will need a safe haven if the war continues.

September 23, 2021

By Julie Gersten

Like many of you, my heart breaks as I watch the events at the Del Rio, Texas border unfold. The deportations and use of horses and whips by border patrol agents against mostly Haitian migrants seeking to claim asylum in the United States is both illegal and cruel. Many of these individuals and families have traveled for years for the opportunity to seek safety at our shores. It is important to note that Haitians, like all asylum seekers, have a legal right to seek asylum in the United States and are not required by law to present at an official port of entry. Instead of processing them, many are being automatically returned to a country in turmoil. Haiti today is experiencing deep political instability, crushing poverty, gang violence and the impact of a major earthquake.

September 13, 2021

by Victoria Rudnicki

On Monday evening, Refugee Action Fund welcomed our supporters to an intimate conversation about the current crisis in Afghanistan. We had the pleasure of hosting Sahr Muhammedally, Timur Nusratty, and Michael Shaikh, to speak about the situation on the ground for Afghans, how we got here, and the immediate and long-term support that will be needed to help Afghan refugees in the United States and around the world. As always when we host roundtable discussions, we are honored to create an opportunity for our community to come together to understand the complex forces that shape the refugee crisis.

You can watch the full program here:

August 27, 2021

By Greg Sharenow

I write this email with a heavy heart. As I watch events unfold in Afghanistan, I’m saddened by the return of the Taliban and the rise of ISIS-K in a country long impacted by war. It is no wonder the great lengths Afghans are going through to try to leave their country, their native land, many of whom are too young to remember what life was like only 20 years ago under the Taliban rule. It is hard to fathom the fear driving so many people to try to flee by any means possible.

April 20, 2021

This general insistence on the idea of a “surge” or “crisis” at the border is problematic in and of itself. It is dramatized and feeds into a xenophobic narrative being pushed by people who don’t want to see immigrants of any kind come into the country. – Elizabeth Foydel, IRAP

Violence is rampant. Men, women and children are being kidnapped. Yet we see the United States using Title 42 to deport pregnant women, newborn infants as young as two weeks old, and children in the prime of their development who should be protected. The majority of children being deported to Haiti right now were not born in Haiti. They were born at the U.S.-Mexico border. – Guerline Jozef, Haitian Bridge Alliance

 The Biden administration inherited a dismantled system for supporting and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. Yet, the U.S. has a legal obligation and a historical responsibility to provide protection to people fleeing violence and persecution. The Biden campaign promised it would welcome refugees and asylum seekers with dignity. Three months into a new administration, what has changed?

December 9, 2020

After four years of nearly a complete shutdown of refugee and asylum infrastructure in the U.S., the devastating impact of COVID-19, and ongoing global humanitarian crises affecting 80 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, we are now going to see a change of leadership in the White House. There is so much work that needs to be done to ensure that the most vulnerable among us — especially refugees — receive the support they need to thrive.

Here are three ways the Biden administration can improve the lives and dignity of refugees in the U.S. and around the world.

October 15, 2020

By Victoria Rudnicki, Benefit Chair

In 2020, a lot has looked different, and for the first time, many of us were not able to come together for various special occasions throughout the year. At Refugee Action Fund, we faced this challenge in thinking about how to plan our annual benefit gala, which is typically held in-person in New York City and is crucial for our fundraising efforts. Despite not being able to celebrate the evening physically together for the first time, we are proud to announce some other firsts: our first-ever virtual gala, our first-ever silent auction, and our most successful annual benefit ever!

On Sunday, October 4^th, more than 200 people from locations all over North America came together virtually for a moving evening of discussion about how art can play a role in creating a more welcoming society. Together we raised over $315,000 in support of refugees in the U.S. and around the world – surpassing our goal by over 50%!

July 28, 2020

By Julie Gersten

As we continue to experience the whiplash of a global pandemic and grapple with an uncertain future, I have been reflecting on our efforts to support refugees and asylum seekers during this challenging year. Since January 2020, Refugee Action Fund has distributed $275,000 in grants to nine phenomenal organizations that are responding to pressing needs for refugees.

Here are a few key insights I’ve gleaned:

July 7, 2020

When the Otay Mesa Detention Center at the U.S-Mexico border had the highest confirmed COVID-19 cases of any detention facility in the country, our grantee, ABA Immigration Justice Project, worked tirelessly to get detainees released. Check out this moving video they made of all of their clients they were able to get out of detention over the course of a week in May.