Krish O’Mara Vignarajah
Faith-based organizations concerned about immigration policy landscape
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — February 8, 2024
(RNS) — ‘You’re not going to solve anything at the border when you start from the premise that migration is a threat to our country or that migrants are people to be feared,’ said Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute.
Faith-based organizations urge Biden not to enact ‘asylum ban’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — January 23, 2023
(RNS) — The proposed policy 'borders on a wealth test for some of the most vulnerable children and families,' said one advocate.
With the Afghan Adjustment Act on life support, refugee agencies pray for a miracle
By Yonat Shimron — December 20, 2022
(RNS) — Unless a floor amendment gains traction in Congress, some 76,000 Afghans who were airlifted out of Afghanistan before the U.S. withdrawal may lose their legal status in 2023.
Biden’s Uniting for Ukraine program is a start, faith-based refugee agencies say
By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 21, 2022
(RNS) — The program, which the president announced Thursday (April 21), streamlines the process to provide Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of their country with opportunities to come to the United States.
Ukrainian communities in US prepare to support refugees
By Kathleen Ronayne — April 1, 2022
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — 'No refugee is waiting for you to be ready for them,' said Eduard Kislyanka, senior pastor at the House of Bread church.
Faith-based agencies celebrate ‘return to moral leadership’ as Biden raises refugee ceiling to 125,000
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 21, 2021
(RNS) — Even as they praised the higher refugee ceiling, the groups also asked Congress to commit to rebuilding and fully funding the U.S. refugee resettlement program so it could reach that number.
Former US presidents, religious leaders launch organization to aid Afghan evacuees
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 14, 2021
(RNS) — Welcome.US provides a single point of entry for Americans to donate to frontline organizations, host arriving families through Airbnb and find other ways to help Afghans as they rebuild their lives in the United States after fleeing the Taliban.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, others encourage US to rebuild refugee resettlement ahead of World Refugee Day
By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 17, 2021
(RNS) — ‘A system that took 40 years to build was devastated in just four years,’ said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
Biden raises refugee ceiling, and faith-based groups brace for rebuilding work
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins — May 3, 2021
(RNS) — ‘The sad truth is that we will not achieve 62,500 admissions this year,’ the president said in his announcement. ‘We are working quickly to undo the damage of the last four years.’
Faith-based agencies invite volunteers, donations as they care for children at border
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins — April 2, 2021
(RNS) — Some struggle to cobble together resources decimated under the policies of former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Faith-based groups cheer, share hopes for Biden’s family reunification task force
By Emily McFarlan Miller — February 2, 2021
(RNS) — The White House announced the task force Tuesday morning (Feb. 2) as part of a number of immigration-related executive actions President Joe Biden was expected to take that day.
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, former refugee and Obama White House adviser, to head LIRS
By Emily McFarlan Miller — February 18, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — Vignarajah, who was policy director for former first lady Michelle Obama, is the second refugee and the first non-Lutheran to lead the Baltimore-based organization in its 80-year history.
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