ADVOCACY AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

URGENT ADVOCACY INFORMATION: 

Please sign on and urge your faith and community letters to sign the
attached letter to the President and Congress urging them to increase ORR
funding.

The Office for Refugee Resettlement  is anticipating a $125 million budget shortfall due to continued increases in unaccompanied children arrivals this year, and we are concerned that without additional funding, this shortfall will be met by reducing funds for refugee services. The President and Congress need to hear from people in their states and districts that ORR needs additional funding so that unaccompanied children AND refugees can be served adequately.

We encourage you to meet with your Members of Congress
when they are home next, March 22nd-April 5th, and even before then, since
this is an urgent matter likely to be decided upon soon, to communicate
with their DC offices about this important situation.

Click ORR One Pager Final 2 6 13 for a letter to send to your Congressional Representative.

Click ORR Funding Sign On Letter for information on the Office for Refugee Resettlement’s current funding levels.

General Advocacy Information:
For extensive information as well as tools to equip you in advocating for refugees in North Carolina and throughout the United States, please visit:
Supporting Materials: 
  1. Talking Points 1 : Three suggestions for what  to cover when you call your representative to talk about funding for refugee assistance.
  2. New Years Resolutions : Goal-setting for immigration and refugee advocacy. Watch our Executive Director’s resolution .
  3. Impact Others : A brief look at how immigration reform will impact refugees
  4. Service Speaks Advocates
 
Cultural Background Information:
Many of you have expressed interest in learning more about the home countries and cultures of refugees who live here in the Triangle. One of the best resources for learning about refugees is the Cultural Orientation Resource Center created by the Center for Applied linguistics.
Click here for a cultural background document on refugees coming from Burma.
Click here for a cultural background document on refugees from Iraq.
Click here for a cultural background document on Darfuri refugees from Sudan.
Click here for more information on refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Click here for a general backgrounder on refugees from Burma, Congo, Eritrea, and beyond. This is a nice comprehensive resource with country conditions, tool kits for assisting families, and lots of good cultural and historical information.
URGENT ADVOCACY INFORMATION: 
In September, Rep. Keith Ellison introduced the Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act, H.R. 6460 .
If enacted, the bill would:
  • provide refugees green cards upon arrival
  • extend refugee assistance from eight to twelve months and provide for case management
  • expand pre-arrival English classes
  • expedite security checks
  • establish an emergency fund for resettlement
  • provide unaccompanied children access to refugee services
  • prevent elderly and disabled from having their SSI (supplemental security income) benefits expire

Please write to your representative about this bill! Click here for a  sample letter.

In Durham and parts of Wake County our representative is:
David E. Price
411 W. Chapel Hill Street
NC Mutual Building, 9th Floor
Durham, NC 27701
To find your representative by zip code, click here .
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General Advocacy Information:
For extensive information as well as tools to equip you in advocating for refugees in North Carolina and throughout the United States, please visit:
Supporting Materials: 
  1. Talking Points 1 : Three suggestions for what  to cover when you call your representative to talk about funding for refugee assistance.
  2. New Years Resolutions : Goal-setting for immigration and refugee advocacy. Watch our Executive Director’s resolution .
  3. Impact Others : A brief look at how immigration reform will impact refugees
  4. Service Speaks Advocates