HIAS Pennsylvania

HIAS Pennsylvania will be closed tomorrow, Friday, June 19th, in observance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth marks the day that the last enslaved people in the United States learned of their emancipation. News of their freedom did not reach them until years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Tomorrow, we celebrate their liberation and resilience and honor the legacy of those who fought so long for justice. As we commemorate this historic day, we also must acknowledge that the pursuit of justice remains unfinished for many, and recommit to working together to build a future where everyone can live freely and with dignity.

America has shut the door on most refugees: what happens next?

In recognition of World Refugee Day, join HIAS PA for a virtual program on the latest developments affecting refugees and asylees in the United States. Cathryn Miller-Wilson, Executive Director of HIAS PA, and Shaloo Jose, Managing DOJ Accredited Representative, will discuss barriers to permanent residence for refugees and asylees seeking to apply for Green Cards, and changes that could make it more difficult for refugees and asylees to obtain and maintain employment authorization. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during the program.

Register for the webinar: tinyurl.com/DefendingRefugeeRights

Those Who Have Been Left Behind: Defending Refugee Rights in a Time of Exclusion will also cover the federal government’s efforts to subject refugees and asylees, who have already been vetted and granted protection in the United States, to additional security vetting and review, as well as the court challenges that have temporarily paused these efforts. The webinar will address the current administration’s recent decision to increase refugee admissions, while reserving those slots exclusively for white South Africans--who do not meet the legal definition of a refugee.

As we mark World Refugee Day, we invite advocates, community members, and our immigrant, refugee, and asylee neighbors to learn more about these developments and what they mean in the ongoing fight for justice.

This program is the final event in HIAS Pennsylvania’s Immigrant Heritage Month series.

Our webinar, Understanding Philadelphia’s “ICE Out” Legislation—From Those Who Know It Best, is just three days away! Join us on Monday, June 15th, at 6 PM for a deep dive into the “ICE Out” legislation package. This is a landmark set of seven bills recently passed by Philadelphia City Council.

Councilmember Kendra Brooks and Councilmember Rue Landau, who introduced the legislation, will provide an overview of how these new policies aim to protect immigrant communities, strengthen Philadelphia’s “Welcoming City” status, and establish clear boundaries between local government and federal immigration enforcement.

Register for the webinar here: https://tinyurl.com/UnderstandingICEOut

HIAS Pa. to hold virtual meeting on Philly’s ICE Out legislation HIAS will be joined on June 15 by Philadelphia City Council Minority Leader Kendra Brooks and Councilmember-at-Large Rue Landau, who introduced the ICE Out legislation.

As KYW Community Impact Reporter Racquel Williams tells us, the program is open to the public.

(photo credit: KYW Newsradio, fi...

Join us virtually on Monday, June 15th, at 6:00 PM for a deep dive into the “ICE Out” legislation package. This is a landmark set of seven bills recently passed by Philadelphia City Council.

Kendra Brooks and Councilmember Rue Landau , who introduced the legislation, will provide an overview of how these new policies aim to protect immigrant communities, strengthen Philadelphia’s “Welcoming City” status, and establish clear boundaries between local government and federal immigration enforcement.

Register here: https://hiaspa.org/event/understanding-philadelphias-ice-out-legislation-package-from-those-who-know-it-best/

This program is part of a series hosted by HIAS PA that addresses the current challenges immigrants are facing and ways that you can help your immigrant neighbors.

Join us on Friday, June 5th at 11:30 AM for a webinar in commemoration of the MS St. Louis. This is the second event in our Immigrant Heritage Month series.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/CommemoratingMSStLouis

Commemorating the MS St. Louis: Lessons Learned from the Holocaust, will explore the consequences of isolationist policies, and lessons that can and should be learned from the fateful voyage of the MS St. Louis. HIAS Pennsylvania’s Executive Director, Cathryn Miller-Wilson, will be joined by Jutta Weduwen, Executive Director of the German organization, Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP).

Action Reconciliation Service For Peace - ARSP was created after WWII to atone for the suffering caused by N**i war crimes. The organization connects German volunteers with service organizations around the world.

Learn more about ARSP: frauen.spd.de

Immigration has been the basis of our country as well as the lifeblood of its growth and success from its beginnings. All of this makes the current federal government’s violent push to keep people out, strip people of legal status, deport them to countries in which some of them have never lived and prevent those who have called this country home for decades completely un-American.

Watch The Decline of U.S. Citizenship & Dismantling of the American Dream on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RaOURBjUak

This eye-opening conversation with HIAS PA’s Executive Director, Cathryn Miller-Wilson, and Managing DOJ Accredited Representative Lori Alexander unpacks the latest changes to the naturalization process. From expanded “neighborhood investigations” that raise serious concerns about privacy, fairness, and objectivity, to growing delays in scheduling interviews and oath ceremonies that leave applicants in limbo, new barriers are reshaping what it means to become an American. In this video, Cathy and Lori also discuss the impact of the amended citizenship test, which has become less accessible for many, and explore how a broader climate of anti-immigrant policies is discouraging eligible residents from even applying. Those who are already citizens are at risk too, as the current administration attempts to end birthright citizenship and ramps up denaturalization efforts.

This program is part of a series hosted by HIAS PA that addresses the current challenges immigrants are facing and ways that you can help your immigrant neighbors.

Reporter Danielle Smith’s recent article features quick facts from our webinar: www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/279057616/changes-to-us-citizenship-rules-create-hurdles-for-pennsylvanians

In observance of Memorial Day, HIAS Pennsylvania’s office will close at 1:00 PM tomorrow, May 22nd, and will be closed all day on Monday, May 25th.

Join HIAS Pennsylvania on Friday, June 5th at 11:30 AM for a webinar in commemoration of the MS St. Louis. This is the second event in our Immigrant Heritage Month series.

Commemorating the MS St. Louis: Lessons Learned from the Holocaust, will explore the consequences of isolationist policies, and lessons that can and should be learned from the fateful voyage of the MS St. Louis. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during the program.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/CommemoratingMSStLouis

The MS St. Louis was a ship carrying 937 mostly Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust. The majority of them were refused entry into the United States on June 6, 1939. As a result, 254 of the passengers were ultimately killed by N**is when they were forced to return to Europe.

HIAS Pennsylvania’s Executive Director, Cathryn Miller-Wilson, will be joined by Jutta Weduwen, Executive Director of the German organization, Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP). Action Reconciliation Service For Peace - ARSP was created after WWII to atone for the suffering caused by N**i war crimes. The organization connects German volunteers with service organizations around the world. HIAS Pennsylvania has been fortunate to host many fellows from ARSP.

Learn more about ARSP: frauen.spd.de

Crescendo for Justice: Breaking the Silence for Immigrant Rights is just two weeks away! To kick off Immigrant Heritage Month, acclaimed local musicians will perform in a special HIAS PA benefit concert on June 1st. Join us, at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, as we break the silence for immigrant rights with an evening of classical and international music.

Register today: hiaspa.org/event/crescendo-for-justice/

The evening's music will be performed by talented musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Philly Pops, Philadelphia Ballet, Opera Philadelphia, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Delaware Symphony, and Harrisburg Symphony. Lina Gonzalez-Granados will serve as conductor.

There is no cost to attend, but registration is recommended and donations to HIAS Pennsylvania are encouraged. Your donation provides free legal support to local immigrants, helping families stay together, build stable lives, and live and work freely in our community.

If you cannot attend the concert but would like to make a donation, you can donate on HIAS PA's website here: hiaspa.org/get-involved/donate