Webinar: Five Years Later: Standing with our Afghan Neighbors

Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 3PM ET

In August 2021, the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan during the United States’ withdrawal from the country. What followed was a massive humanitarian evacuation effort that brought more than 70,000 Afghans to the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome. In the five years since the evacuation, there have been countless efforts to provide stability and safety to Afghans in the U.S. and abroad—both met by incredible generosity from local communities and stymied by partisan politics.

Now, as pathways to safety disappear for refugees and other immigrants around the world, it is more important than ever to take stock of our policies and advocate for adequate protections. Join Global Refuge for a webinar on August 13 to learn more about what's happening with Afghans in the U.S. and abroad, how we are serving those in need, and what you can do to help.

Register here if you wish to attend!

Celebrating the 1951 Refugee Convention with Action

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the legal backbone of refugee protection worldwide. The anniversary comes amid an onslaught of harmful policy changes affecting those who seek refuge. The United States helped build this system of humanitarian protection. But the United States is now leading its dilution. 

This anniversary demands action, not reflection. If Americans want to honor the Convention’s legacy and our own, we need to act with urgency, not complacency. We need to demand policies that protect those in need, wherever they may be, and insist on a government that upholds its commitments to its people, its allies, and those it swore to protect. Read our full blog here and view our action alert here.

Sara Jane Ibrahim and Daniel Salazar, two members of our Policy & Advocacy team, attending a celebration on Capitol Hill for the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Urgent request to contact Representatives on behalf of Haitian families and children in the U.S. 

The Haiti TPS designation has provided refuge and a lawful immigration status for more than 350,000 people. Haitians on TPS also fill critical needs in the American workforce, with thousands contributing as agricultural workers, nursing assistants, and caregivers.

At any moment, Haitian TPS holders may lose their status, making them more vulnerable than ever. Click on this link to view our action alert.

Concerning bill in the House: Secure Border Act (H.R. 9773)  

On July 21, the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act (H.R. 9773), passed the House Judiciary Committee, which is the first step on its way to a possible vote on the House floor. The bill has a long way to go before a House floor vote and would then need to pass the Senate before being signed into law. However, we are vigorously advocating against it, because, if it does make it that far, the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act (H.R. 9773) would have devastating consequences for vulnerable children, families, and U.S. moral leadership and stated priorities. The bill removes critical and long-standing bipartisan supported protections and licensing requirements that protect child welfare, while simultaneously potentially increasing family detention, and restricting pathways for people seeking refuge in the United States from conflict and religious persecution abroad. 

While the bill passed on party lines and all amendments failed, the substantive debate that occurred on several introduced amendments demonstrated the success of advocacy to put pressure on members to conduct detention oversight, to end family detention, and keep protections for unaccompanied children.

The Fight for Detention Oversight 

In June, ICE released updated detention standards with several small steps in the right direction including specifying that interpretation and translation should be permitted at no cost to detainees, requiring that mental health evaluations happen sooner, and requiring facilities to seek transfers when they cannot adequately meet a detainee’s medical or mental health needs.

These positive policy changes reflect years of advocacy, including by Global Refuge. Despite this update, many harmful parts of detention remain untouched. People, including children and families, can still be held for months or even years with no clear end in sight. Moreover, medical care remains shockingly inadequate.  

Oversight is possible, and Congress must insist on it. Our advocates can stand with immigrants and refugees by reaching out to their Representatives in Congress here: Ending the Refugee Detention policy, putting real guardrails and reforms into the FY27 funding bills, and cosponsoring the DHS Release Transparency Act.

View our full blog here, and view our action alert here.

Introducing the Children's Safe Welcome Act, endorsed by Global Refuge

The Children’s Safe Welcome Act of 2026 (H.R. 9805) was introduced July 22, 2026, and is endorsed by Global Refuge. The bill, if passed, would ensure that children are in federal immigration custody for the least amount of time necessary and, while in custody, are treated in a manner consistent with child welfare principles. It would also increase health and safety standards in CBP facilities, make important provisions on family detention and separation, and ensure unaccompanied children have legal representation.

The Children’s Safe Welcome Act prioritizes children’s best interests, codifying how the United States protects immigrant children in government custody. View our action alert here. Leslie Archambeault and Daniel Salazar, two members of our Policy & Advocacy team, hosting a panel on Capitol Hill about Ukrainian refugees facing uncertainty in the U.S.  

Thanks for being part of our Advocates Network.  

Even when the impact isn’t immediately visible, our advocacy is shifting what’s possible. Every call, email, story, and conversation help shape the narrative, slow down harmful policies, and build pressure on leaders to do the right thing. Policymakers rarely say out loud that they’re listening—but they track every action. The voices of our advocates are part of the steady, persistent force that protects families and strengthens our movement, even in the moments when progress feels quiet or impossible.  

We’ve added this section to our newsletter and will provide examples every month to remind us that our actions together are making a difference, even when it seems like all is lost. Let's KEEP IT UP!  

• Forcing actual debate: The Permanent Trump Secure Border Act did make it out of committee — but the debate was tough and focused on real policy questions, not just harmful rhetoric. Members from both parties raised the same concerns advocates across the country have been lifting up. This bill does not have a clear path forward and may never reach a vote — because our grassroots supporters are pushing back and demanding answers. 
• Policy Stall, when no news is GOOD news: In the past two months, harmful proposals targeting unaccompanied immigrant children have failed even to get a committee vote. Our advocacy — insisting that children in U.S. custody be protected, placed with caring families, and treated as children first — helped stop these bills from advancing. With Congress stalled, the Administration is now trying to make changes through regulation. We’ll be asking our advocates to take action again soon to protect kids. 
• Under Pressure: Without making a public announcement, the Administration has backed away from plans to move 1,100 Afghan allies and their families from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our grassroots supporters helped drive media coverage and prompted significant congressional pressure — including private outreach and multiple formal letters — that forced the Administration to reconsider. 
• Community Growth: In the last three months, 717 new advocates joined the Global Refuge advocates network — and together, our advocates have taken over 34,000 actions this year. Every voice matters. We’re stronger together. We urge our grassroots to invite thier friends, family, and community members to join us in demanding humane U.S. refugee and immigration policies.

Our values demand more than watching from the sidelines — they call us to act. View our action center here.