Good afternoon and welcome to the Lab Brief.
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May and June brought new polling and a new policy guide, several events and World Refugee Day celebrations, and the passage of more inclusive policy in Lab states.
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Let’s take a closer look.
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Americans support welcoming displaced people at the border
The majority of likely voters across the United States support access to asylum at the southern border by a margin of +20 percent according to a new poll we conducted alongside Data for Progress and Refugees International. Support for access to asylum is especially high among Democrats, young Americans, and Black Americans.
Understanding first-hand experiences dramatically impacts policy preferences
Likely voters also strongly support the U.S. refugee resettlement program across party lines. Importantly, while 71 percent believe the US should have a resettlement program, that share jumps to 87 percent if someone personally knows a refugee. This is especially true for Independents and Republicans, whose support for the refugee resettlement program climbs by at least 20 points if they know a refugee.
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REFUGEE STORYTELLERS COLLECTIVE
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We all have stories to tell. This World Refugee Day, we celebrated the voices of the Refugee Storytellers Collective members who have experienced forced displacement and believe in the power of sharing their perspectives for social change.
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Mental Health Policy Guide
The Lab, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) released a new policy guide on “Improving Access to Mental Healthcare for Refugees & Other Displaced People in the United States.” This guide provides an overview of the existing mental healthcare infrastructure, and highlights challenges and opportunities for policy advancement and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. To dive into its findings with real world context, check out this webinar hosted on May 23rd.
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World Refugee Day
Across the country, World Refugee Day events took place from June 17th to June 24th. From Anchorage, Alaska, to Brooklyn, New York, Refugee Congress delegates hosted 17 WRD celebrations in 14 states. Lab State Leads also hosted events in Georgia, Virginia, Michigan, and Oregon.
States Lay The Foundation
The Lab and the International Rescue Committee hosted the fourth installment of the States Lay the Foundation legislative summit series. From improving educational opportunities in Virginia and Utah, to better language access in Illinois, this year's virtual summit brought together bipartisan state legislators from across the country to discuss how to effectively champion inclusive policies for refugee and immigrant communities.
Refugee Mental Health: The Policy Landscape and Opportunities for Change
To discuss the Mental Health Policy Guide, this webinar hosted by the Lab, IRAP and CVT identifies both the challenges and opportunities for meeting the mental health needs of forcibly displaced communities including federal policy, funding, state initiatives and community-based support.
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After years of erasing who she was to fit in, Ayda Zugay, an award-winning leader, published author, activist and a founding member of the Refugee Storyteller’s Collective, is now redefining the meaning of worthiness and taking back her narrative.
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Nejra Sumic, a former refugee forced to flee her home country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, advocates for "documenting our lived experiences." A recently published author, Nejra works with We Are All America to address the dangerous rhetoric against refugees.
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The legislative sessions in many of our Lab states have come to a close with several pieces of legislation passing, including bills that reduce barriers to the workforce, improve access to education, increase language accessibility, and create inclusive state infrastructure and funding. In addition, several events were held to build community and to celebrate World Refugee Day.
Keep an eye out for our in-depth 2023 State Legislative Session in Review to come later this month! Below are some highlights from May and June.
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The Lab and the IRC supported the successful passage of HB 23-1283, which relocated the State Refugee Coordinator’s office, the Colorado Refugee Services Program, to the Office of New Americans under the Department of Labor and Employment.
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The Lab and CVT recently helped to create a Diversity Subcommittee of the Georgia Behavioral Health Planning & Advisory Committee to begin investigating how to expand access to mental healthcare for refugees, immigrants and other underserved populations. The Lab’s State Lead, Darlene Lynch, has been appointed chair of this committee.
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On June 21st, the IRC in Wichita hosted a Meet Your Refugee Neighbors event where elected leaders from across the state—state legislators, city council members, and city commissioners—heard from and connecte with impacted community members.
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In honor of World Refugee Day, on June 24th the Michigan Immigrant Youth Conference brought together 100+ people for a day of learning and idea exchange on advocacy so that immigrant and refugee youth can live to their fullest potential. The conference featured workshops and panels on immigration policy, advocacy, education, and more.
With the legislature still in session, the Lab is championing two key bills: a bill to reduce barriers for teacher certification which recently passed the senate and a funding package that would support immigrant and refugee-serving organizations across the state.
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There was a lot of legislative activity in Oregon, including several bills that would provide funding, case management, and other services advancing in the legislature. This includes the successful passage of a budget bill, SB 5506, which provides wrap-around services for asylum seekers, extends funding to support Afghan parolees for another two years, and an $8 million investment in immigration legal services.
In addition, several bills passed this session which improve access to education, the workforce, and housing. To improve high school enrollment for newcomer students, SB 940 will create a study to identify ways to improve the process for transferring high school credits from other countries. HB 2504 will also reduce barriers to credentials for those trained in early childhood education. Finally, SB 611 will cap annual residential rent increases at 10 percent.
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With the legislative session over, May and June were dedicated to celebrating refugees and planning for next year. On May 27th, Lab partner CWS held a workshop with immigrant and refugee community members to identify policy priorities for next year, and on June 17th, celebrated World Refugee Day with cultural activities, food, music, captivating performances, and elected champions like Delegates Kathy Tran and Toby Wilt.
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To highlight the work of hundreds state and local elected officials across the country who are champions of inclusion, the Lab uplifts a different initiative in each edition of The Lab Brief.
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Connecticut State Representative Kate Farrar championed a successful bill to increase access to driver’s licenses for CT’s refugee and immigrant communities. Under the new bill, the state’s DMV will expand the number of languages offered from 11 to 37. This bill passed on June 2, 2023, with support from the state’s Nepali community who were instrumental in its passage.
Are you an elected official working at the state and local level to promote the inclusion of displaced people in your community? Share your work with us to be featured in The Lab Brief! Email info@refugeeadvocacylab.org.
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Thanks for reading!
Are you interested in state advocacy or Lab resources? Reach out.
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The Refugee Advocacy Lab partners with varying groups on different activities, and as such, partnership with the Lab does not necessarily imply a partner’s support for any specific activity or policy. Similarly, the Lab does not necessarily support or endorse specific activities or positions of partner organizations.
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