ADVOCACY: GLOBAL REFUGE (formerly Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service) – Part 5
Welcoming and Sustaining Immigrant Communities in Albuquerque
For immigrants fleeing danger or deprivation, getting to the U.S. is only part of the challenge. What happens after they resettle in a community like Albuquerque?
Lutheran Family Services (LSF) Refugee and Asylee Resettlement: Our country operates the Refugee Resettlement Program through the U.S. Department of Human Services. Lutheran Family Services, Rocky Mountains—a Global Refuge affiliate--participates in this national humanitarian work. LFS in Albuquerque aids 1) refugees coming from camps in host countries, 2) asylees whose petitions have been granted, 3) Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders who have worked with the U.S. military or contractors abroad, and 4) humanitarian-parole individuals, brought to the U.S. on an urgent and temporary basis. The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program – an Overview | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)
In recent years, many refugees and asylees in our city have come from Africa and Asia (e.g., the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Iraq). Some have spent years in refugee camps, such as those in Uganda or Turkey—two of the top host countries. LFS helps immigrants transition here, assuring that families receive short-term cash and medical assistance, ESL lessons, help finding jobs, and other federally mandated services.
All Saints, as a supporter of Lutheran Family Service, has donated household goods and helped clean apartments to prepare them for new families. Our quilters have donated their beautiful work. We have volunteered in ESL classes. We rejoice with the newcomers when they get jobs, sometimes in other immigrants’ businesses or in service industries such as hotels. LFS also showcases Tres Hermanas Farms, operated by immigrants, and Golden Ladle Catering, started by Burmese refugees. For more, visit Refugee & Asylee - Albuquerque | Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains | Human Services Agency in CO, NM, MT, UT (lfsrm.org)
Encuentro: Encuentro serves another immigrant community, people from Latin America who’ve known violence and poverty. If they’ve not been part of the federal Refugee Resettlement Program, they do not receive the benefits mentioned above. However, recognizing their gifts, Encuentro offers classes in ESL, computer and financial literacy, home health aide training, and small-business development. One joyous outcome is that recent graduates have started a home health aide business—an American Dream that benefits the immigrants and our city alike. For more, see Mission & Model - Encuentro Nuevo Mexico (encuentronm.org)
New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty (an Advocacy Partner with Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM): Finding housing and work in a new city are momentous steps on the journey to resettlement, but we, as advocates, are alert to points of vulnerability. The NM Center on Law and Poverty reports that “1 in 4 immigrant workers experience wage theft in New Mexico each year” (2022-2023 Impact Statement). Through a lawsuit, the Center has worked with the State to improve its processing of wage claims. For more information, visit nmpovertylaw.org
Next month, we’ll look at other ways to advocate for just immigration policies and practices.
Judy Messal