New name, same mission! LIRS is now Global Refuge. Learn more.

Stand with refugees.

This giving season, double your impact for refugee and immigrant families with a 2X matched donation up to $50,000.

The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Donate
Start of main content.

Press Release // Refugee Resettlement

Global Refuge Statement on Resettlement Flight Suspension

Global Refuge logo

Global Refuge Staff

March 17, 2020

Contact: Timothy Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org | 443-257-310

Washington D.C. – Today the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) took the significant step of suspending refugee resettlement flight departures as a result of concerns related to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

“While we understand the challenges of responding to a global pandemic, we are deeply saddened that on the very day we mark the 40th anniversary of the landmark Refugee Act of 1980, the United Nations has suspended refugee flight departures.  We pray that this action does not keep refugee children and families in harm’s way at this difficult time,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge.

According to the agencies, the suspension will take effect within the next few days as IOM and UNHCR attempt to bring refugees who have already cleared all formalities to their intended destinations. It remains unclear when resettlement flights may once again resume.

In addition to concerns around conditions abroad, Global Refuge has also noted the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak here in the United States.

“Many newly-resettled refugees face the same extraordinary circumstances as other vulnerable Americans. We are concerned by a lack of jobs in the industries where refugees often gain initial employment. Refugee children will be unable to enroll in and benefit from schooling in the near-term. State agencies offering vital integration services may be closed, while the volunteers who do this work of welcome may be forced to shelter in place,” concluded Vignarajah. “This is a dire scenario for Americans, including new Americans, the likes of which we may never have seen before.”

The Latest

  • Advocacy

    December 20, 2024

    Advocacy in Action: Congress backs Afghan relocation office as part of end-of-year vote on defense bill

    In its annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress approved language that authorizes for three years a key U.S. government office that coordinates Afghan relocation and resettlement efforts, CARE.

    Read More
  • News

    December 20, 2024

    2024 Year in Review: Our Top 10 Photos

    As we reflect on 2024, Global Refuge is grateful for the journey we've shared with the families we serve and the communities that support us along the way. We're excited to share 10 of our favorite photos that capture the spirit of our mission. Each image tells a story of moments that have shaped our work and inspired us all.

    Read More
  • News · Community Engagement

    December 16, 2024

    A Full-Circle Moment 40 Years in the Making

    Bill and Ellen Gertzog helped resettle a refugee family through Global Refuge in the 1980s. Nearly four decades later, they met the family again.

    Read More
  • News · Community Engagement

    December 16, 2024

    5 Ways to Help Refugees & Immigrants in 2025

    Discover 5 ways to help refugees and immigrants in 2025. From volunteering to advocacy, learn how you can make a difference through Global Refuge, the nation’s largest faith-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to serving children, refugees, and immigrants.

    Read More
  • News

    November 26, 2024

    Jesus Was a Refugee: An Advent Calendar Devotional

    We invite you to download our Advent Story Calendar. Each day of Advent, as you reflect on the Holy Family's journey as a displaced people at the vulnerable time of childbirth, experience stories of immigrants, former refugees, and supporters in their own words as together, we build a more welcoming world.  

    Read More

Share