The JRS/USA Newsroom
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The JRS/USA Newsroom

Welcome to the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA newsroom. Here you will find our latest news stories on issues important to the JRS mission to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. The Newsroom contains stories dating back to 2008. For stories outside the Newsroom, be sure to explore Spotlight on Issues, Voices and The Refugee Voice. Additionally, our Recommended Reading section will contain books and articles which you will find interesting. For visuals, be sure to visit the Multimedia section.

Thailand: refugees use photography to share their lives
(Bangkok) February 7, 2012 — Jesuit Refugee Service Asia Pacific recently ran an urban refugee photo project in Bangkok called 'See What I See.' The project enabled the refugees themselves to share their stories through photography. A one-day photography training session was followed by two months of photography, culminating in a gallery exhibition.
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Philippines: appeal for assistance for flood victims
(Mindanao) January 19, 2012 – Just days before Christmas, more than 100,000 families' holiday season and hopes for the new year were washed away with the flash flood that struck the northern coast of Mindanao, Philippines. A month later, tropical storm Washi has left the country devastated.
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New Year’s Message from Jesuit Refugee Service/USA
(Washington, D.C.) January 1, 2012 — The year 2011 was a momentous one for refugees, internally displaced people and migrants. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA National Director Fr. Michael A. Evans, S.J., reflects back on 2011 while looking forward to 2012.
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A message of joy in the midst of fear
(Rome) December 25, 2011 — "I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today unto us a child is born; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2, 10-11).
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Europe: EU states need not detain migrants
(Brussels) December 22, 2011 — Detaining migrants is unnecessary because more humane non-custodial alternatives exist, according to the latest Jesuit Refugee Service report, From Deprivation to Liberty. JRS Europe launched their new report the European Union Parliament, at an event which included members of the parliament and representatives from the Belgian Migration Office and NGOs.
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Report highlights systemic hindering of refugees
(Rome) December 8, 2011 — In a new report, JRS finds ample evidence that European governments actively hinder refugee arrivals. These deplorable practices are not limited to Europe; they are rapidly becoming the norm throughout Asia and Africa. The U.S. and Caribbean nations regularly restrict access to asylum processes for people with possible protection needs.
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JRS/USA 2011 Annual Report
(Washington, D.C.) December 5, 2011 — The 2011 Jesuit Refugee Service/USA Annual Report is now available online. For the first time, the report includes active links leading to more information online.
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Civil society frustrated by U.S. landmine policy review
(Phnom Penh, Cambodia) December 4, 2011 — Two years after launching a review of U.S. landmine policy, the Obama administration has still not announced plans to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty and end the use of antipersonnel landmines.
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Landmine survivor advocates for change
(Geneva) November 23, 2011 — With just days to go until the 11th Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines interviewed Song Kosal, from the Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines. Here Kosal speaks about her experience after a landmine accident and the need to spread the word about landmines.
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Cambodia: campaigning to ban landmines
(Geneva) November 21, 2011 — The International Campaign to Ban Landmines recently interviewed Sister Denise Coghlan, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service — Cambodia and member of the Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines. Sister Denise has been based in Cambodia and involved in the landmine issue and the campaign for more than 20 years.
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Dallas Jesuit College Prep helps area refugees
(Washington, D.C.) November 16, 2011 — Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas student volunteers from the American/African Outreach Society held two events recently with and for refugees both in the Dallas area and in Kenya. A soccer tournament which raised funds for Kakuma refugee camp followed a Halloween evening with local refugee children.
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Cambodia: unexploded devices found near school
Battambang (Cambodia) November 9, 2011 – More than 100 unexploded devices have been found near a small school in northwestern Cambodia. The weapons included anti-personnel land mines, anti-vehicle weapons and cluster munitions.
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Video: Curtain rises at Jesuit High Sacramento
(Sacramento) November 3, 2011 — The curtain rises tonight on Sacramento Jesuit High School's production Imago Dei: Journeys of Courage, Hope & Home. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA hopes the play will allow audiences to 'stand in the shoes' of forcibly displaced people and refugees to gain a deeper understanding of what life is like for them.
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JHS Sacramento drama about refugees opens this week
(Washington, D.C.) October 31, 2011 — On Thursday Jesuit High School of Sacramento premiers Imago Dei: Journeys of Courage, Hope & Home, about experiences of refugees and the forcibly displaced and based on Jesuit Refugee Service's 30 years of accompaniment, service and advocacy on behalf of refugees.
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JHS Sacramento producing play about refugees
(Washington, D.C.) October 21, 2011 — Students at Jesuit High School of Sacramento have written and will perform a play, Imago Dei: Journeys of Courage, Hope & Home, highlighting the real life experiences of refugees and the forcibly displaced based on Jesuit Refugee Service's 30 years of accompaniment, service and advocacy on behalf of refugees.
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Eastern Africa: technology aids isolated refugees
(Oxford, England) October 20, 2011 — Taking advantage of new computer technologies and improved internet connectivity across Africa, the Jesuit Refugee Service’s initiative Jesuit Commons-Higher Education at the Margins has piloted access to tertiary education in refugee settings, linking university teachers in the U.S. with students in refugee camps in Kenya and Malawi.
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Dallas Jesuit College Prep takes action for refugees
(Washington, D.C.) September 20, 2011 — Jesuit Refugee Service/USA Action Teams are groups of anywhere from three to 100 members that rally around their common concern for refugee and forcibly displaced persons, and their drive to effect positive social change in their local and global neighborhoods.
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JRS assisting refugees from Somalia
(Nairobi, Rome, Washington, D.C.) July 26, 2011 — In the midst of one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent times affecting the Horn of Africa, Jesuit Refugee Service has announced plans to step up ongoing work for Somalis in Ethiopia and Kenya, and establish new services in the former.
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Refugee Protection bill aims to improve immigration and refugee law
(Washington, D.C.) July 5, 2011 — The newly introduced Refugee Protection Act of 2011 makes overdue changes to the Refugee Act of 1980 and U.S. immigration law. JRS/USA has a particular interest in the bill because of our experience offering pastoral care and religious services to immigration detainees. One aspect of the legislation is that facilities detaining immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers provide full and equitable access to religious services to the detainees.
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Nutrition, early education provide head start in Chad
(Goz Beida, Chad) June 28, 2011 — Promoting access to preschool for internally displaced children was the goal when Jesuit Refugee Service started an education project here in eastern Chad in September 2008. JRS manages the preschool project at six sites in this arid region, which directly benefits more than 1700 children who attend the schools.
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Europe: refugee protection — illusion or reality
(Brussels) June 22, 2011 — Since the beginning of the "Arab Spring" and most notably the armed conflict in Libya in mid-February 2011, ten of thousands of persons have tried to escape the escalating violence in North Africa and find protection in Europe. They have often failed. Almost every week, we receive news about a boat carrying refugees having foundered and its occupants drowned.
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JRS urges Europeans states do more to help refugees
(Brussels) June 17, 2011 — Jesuit Refugee Service Europe and other concerned organizations have written to the President of the European Council and heads of state of the European Union urging that Europe do more to help refugees from North Africa.
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Survivors call for U.S. to ban landmines
(Yogyakarta, Indoneisa) June 21, 2011 — What are landmines: explosives put into the ground waiting years and decades to indiscriminately take the limbs or life of whoever walks over it, be they a soldier, farmer, woman or child. One step in a contaminated area can trigger the explosion and change lives forever.
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World Refugee Day: The UN Refugee Convention at 60
(Washington, D.C.) June 20, 2011 — Today, on World Refugee Day, we pause to reflect on the significance of the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees, which reaches its 60th anniversary this year.
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News archive
June, 2011   UN Refugee Convention: 60 years of protection
(Washington, D.C. and Rome) June 17, 2011 — In response to the horrors of World War II, 60 years ago the UN family of nations took the first concrete steps in the construction of a global system of refugee protection. That first step is commemorated Monday, June 20, with World Refugee Day.
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June, 2011   Seattle U honors JRS anti-landmine activist
(Phnom Penh) June 16, 2011 — Tun Channareth works in the northern province of Siem Reap and is himself a landmine survivor. He lost both legs when a landmine exploded in his native Cambodia in 1982. Since then, he has worked tirelessly in the struggle against landmines and cluster bombs which still plague former war-torn countries.
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June, 2011   Helping former child soldiers return to normal in Chad
(Abeche, Chad) June 2, 2011 — In this hot and dusty town in eastern Chad, Jesuit Refugee Service lives its mission of accompaniment by working with former child soldiers to help them return to a normal life after several years of conflict. The program also seeks to prevent any new recruitment of children into fighting units.
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May, 2011   Refugees inspired by soccer in Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa) May 21, 2011 – Although the Jesuit Refugee Service Community Center refugee football team lost the match against university students here recently, they left with a greater understanding of their host society and a desire to further their education.
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May, 2011   JHS Dallas students help refugees
(Washington, D.C.) May 11, 2011 — At Jesuit High School in Dallas, freshmen Brocke Stepteau and Justin Rotich are gearing up to spread the word about refugee issues and support JRS’ mission to accompany, serve, and defend refugees worldwide. Last week the students launched the American/African Outreach Society), an official JRS Action Team, on their school’s campus.
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April, 2011   Marathon effort raises thousands to support refugees
(Washington, D.C) April 25, 2011 — Boston runner John McLaughlin raised almost $6,500 for Jesuit Refugee Service/USA by asking people to donate "a dollar a mile" during his Boston Marathon run on April 18. This is the second time Mr. McLaughlin has run for refugee relief, and JRS/USA is grateful to him and the more than 170 people who donated in his name.
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April, 2011   Catholic University students take action for Sudan
(Washington, D.C.) April 21, 2011 — Inspired by JRS peacebuilding efforts in Southern Sudan, the CUA/JRS Action Team committed to promote awareness of the challenges facing the future country of Southern Sudan and advocate for the U.S. to maintain a strong humanitarian presence in the country.
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April, 2011   Congressional briefing on Colombian refugee crisis
(Washington, D.C.) April 16, 2011 — Congressman James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) hosted a briefing Thursday in the Cannon House Office Building here on the crisis of Colombia refugees in Ecuador, Panama and neighboring countries.
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April, 2011   JRS urges U.S. to stop deporting Haitians
(Washington, D.C) April 15, 2011 — Today the U.S. Department of Homeland Security again deported Haitians from the United States to Haiti, a nation still reeling from the fall-out of a devastating earthquake, endemic cholera, and unable to provide basic necessities for hundreds of thousands of its citizens.
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April, 2011   Dominican Republic forcibly repatriates Haitians
(Santiago, Dominican Republic) April 15, 2011 — Dominican Republic authorities carried out raids, detentions and repatriations of Haitians and persons of Haitian descent during the last week, citing the need to bow to the demands of citizen groups who had demanded the removal of the Haitians.
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April, 2011   Durable solutions sought for North Africa crisis
(Brussels) April 12, 2011 – A group of international NGOs based in the Belgian capital have urged European Union states to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in North Africa.
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April, 2011   Regional response needed for Haitian migrants
(Quito) April 14, 2011 — JRS has issued an appeal urging states in the region to protect Haitian victims of smuggling and trafficking networks in Latin America. In 2009, there were approximately 75,000 Haitians living in South America; but since then this number has increased significantly, particularly in Ecuador and Chile.
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April, 2011   Uganda: new class provides path to self-sufficiency
(Kampala) April 13, 2011 - As part of a new initiative to help urban refugees become more self-reliant, Jesuit Refugee Service has started a new course: training refugees in the production of arts and handicrafts in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
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April, 2011   Rescue and Refuge: Tribute to Persons of Courage
(Washington, D.C.) April 8, 2011 — Earlier this week U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton gave remarks during an event at the State Department to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
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April, 2011   Take Action: Support Peace in Colombia
(Washington, D.C.) April 7, 2011 —  Colombia continues to endure the largest and most protracted humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere, and is home to one of the largest displaced populations in the world. We invite you to join in this work as we call upon our government to promote policies in Colombia that support Colombian refugees and IDPs and other victims of violence, protect human rights defenders and Church and community leader working for peace in Colombia, and contribute to safe, secure and durable land restitution policies.
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April, 2011   Pioneering a new approach to higher ed in Kenya
(Nairobi) April 6, 2011 — The Jesuit Commons — Higher Education at the Margins project offers a dynamic and flexible model of education to refugees, promoting education as a fundamental human right in the most rugged circumstances. In northern Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, at least 100 refugees are expected to participate in the new program during the first year.
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April, 2011   Bostonian is running marathon for refugees
(Washington, D.C.) April 4, 2011 — John McLaughlin, an employee of Boston College and a parishioner at St. Ignatius Church in Newton, Mass., is running in this year's Boston Marathon to help the work of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. This marks the second time Mr. McLaughlin has run for refugees.
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April, 2011   International Mine Action Day brings awareness to plight of survivors
(Phnom Penh, Cambodia) April 4, 2011 – While there has been progress to ban the use of landmines around the world, there is still much to be done. On this International Mine Action Day, Jesuit Refugee Service calls on all nations to cease using these weapons and to assist survivors.
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March, 2011   NGOs urge Senate to maintain humanitarian funding
(Washington, D.C.) March 29, 2011 — Thirty-nine non-governmental organizations, including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, Mercy Corps, World Vision, Save the Children, Lutheran World Relief, the International Rescue Committee, The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and Amnesty International USA, wrote the U.S. Senate urging them to fund humanitarian programs at current levels.
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March, 2011   Report highlights Colombian refugee crisis
(Washington, D.C.) March 25, 2011 — The Migration Policy Institute and Refugee Council USA (a coalition of NGOs including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA) hosted an event March 23, 2011 in Washington, D.C. hosted an event to launch a report by Refugee Council USA on the situation of Colombian refugees in Ecuador and Panama. Two of the speakers were part of the November 2010 RCUSA trip to the region that examined the complex protection and resettlement needs of Colombian refugees.
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March, 2011   Get Involved: National Days of Action for Colombia
(Washington, D.C.) March 21, 2011 — This April, thousands of people are coming together to advocate for peace and justice in Colombia and take action through the Days of Action for Colombia. Join us as we call on our government to promote policies towards Colombia that support Colombian refugees and IDPs and other victims of violence, protects those working for peace in Colombia, and contributes to fair and durable land restitution policies.
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March, 2011   Catholic University launches JRS/USA Action Team
(Washington, D.C.) March 18, 2011 — Jesuit Refugee Service/USA is pleased to begin working with the first JRS/USA Action Team, a group of talented, hardworking students at Catholic University of America. These students have committed to raising awareness, fundraising, and advocating for the newly formed nation of Southern Sudan in conjunction with JRS/USA.
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March, 2011   Distance education project launched in Kenya
(Nairobi, Kenya) March 15, 2011 — Refugees in Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya now have access to higher education following the launch by Jesuit Refugee Service of a new distance-education project with U.S. universities. The Jesuit Commons — Higher Education at the Margins project offers a dynamic and flexible model of education to refugees, promoting education as a fundamental human right in the most rugged circumstances.
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March, 2011   Stop deportations to Haiti
(Washington, D.C) March 14, 2011 — Members of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, wrote to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office urging them to suspend deportations to Haiti until conditions on the ground improve considerably.
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March, 2011   Colombian Refugees in Ecuador and Panama
(Washington, D.C.) March 10, 2011 — Arguably one of the most persistent — and neglected — humanitarian crises in the Western Hemisphere, Colombia's ongoing conflict has resulted in the targeted persecution and displacement of more than four million Colombians in the last two decades. Learn more March 23rd during an event at the Migration Policy Institute here.
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March, 2011   Women are crucial in post-conflict recovery
(Nairobi) March 8, 2011 – Women contribute greatly towards the recovery of countries emerging from conflict and war. However, these countries could recover faster if women were given more support.
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March, 2011   Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia
(Washington, D.C.) March 6, 2011 — With nearly five million internally displaced people, Colombia is home to the Western Hemisphere’s greatest displacement crisis, and more are losing their homes every day. Join us as we call on our government to promote policies towards Colombia that support Colombian refugees and IDPs and other victims of violence, protects those working for peace in Colombia, and contributes to fair and durable land restitution policies.
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March, 2011   Take Action: Support Life-Saving Aid to Refugees
(Washington, D.C.) March 2, 2011 — Humanitarian programs supported by the U.S. government serve as lifelines for refugees and forcibly displaced persons around the world. They provide critical food aid and shelter for desperate people fleeing the terror of war and persecution in countries such as Colombia, Burma, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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March, 2011   JRS Malta: evacuate asylum seekers from Libya
(Naxxar, Malta) March 1, 2011 — Jesuit Refugee Service Malta joins the Catholic Church in Libya to plead for an international effort to evacuate and resettle Eritrean asylum-seekers currently stranded in Libya.
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February, 2011   Dominican Republic: Forced removal of Haitians a human rights violation
(Washington, D.C.) February 28, 2011 — Media outlets in the Dominican Republic report that undocumented Haitians were forced out of the Santiago neighborhoods of San José and La Mina in the Dominican Republic Monday morning.
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February, 2011   Outreach program educates students about asylum, immigration
(Washington, D.C.) Feb 23, 2011 — "Wait! I don’t get it!" the young woman towards the back of the classroom exclaimed. "Why don’t people like immigrants? Why are people being treated like this? It’s not fair!" I had just finished explaining to the class of juniors at Cristo Rey High School in New York City how asylum seekers are treated when they come to the U.S. in search of refuge, but lack the papers to enter properly.
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February, 2011   Humanitarian aid cuts could cost lives
(Washington, D.C.) February 23, 2011 — Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and other organizations have sent a letter to the Leadership of the U.S House of Representatives regarding the deep cuts to humanitarian assistance in recent budget proposals. It is shocking to imagine that in the next major global humanitarian crisis – the next Haiti, tsunami, or Darfur – the United States might simply fail to show up. Yet that is the very real risk posed by H.R. 1.
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February, 2011   Briefing on U.S. Migration Policy Toward Haiti
(Washington, D.C.) February 22, 2011 — In a briefing this Thursday on Capitol Hill, experts from Catholic organizations who serve Haitians both in the United States and Haiti will outline the Administration’s current migration policy toward Haitians, discuss current conditions on the ground in Haiti, and identify the immediate migration-related policy steps the U.S. Catholic Church believes the Administration is morally obliged to take to alleviate, and not further deepen, the crisis in Haiti.
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February, 2011   Accompaniment is a vital aspect of JRS' work
(Washington, D.C.) February 18, 2011 — Fr. David Holdcroft, S.J., the Regional Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Southern Africa, discusses the necessity of accompaniment in JRS' work with refugees.
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February, 2011   Southern Sudan: A New Nation
(Juba, Southern Sudan) February 8, 2011 — The people of Southern Sudan have overwhelmingly voted for independence according to the final referendum results announced on Monday in Khartoum. The results show that 98.83 percent voted for secession, which will open the door to Africa’s newest state with formal independence scheduled for July 9, 2011.
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February, 2011   Faith-based groups urge U.S. to stop deporting Haitians
(Washington, D.C.) February 11, 2011 — A coalition of faith-based groups, including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, today wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano urging the department to cease the deportation of Haitians from the United States back to Haiti.
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January, 2011   Southern Sudan: Training in income generation
(Nimule,Southern Sudan) – Skills of peace club members in income generation and sustainable development are expected to improve after Jesuit Refugee Service trained more than 100 Sudanese on fund raising, management and saving in areas around Nimule, Southern Sudan.
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January, 2011   Join Us in Urging the U.S. to Halt Deportations to Haiti
(Washington, D.C.) January 21, 2011 – Yesterday the Department of Homeland security resumed deporting Haitians from the U.S. back to their troubled country. Haiti is in a severe crisis. More than one million people are without housing, incidences of rape and domestic violence are on the rise, and political violence has escalated. Exacerbating the instability of the current situation is a cholera epidemic that has claimed over 3000 lives and is expected to kill thousands more.
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January, 2011   Haiti: An anniversary in pain
(Port au Prince) January 12, 2011 – One year ago a massive earthquake devastated Haiti, claiming the lives of more than 300,000 people. Today, Haitians mark the first anniversary of the tragedy in pain, caused not only by the sad memory of the victims of the tragedy, but also by the slow pace of recovery and the acute political crisis facing the country.
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January, 2011   Dominican Republic: Mass deportations of Haitians must stop
(Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) January 12, 2011 – Jesuit Refugee Service – Dominican Republic decries the mass deportations carried out in various parts of the Dominican Republic by the Directorate General of Immigration on the grounds that the deportations will prevent cholera. "We understand these actions to be not only ineffective in preventing the progression of the epidemic, but we also recognize that the mass expulsions undermine the rule of law, resulting in the violation of human rights of these Haitian migrants, promoting racial profiling of both the Haitian migrant population and of Dominicans of Haitian descent," JRS – Dominican Republic said in a statement.
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January, 2011   Deporting Haitians into Peril: a Disturbing Policy
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 7, 2011 – The recent decision by the U.S. government to resume the deportation of Haitians is wrong, and will put lives at risk while creating an additional problem for the maintenance of public order in beleaguered Haiti. Haiti is still struggling to recover from last January's earthquake, is in the midst of a cholera epidemic and is also embroiled in controversy over the recent presidential elections there.
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January, 2011   Take Action: Jesuit Immigration Sign-On Letter
(Washington, D.C.) January 3, 2011 – The Society of Jesus’ work and ministry with immigrants and migrants in the United States has made us painfully aware that many in this community still labor in the shadows. This past June the provincials took the bold step of sending a letter to the president and to each member of Congress asking them to enact comprehensive immigration reform. In order for such reform to be enacted, there needs to be a national demonstration of support.
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December, 2010   Southern Sudan: Archbishop’s visit supports peaceful referendum
(Yei, Southern Sudan) December 21, 2010 — German Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender visited this city to show solidarity with the autonomous region in promoting the 101 Days of Prayer campaign for a peaceful referendum, which will take place on January 9, 2011. Archbishop Ender’s visit on December 8 was symbolic to the people of Sudan, who repeatedly spoke of his coming as a sign that they have the support of the church in their struggle for independence.
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December, 2010   Cambodia: What happened to the Uighur asylum-seekers?
(Bangkok) December 17, 2010 – As the one-year anniversary approaches, Jesuit Refugee Service remembers the Uighur asylum seekers who sought shelter in Cambodia. We came to know them well, and again we ask the question: what happened to them? What happened to the pregnant mother and her two children? What happened to the man who had already escaped years of torture at the hands of the Chinese authorities? What happened to each individual who was trying to start a new life in a safe country?
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December, 2010   Thailand: JRS responds to the influx of people fleeing violence in Burma
(Bangkok) December 16, 2010 – Since Burma’s military-controlled elections last month, people have been fleeing to Thailand to avoid the ensuing violence. While Thai authorities have allowed most to enter the country, the majority at known refugee sites have been told to return to Burma within a matter of days, or in some cases, hours.
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December, 2010   U.S.: Coordination necessary to deal with refugee issues
(Geneva) December 10, 2010 – The United States echoes the call of UNHCR to all states to seize this anniversary year as an opportunity to demonstrate our individual and our common commitment to these important issues.
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December, 2010   Kenya: Distance-learning program provides hope
(Kakuma, Kenya) — Every day Bol, a 26-year old paraplegic man, pedals his hand-powered tricycle an hour each way from his home through Kakuma refugee camp to attend the first introductory training sessions for the new Jesuit Commons Higher Education at the Margins distance-learning accredited university courses.
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December, 2010   Boat people have no 'option but to flee for their lives'
(Sydney, Australia) December 6, 2010 – The Director of Jesuit Refugee Service International, Fr. Peter Balleis S.J, called on Australia to live up to its reputation as a tolerant and multi-cultural nation by showing compassion to boat people, who are ‘the most desperate and poor of all refugees’ during an event in Sydney.
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December, 2010   Landmine Ban Makes Gains, But Serious Concerns Remain
(Geneva) December 3, 2010 – Dozens of countries reported impressive progress in banning antipersonnel mines, clearing mined areas, and assisting victims of the weapon during a week-long meeting of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said. But four countries remained in violation of the treaty for missing their stockpile destruction deadline, and six countries needed extensions of their clearance deadlines.
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November, 2010   Support the DREAM Act
(Washington, D.C.) November 27, 2010 – The DREAM Act has always had strong bipartisan support, and the U.S. Catholic bishops have been long standing supporters of the legislation. Archbishop Jose Gomez, co-adjutor archbishop of Los Angeles and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, recently reaffirmed USCCB support for the legislation, stating that passage of the bill was "the right thing to do."
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November, 2010   Mine Ban Treaty: By the Numbers
Last year the Obama administration announced that it was conducting a comprehensive review of its landmine policy, including whether the United States should join the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty. States-parties will meet next week, Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, in Geneva to review the treaty.
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November, 2010   Landmine kills 14 in Cambodia
(Washington, D.C.) November 18, 2010 – “This is a horrific accident,” says Sister Denise Coghlan, country Director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Cambodia, and a founding member of the Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines. She says it happened “just at the time when we were hoping the accidents and casualties were going down.”
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November, 2010   Thailand: JRS responds to the influx of people fleeing violence in Burma
(Bangkok) November 11, 2010 – An estimated 20,000 people have fled to Thailand since conflict broke out between government forces and the fifth brigade of the ethnic Karen rebel group, the DKBA. Fighting began November 8 in the southeastern border town of Myawaddy, less than a day after election polls opened in the military controlled region.
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November, 2010   Faith groups urge Obama to protect the rights of migrants
Migrants in our region are experiencing a human rights crisis, particularly those who journey northward through Mexico en route to the United States. In August, 72 migrants from Central and South America were found massacred in northern Mexico. Faith, labor, and human rights groups – including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA – have joined together to urge President Obama to take responsibility in setting a global standard for sound policies to protect the rights of migrants.
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November, 2010   JRS commemorates 30 years of putting refugees first
(Washington, D.C.) – As we mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of Jesuit Refugee Service by Fr. General Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the reality of our modern world is quite sobering. There are tens of millions more refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum seekers today than there were in 1980.
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November, 2010   Floods, cholera continue to disrupt Haitian rebuilding
(Port au Prince, Haiti) November 9, 2010 – The Jesuit Refugee Service facility in Ounaminthe, which ordinarily can house up to 50 people, brought in 50 additional mattresses to attempt to serve the more than 150 people a day who sought shelter. Additionally, JRS teams are providing food and first aid to those in need, especially women and infants.
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November, 2010   JRS Australia opens home for refugees
(Sydney, Australia) November 9, 2010 – For the first time ever, Jesuit Refugee Service Australia will be able to accommodate entire refugee families after opening its latest shelter, a former boarding house in the Sydney beachside suburb of Manly.
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November, 2010   Video: Detention Chaplaincy
(Washington, D.C.) November 3, 2010 – Jesuit Refugee Service/USA promotes courage, hope and peace for detainees in the ups and downs and day-to-day routines of their lives inside a detention facility. In addition to pastoral counseling, chaplains facilitate religious activities that include opportunities for worship, prayer, scripture services, and fellowship within the traditions of each person’s faith. JRS/USA’s chaplains and pastoral care workers give support to those who find themselves suffering and in crisis.
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November, 2010   Haiti moves from emergency to emergency
(Port au Prince, Haiti) Nov. 2, 2010 – As of last Wednesday, the Haitian health ministry has confirmed 4,649 hospitalizations and 305 deaths due to cholera, with cases having been confirmed in three of the country’s 10 departments – Artibonite, Central and North.
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October, 2010   New obstacles in Haiti
(Port au Prince) Oct. 26, 2010 – A month before elections for a new president and legislature scheduled for Haiti on November 28, an epidemic of cholera has again focused world attention on Haiti. The disease has killed more than 259 people and sickened another 3300, according to health authorities. Meanwhile, a fault line remains an important seismic hazard for Haiti, say experts.
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October, 2010   Sudan: Teachers updated on new curriculum
Participants were told how the implementation of the curriculum depended on their relationships with the key actors involved in the process: students, teachers, parents, school management (parent-teacher associations), communities, and local and central government officials.
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October, 2010   The Society of Jesus and Migration
(Quito, Ecuador) October 11, 2010 – The challenges posed by migration are an apostolic priority for the universal body of the Society of Jesus. Since this phenomenon is increasingly globalized, it requires a response that is also networked at the worldwide level.
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October, 2010   Video: Building schools in Southern Sudan
(Washington, D.C.) October 10, 2010 – Jesuit Refugee Service has assisted returnees by building schools, supporting teacher training, providing school supplies, encouraging the education of girls, and building the capacity of local communities to take charge of their own educational needs.
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October, 2010   Official highlights U.S. efforts on behalf of refugees
(Geneva, Switzerland) October 4, 2010 – Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Eric P. Schwartz delivered the U.S. government’s plenary statement Monday, October 4, 2010, at the 61st session of the UNHCR Executive Committee in Geneva. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA has used grants from PRM to build and equip schools and train teachers in Southern Sudan.
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October, 2010   Welcome to Our New Website
(Washington, D.C.) Oct. 1, 2010 – After nearly 12 months of planning and work, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA is happy to announce the launch of our new website.This new website is designed to present information in a clear way with easy navigation, while highlighting the accompaniment, service and advocacy JRS undertakes worldwide with and on behalf of refugees and forcibly displaced people.
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September, 2010   Powerful storm strikes Haiti
(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) September 26, 2010 – A powerful tropical storm battered the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on September 24, destroying and damaging many of the tents inhabited by the 1.2 million people displaced by the January earthquake who have lived in ad-hoc camps for the last nine months. The Jesuit Refugee Service team responded immediately, deploying our limited resources to address the most urgent needs.
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September, 2010   South Africa take positive steps for Zimbabwe refugees
Jesuit Refugee Service has given a cautious welcome to the introduction of new regulations affecting Zimbabweans in South Africa. The new regulations stipulate that Zimbabweans, present in the country before 31 May 2010, may be eligible for a four-year work, business or study permit, if they are in possession of a current Zimbabwean passport and meet other qualifying criteria.
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September, 2010   South Africa moves to end 'Special Dispensation' for Zimbabwe refugees
Jesuit Refugee Service notes that the Cabinet of South Africa has moved to end the Special Dispensation for Zimbabwean Nationals that was introduced in April 2009. The Special Dispensation allowed Zimbabweans crossing into South Africa the right to live, work, attend education facilities and access basic health care for a period of six months.
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September, 2010   Peace week in Colombia
Next week the Catholic Church in Colombia is celebrating Peace Week in honor of  the thousands of victims of the Colombian conflict. The theme of the week is 'Integral Reparation: because no victim is a stranger.' The aim of the annual Peace Week campaign is to raise awareness in Colombian society for the plight of the victims of the armed conflict and to promote solidarity and a comprehensive reparation plan for them.
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September, 2010   Haitians deported by Dominican Republic
More than fifty people were repatriated to Haiti from Dominican Republic to Haiti on Wednesday in an operation carried out in the city of Jimaní, on the Haitian – Dominican Republic border. Representatives of Jesuit Refugee Service in Jimaní tried to interview the detained Haitians but they were deported before JRS was able to speak to them.
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August, 2010   World Humanitarian Day 2010
The United Nations has designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day to honor all humanitarian aid workers, United Nations and associated people who have lost their lives in the cause of duty, and those who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause. Humanitarian aid workers strive to ensure that all those who have experienced a traumatic event and need life-saving assistance receive it, regardless of where they are in the world, and regardless of their religious or social group or nationality. These workers should be respected and helped, not targeted.
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August, 2010   Southern Sudan at a Crossroads
In January, Southern Sudan will hold a referendum to choose independence from or unity with the north. The conduct, result, and aftermath of the vote will determine the direction of Southern Sudan's future and the prospects for sustained peace in the region. During this uncertain period, JRS continues to accompany the people of Southern Sudan with programs that make schools the heart of new and restored communities, as focal points for hope for a better future and centers for peace building activities.
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June, 2010   On Assignment in Burundi
JRS projects in the forgotten backcountry of Burundi aim at responding to the all-important larger issue of ensuring lasting food security for returning refugees. Father Tony Calleja, S.J., the Regional Director of JRS Great Lakes, has had long experience with Burundian refugees, having spent years working with them in Tanzanian camps. He poignantly described the plight of these returnees: “When they come back, it is a joyful occasion. But they come back with nothing. They have nothing.”
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June, 2010   Haitian Jesuits plan for future, urge that local voices be heard
Jesuits in Haiti, under the leadership of Fr. Kawas Francois, S.J. have organized a Reflection and Action Unit (see official statement below) to help plan for the long-term rebuilding of Haiti while ensuring that the voices of the Haitian people are involved in that planning. Concerns have been raised on the ground in Haiti that too much of the planning leadership has been from concerned foreigners, and not enough from the people of Haiti and their leaders in civil society.
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June, 2010   Jesuit Father General visits Haiti
Father General Adolfo Nicolas, S.J. visited the Haitian capital Thursday to see the work Jesuits have been doing to as they accompany and serve the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating January 12 earthquake.
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June, 2010   Faith and Joy in Haiti
Video: Fr. Dorino Gabriel, S.J. talks about the work of Faith and Joy in helping to rebuild and revitalize Haiti. Through the Jesuit Fe y Alegria school system Haitian Jesuits are working to promote universal education in Haiti, a key necessity in helping to build a resilient and sustainable Haitian-led recovery.
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March, 2010   President Obama Urged to Sign Mine Ban Treaty
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) March 23, 2010 - Leaders from 65 nongovernmental organizations delivered a letter to President Obama Monday urging the U.S. to relinquish antipersonnel landmines and join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty without delay.
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March, 2010   Changes Takes Faith: People Call for Immigration Reform
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) March 23, 2010 - Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, urging Congress and the President to pass a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill this year.
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March, 2010   Jesuit Superior meets JRS staff after recent visit to Sri Lanka
(ROME) March 11, 2010 - Fr. Adolfo Nicolas S.J., Father General of the Society of Jesus, visited the Province of Sri Lanka last month. While visiting the region of Colombo-Galle, Father Nicolás stressed several themes particularly dear to him: depth of commitment, creativity and life in the Spirit, and inserting these into the specific reality of Jesuits in Sri Lanka today.
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March, 2010   Missing UN-African Union soldiers make safe return thanks to Darfurians
Two peacekeepers who were missing after an attack on an African Union-United Nations patrol in Darfur have made a safe return with the assistance of the local population, the joint mission reported yesterday. They were found suffering from dehydration but were listed as in stable condition after receiving appropriate medical attention, according to a news release issued by the mission, known as UNAMID.
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February, 2010   JRS plans for long-term Haitian relief
(Washington, D.C.) February 20, 2010 – In the days following the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, Jesuit Refugee Service was able to provide emergency food relief to about 50,000 people, while JRS-affiliated medical teams treated about 4,500 people who were injured in the quake or became ill in the aftermath.
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February, 2010   Cluster Bomb Ban treaty to take effect
(Washington, D.C.) Feb. 18, 2010 – The United Nations–backed convention banning the use of cluster munitions will enter into force in August after the 30th country ratified the pact Tuesday, a move that was immediately welcomed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as “a major advance on the global disarmament agenda.”
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February, 2010   Accompaniment at core of JRS/USA mission
(Washington, D.C.) Feb 16, 2010 - The National Director of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, Fr. Ken Gavin, S.J., was on Talk of the Nation Monday to discuss his recent trip to Haiti.
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February, 2010   Rebuilding of Haiti must be inclusive and decentralized
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Feb. 11, 2010 – "Haiti demands a reconstruction rooted in decentralization, diversification and specialization," said Fr. Regino Martinez, S.J. on Tuesday. Fr. Martinez, the Director of Solidaridad Fronteriza in the border town of Dajabon in the Dominican Republic, has been leading a relief effort in Ouanaminte and Cap Haitien and other towns.
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February, 2010   Immigration Reform is a matter of Faith and Family
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Feb. 11, 2010 – In an unprecedented show of religious support for just, humane, comprehensive immigration reform, religious leaders from across the theological and ideological spectrum and Members of Congress kicked off a nationwide mobilization for immigration reform Wednesday on a conference call with reporters.
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February, 2010   Haiti: relief efforts look to future
By Fr. Kenneth J. Gavin, S.J. National Director of JRS/USA (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) Feb. 5, 2010 – We arrived in Port-au-Prince Wednesday afternoon, traveling by car from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic through Baharona, where Jesuit Refugee & Migrant Service has a warehouse for food and supplies. Trucks leave for Haiti daily, crossing the border at Jimani and then on to one of the 12 distribution centers staffed by Jesuit teams.
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February, 2010   Georgetown University Forum on Haiti
(Washington, D.C.) Feb. 4, 2010 - Shaina Aber, Associate Advocacy Director for Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, was a panelist at Georgetown University's Forum on Haiti: From Relief to Recovery on Jan. 28. Panelists discussed the current crisis in Haiti, including relief and recovery efforts going forward and the role of the international community in providing aid and assistance. Representatives of the University, the World Food Progamme, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization also took part.
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February, 2010   Haiti relief donations qualify for tax deduction
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — People who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti can claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
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January, 2010   Haitians demonstrate solidarity in wake of disaster
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 28, 2010 – The United Nations says that the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 has killed at least 112,000 people, and injured 194,000. Other estimates suggest that 200,000 people were killed, and an accurate number may never be known. More than one million Haitians are now homeless.
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January, 2010   Haiti: information resources for relief and TPS
Requesting Waiver of Fees for TPS Applicants (Washington, D.C.) Jan 28, 2010 – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released a fact sheet on the process of requesting a waiver of fees for applicants seeking Temporary Protected Status. Download a PDF of the fact sheet here.
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January, 2010   Conditions in Haiti difficult, spirits of Haitians unbowed
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 25, 2010 - "We are still seeing seriously wounded people who have yet to see a doctor. We are seeing tent cities that have thousands of people living in a crowded space with no water, food, or sanitary conditions," writes Br. Jim Boynton, S.J. from Port-au-Prince.
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January, 2010   107 people have died in immigrant detention centers
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 25, 2010 - Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the American Immigration Lawyers Association obtained a list of the 107 immigrant detainees who died in Immigration & Customs Enforcement custody from October 2003 to the present. The most frequent cause of death was "illness."
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January, 2010   Temporary Protection for Haitians: A First Step
An op-ed from Jesuit Refugee Service/USA published by New America Media on Jan. 21, 2010.
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January, 2010   Haiti emergency relief efforts continue, with an eye to the future
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 23, 2010 – “We are not yet out of the emergency phase of responding to the most basic needs, that is: water, food, and medical services,” Sonia Adames told JRS/USA Friday about JRS disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Adames, director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Santo Domingo office in the Dominican Republic, added that JRS is analyzing the situation to predict future needs while concurrently responding to immediate needs.
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January, 2010   JRS providing food, medical aid to Haitians in need
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 22, 2010 – Jesuit Refugee Service has become a leader in providing emergency food and medical aid to the suffering people of Haiti.
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January, 2010   JRS serves 16,000 people suffering from Haitian earthquake
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 21, 2010 – Jesuit Refugee Service has provided emergency relief in the form of food, medicine, tents and debris-removal tools to about 16,000 citizens of Port-au-Prince to aid their recovery from last week’s devastating earthquake. Additionally, in coordinated efforts with partner organizations in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, JRS has set up several locations throughout the countries to deliver aid to more people suffering from the effects of the earthquake in an efficient and organized manner.
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January, 2010   Voices from Haiti
(Washington, D.C) Jan. 14, 2010 - Two days after the powerful earthquake brought more devastation to the island of Haiti, eyewitness accounts from aid workers, Jesuits and others in the country are being shared.
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January, 2010   Urgent appeal for the people of Haiti
(Washington, D.C.) Jan. 14, 2010 - In response to Tuesday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, Jesuit Refugee Service is mounting an emergency relief effort to provide lifesaving aid, including food and other urgently needed items, to the Haitian people. Aid will be provided in partnership with the JRS - Latin America & Caribbean regional office, and distributed through JRS programs in the Dominican Republic, Jesuit parishes and other Jesuit programs in Haiti.
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January, 2010   Major catastrophe shakes Haiti
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Jan. 12, 2010 - A major earthquake centered 10 miles southwest of the capital city Port-au-Prince shook the country of Haiti Tuesday afternoon, causing extensive damage and unleashing more devastation on the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. It struck at 4:53 p.m., followed by several strong aftershocks.
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January, 2010   Bishops support immigration reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 8, 2010) —The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced steps to push for the enactment of immigration reform legislation in 2010. Bishop John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City, Utah, and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, bishop of Albany, New York, and chairman of the International Policy Committee of the USCCB, made the announcement earlier this week.
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December, 2009   Kino Border Initiative inspires student project
Washington, D.C. (Dec. 21, 2009) – Kristina Stevens shares her impressions of the Kino Border Initiative in words and music in a new video. Kristina, who just graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Journalism, visited the KBI in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico each Saturday from the end of September through November. Kristina worked with classmate Christopher Kelly to create a story for BorderBeat.net, a student-run publication based in the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
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December, 2009   Renewing Hope, Seeking Justice
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 15, 2009) – Jesuit Refugee Service/USA welcomes the introduction today of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) as a first step in providing a solution to fix our broken immigration system. Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the bill, with 87 co-sponsors including members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus, Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Progressive Caucus.
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December, 2009   Reforming the detention system
Washington, D.C. (Dec. 11, 2009) – Donald M. Kerwin, Jr., Vice President for Programs at the Migration Policy Institute and a Board Member of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA addressed a hearing yesterday on “Moving Toward More Effective Immigration Detention Management,” held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism. While praising the recent decisions by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for recent reforms, Mr. Kerwin provided clear goals for ICE as the reform process goes forward.
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December, 2009   Road map to a mine-free world
Washington, D.C. (Dec. 7, 2009) – More than 1000 activists, survivors and government delegates celebrated the close of the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World last week with the announcement that four new countries - Albania, Greece, Rwanda and Zambia - are now mine-free. The Summit closed with more than 120 governments adopting the Cartagena Action Plan, a detailed five-year plan of commitments on all areas of mine action including victim assistance, mine clearance, risk education, stockpile destruction and international cooperation.
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December, 2009   Crisis at our Borders: The Human Reality Behind the Immigration Debate
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of the Diocese of Tucson, and also Vice President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke at the Crisis at our Borders: The Human Reality Behind the Immigration Debate conference in October. Bishop Kicanas spoke during the first panel, which covered the theme of Human Rights/Human Dignity – Understanding the Need for Immigration Reform from a Border Perspective.
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December, 2009   U.S. NGOs to attend UNHCR Dialogue on Protection
U.S. NGO Comments on UNHCR Policy on Refugees in Urban Settings in Preparation for the UNHCR High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection
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December, 2009   Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas
(Washington, D.C.) – In letters to the U.S. State Department and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA has joined our partners to share the views of InterAction’s Humanitarian Partnerships Working Group and Refugee Council USA’s Protection Committee on key issues ahead of next week’s High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection.
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December, 2009   Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility & Development
(Bangkok) – Allowing for migration, both within and between countries, has the potential to increase people’s freedom and improve the lives of millions around the world, according to the 2009 Human Development Report released by the UNDP. We live in a highly mobile world, where migration is not only inevitable but also an important dimension of human development. Nearly one billion — or one out of seven — people are migrants. The Report, Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development, demonstrates that migration can enhance human development for the people who move, for the communities they move to and for those who remain at home. 
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November, 2009   Cartagena Summit on a Mine-free World
(Cartagena, Colombia) November 30, 2009 – More than 1,000 activists, survivors, mine action practitioners, development experts and government representatives from around the world are here this week for the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World, including dozens of high-level government representatives and dignitaries. The Cartagena Summit, running from November 29th through December 4th, is the second five-year Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, and is aimed at evaluating progress made and identifying actions required to fully realize the vision of a mine-free world.
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November, 2009   Refugee Council USA supports Colombian refugees and IDPs
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and other members of Refugee Council USA applaud steps the U.S. government is taking to provide for the assistance needs of Colombian refugees and internally displaced persons, and urge greater U.S. support of Colombian resettlement efforts.
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October, 2009   Crisis at our Borders: The Human Reality Behind the Immigration Debate
Washington, D.C. - A one-day conference aimed primarily at students from Georgetown University, this event seeks to educate and inspire students to greater knowledge, commitment, and action for immigration reform.
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October, 2009   JRS-sponsored students graduate
(Kakuma, Kenya) Oct. 24, 2009 – Twelve JRS–sponsored refugee students from Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia and Rwanda obtained their degrees at Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya today. Three students who participated in the distance education program with the University of South Africa (UNISA) obtained their Bachelor of Art in communications and sociology after nine years of studies, while nine students of the Kenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development (KISWCD) received their diploma certificates in community health and community development after two years of studies.
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October, 2009   Man on Fire: The Legacy of Pedro Arrupe
The Graduate School of Social Work and the Center for Human Rights and International Justice recently welcomed to Boston College Man on Fire, an exhibit of images and words honoring the legacy of Father Pedro Arrupe, the founder of Jesuit Refugee Service.
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October, 2009   Magazines highlight Jesuit Refugee Service works
Two magazines highlight the works of Jesuit Refugee Service: Jesuit Journeys (Fall 2009 issue) and Creighton University Magazine (summer issue).
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October, 2009   Preserving Religious Freedom and Human Dignity in Immigrant Detention
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton announced several changes designed to improve conditions and oversight for undocumented migrants who are detained in the federal detention system yesterday. The changes are based on the Immigration Detention Overview and Recommendations report simultaneously released. The report was written by Dr. Dora Schriro, most recently the Director of the Office of Detention Policy and Planning.
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October, 2009   DHS announces new immigration detention reform initiatives
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton announced new initiatives Tuesday, Oct. 6, as part of the Department’s ongoing immigration detention reform efforts. “These new initiatives will improve accountability and safety in our detention facilities as we continue to engage in smart and effective enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws,” said Napolitano.
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October, 2009   Vatican Stresses 'Tragic Plight' of Refugees
“Around the globe, we observe that the tragic plight of forcibly uprooted people continues to weigh on the conscience of the human family. To a great degree, the international community seems to lack the will or ability to effectively address the suffering and vulnerability of such persons.” Speaking to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva on Sept. 29, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, condemned the deterioration of adherence of the principle of non-refoulement by European states and appealed for international collaboration and co-responsibility in order to deal with asylum requests fairly.
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September, 2009   Late Senator Honored for Lifetime of Work with Refugees
The United Nations refugee agency announced Tuesday that its Nansen Refugee Award will go to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), for his achievements as an unparalleled champion of refugee protection and assistance for more than 45 years.
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September, 2009   Cuts in Southern Sudanese education budget put progress at risk
During the last three years, the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has slashed its education budget by more than 25 percent, from $134 million to $100 million. This is particularly disappointing given the remarkable improvements in enrolment rates since the 2005 peace agreement. Budget cuts of this magnitude are likely to adversely affect the quality of education services. With literacy rates at 20 percent, and 10 percent among women, much remains to be done.
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September, 2009   Torn from Home: My Life as a Refugee
A traveling exhibit on the world’s refugees takes school-age children and visitors of all ages on an inspiring, hands-on journey into the extraordinary lives of millions of children who were forced to flee their homes in conflict regions throughout the world. The exhibit, “Torn from Home: My Life as a Refugee,” gives young visitors and others an opportunity to gain a firsthand look into the often challenging realities faced by refugee children and their families, and yet experience the personal triumphs of rebuilding their lives in a new land. It showcases six exhibit areas: Home, Losing Home, Registration, Refugee Camp, Medical Clinic and Going Home.
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August, 2009   White House hosts meeting to discuss Comprehensive Immigration Reform
President Barack Obama told attendees during a meeting at the White House on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Thursday that, "Immigration is a problem that is begging to be fixed." Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), hosted the meeting of 130 immigration advocates, business, labor and law enforcement representatives.
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August, 2009   JRS opens first permanent primary school building in Lobone
On August 5th, 2009, Jesuit Refugee Service inaugurated the first primary school with permanent buildings in Lobone, Southern Sudan.
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August, 2009   Cluster Bomb Ban on Track to Become International Law Soon
The international treaty banning cluster bombs has passed the half-way milestone to the 30 ratifications needed for it to become binding international law. The United Nations confirmed Aug. 19, that Croatia became the fifteenth country to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions by depositing its legal instrument at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.
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August, 2009   'Never Again' Campaigners Call on Users to Sign Treaty Banning Cluster Bombs
Israel, Georgia and Russia were urged Aug. 12 to join the global ban on cluster bombs as members of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) held events and activities throughout the world to remember the victims of cluster bomb strikes by those countries. The weapon was used last August in the conflict between Russia and Georgia and three years ago by Israel in southern Lebanon (and to a lesser extent by Hezbollah in northern Israel.) 
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August, 2009   U.S. announces change in policy for immigrant detention
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton announced Thursday that ICE is undertaking a major overhaul of the agency's immigration detention system. "This change marks an important step in our ongoing efforts to enforce immigration laws smartly and effectively," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. "We are improving detention center management to prioritize health, safety and uniformity among our facilities while ensuring security, efficiency and fiscal responsibility."
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August, 2009   UNHCR says urgent aid needed in Kenya
The United Nations refugee chief has appealed for a massive injection of funds to help residents in Kenya’s sprawling and overcrowded Dadaab complex, which he described as “the most difficult camp situation in the world.” Located 90 kilometers from the border with Somalia, the three camps at Dadaab were built to house 90,000 people, but today are home to more than three times that number, mostly Somalis.
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July, 2009   Groups claim U.S. detention system systematically violates immigrant detainee' rights
Denied access to loved ones, lawyers and basic necessities, men and women within the nation’s immigration detention system find their fundamental rights routinely and systematically violated, according to a report released this week by the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), the ACLU of Southern California, and the international law firm of Holland & Knight, LLP. The first nationwide comprehensive report of its kind, “A Broken System: Confidential Reports Reveal Failures in U.S. Detention Centers,” sheds new light on the conditions suffered by hundreds of thousands of people housed in detention centers around the country, and offers policymakers specific recommendations to ameliorate the situation.
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July, 2009   Ocean Tragedy Underscores Need for Haitian TPS
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Vice Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a senior member of the House Rules Committee, and Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, made the following statement on the deadly capsizing of a boat off the coast of the Turks and Caicos thought to be carrying nearly 200 Haitian migrants. “This tragedy is a sad reminder of the hopelessness and desperation facing the Haitian people,” said Hastings. “Nearly one year ago, Haiti suffered damage equivalent to 8-10 hurricane Katrinas hitting the United States in one month alone, and since that time, the current economic crisis has practically dried up the remittances on which so many Haitian families rely. With hurricane season upon us once again, it is immoral and irresponsible to continue to deny Haitians Temporary Protected Status.
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June, 2009   Lawmakers ask President to grant Temporary Protected Status to Haitians
Sen. Bill Nelson (D. - FLA) and Rep. Charles Rangel (D.-NY) each wrote letters to President Obama in recent days asking that he grant Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in the U.S. In December of 2008, the United States began forcibly deporting 30,000 Haitians back to their country, a country ravaged by consecutive natural disasters last September. The two hurricanes and two tropical storms that hit Haiti in devastating succession during harvest season last year killed nearly 1,000 people and left 800,000 of the country’s residents in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. The storms destroyed at least $180 million in crops, exacerbating an existing food shortage.
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June, 2009   Refugees: Between Hope and Fear
Panama's daily newspaper Prensa recently published an article entitled “Refugees: Between Hope and Fear,” detailing the complex struggles of Colombians living as refugees in Panama. Among the challenges reported are widespread public prejudices against refugees, burdensome requirements in the acquisition of refugee status, restrictions on movement for unrecognized Colombian refugees living in border regions, and inadequate legal protections and support for those with official refugee status.
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June, 2009   IRC Seeks Overhaul of Resettlement System for Iraqi Refugees
In a new report, “Iraqi Refugees in the United States: In Dire Straits,” the International Rescue Committee’s Commission on Iraqi Refugees says resettlement continues to be a critical and lifesaving intervention for thousands of at-risk Iraqi refugees who are living in precarious conditions in exile and unable to return home safely. But, the federal program no longer meets the basic needs of today’s newly arriving refugees and requires urgent reform.
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June, 2009   Ecuador Streamlines Refugee Registration Process
The Enhanced Registration Initiative was created by the government of Ecuador in coordination with UNHCR in response to a) the large number of refugees living in the shadows along the northern border as a result of the absence of state entities or response teams in the area; and b) the inefficacy of the current system for determining refugee status. The purpose of this initiative is a) the implementation along the northern border of a more efficient system of interviewing refugees and adjudicating refugee applications; b) the extension of access to registration previously unreached by the General Directorate of Refugees (DGR); and c) a heightened focus on those situational challenges arising from the ongoing internal conflict in Colombia.
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June, 2009   Welcome the Stranger
On June 20 – World Refugee Day – Americans join with others around the world in remembering the needs of displaced people, noting their challenges, recognizing their struggles and triumphs, and celebrating the contribution that refugees continue to make to their adoptive homelands.
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June, 2009   Urgent Appeal: Displaced Sri Lankans require food, shelter, medical assistance
Since the end of fighting in Sri Lanka on May 19, more than 260,000 displaced persons remain in camps in the northern part of this island country. Tens of thousands are in need of medical attention, due to the effects of starvation, exposure, illness and injury sustained during the fighting. JRS in Sri Lanka reports an urgent need for temporary shelter, food, clean water and basic medical supplies in Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna and other locations. Since January 2009, JRS has been providing and distributing cooked food, dry rations, and non-food items including clothing; and attending to the sick, pregnant women and new mothers, and the elderly. JRS is also assisting with education and school supplies.
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June, 2009   DETENTION OF REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS & MIGRANTS
On this, the 10th anniversary of the UNHCR Revised Guidelines on Applicable Criteria and Standards Relating to the Detention of Asylum Seekers, the Guidelines remain a valuable tool and the primary international mechanism available for States to determine appropriate minimum standards for the detention of asylum seekers.
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May, 2009   United Nations concerned at threats against partners in Colombia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Colombia Friday (May 22) expressed its deep concern over a spate of death threats made against human rights workers, including uprooted people defending their communities’ rights.
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May, 2009   Discovering Self-Esteem As A Tool For Personal Development
At the end of April, the JRS Refugee Community Center (RCC) organized a three-day workshop on self-esteem for 22 language and computer students and four teachers. The workshop aimed at renewing hope and showing new directions for the lives of refugees by drawing attention to the principles of self-esteem like sense of competence, the importance of taking control of one’s life, tolerance, self-acceptance, positive thinking and self-motivation.
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May, 2009   Top UN refugee official calls for meeting on Mediterranean irregular migration
The top United Nations refugee official, António Guterres, has urged the European Commission (EC) to convene a gathering bringing together Italy, Malta, Libya, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and others to create a joint response to irregular migration across the Mediterranean Sea.
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May, 2009   Press statement issued by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
Children (under-18s) are being abducted from refugee camps and from Vavuniya town in northern Sri Lanka by paramilitary groups who enjoy tacit support from the Sri Lankan government, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers said today.
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May, 2009   Respecting Strangers: Replacing Fear with Welcome
Jesuit Refugee Service and Loyola University Chicago's John Felice Rome Center opened a photography exhibition in Rome dedicated to the dignity of people who continue to struggle for a better future.
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May, 2009   Town Struggles One Year After Immigration Raid
To commemorate the first anniversary of the Postville, Iowa, immigration worksite enforcement action, Bishop John C. Wester, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration released a statement recalling the humanitarian cost of such actions and calling, once again, for the reform of our nation immigration policies.
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May, 2009   Seeking Dignity for Haitians
Haitians currently living in the Dominican Republic – Haiti’s neighbor on the island of Hispaniola – find themselves under increasing pressure as a debate heats up in the Dominican Republic government and among the general population over the rights of immigrants.
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May, 2009   Human Rights Council Urged to Act on Sri Lanka
Ninety non-governmental organizations across the globe call upon the UN Human Rights Council to hold a Special Session on the current human rights catastrophe in Sri Lanka, as a matter of urgent concern. They have observed the lack of an adequate response from the Council so far, and herewith repeat their heartfelt appeal to the Council to live up to its own mandate by responding promptly to human rights emergencies.
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May, 2009   U.N. launches $50 million appeal for Sri Lanka relief efforts
The United Nations and Government of Sri Lanka Tuesday announced the launch of a $50 million appeal to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the rising number of desperate civilians fleeing the fighting in the north between the army and Tamil separatist rebels.
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April, 2009   Don't Keep the Nuns Waiting
Sister of Mercy Pat Murphy just celebrated her 80th Birthday but she is not slowing down. For more than two years she and Sister Jo Ann Persch, RSM, 74, have prayed the rosary every Friday morning at 7:15 a.m. in front of the Broadview Federal Immigrant Detention Center. They pray outside because ICE will not let them pray inside with the detainees. More than 11,000 immigrants have been deported from this facility in the past year.
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April, 2009   Caritas Director Severely injured in Sri Lanka
Rev. Fr. T.R. Vasanthaseelan, the local director of Caritas in Sri Lanka's war-torn Vanni region, was severely injured in the ongoing fighting between government troops and rebel Tamil Tiger (LTTE) forces.
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April, 2009   Refugee Crisis Simmers in Ecuador
The Center for International Policy says that over the past nine years, an estimated 300,000 Colombian refugees have crossed their country’s border with Ecuador, fleeing persecution, threats, disappearances, murders and deliberate displacement by the parties to Colombia’s long conflict.
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April, 2009   Neighbor to Neighbor
Between April 6-17 faith communities throughout the United States will be conducting Neighbor to Neighbor visits with their members of Congress while they are at home in their districts on Congressional Recess.
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April, 2009   Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia
Communities throughout Colombia are saying "NO" to the violent conflict, and "YES" to creating a lasting peace for all Colombians.
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April, 2009   Sudanese Refugees Return to Homeland
The Acholi people are indigenous to Lobone. But, because of the civil war between the Sudan government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, thousands of people fled their homes, with many going to refugee camps in Uganda.
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March, 2009   Haitians need Temporary Protected Status
Jesuit Refugee Service provides humanitarian assistance to Haitian refugees and migrants dwelling along the Haitian border with the Dominican Republic. Our field office in Ouanaminthe, Haiti has seen the effects of both the food crisis and the storms in the last year . Haitian society is fragile and the U.S. plan to deport 30,000 Haitians to the storm ravaged nation represents a grave security and humanitarian concern.
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March, 2009   Urge the Senate to Give Cluster Bombs the Boot!
When nearly 100 nations — including Britain, France, and Germany — gathered in early December to sign a global treaty banning cluster bombs, the U.S. was conspicuously absent. These weapons always end up killing more civilians than soldiers. President Obama and Congress can fix U.S. policy. In fact, they have already started. In March, Congress passed a law permanently banning exports of nearly all U.S.-made cluster bombs. Now we need Congress to act to prevent any further use by the United States.
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March, 2009   Canisius College students ‘Spring Break’ for immigration reform
Several students from Canisius College visited Washington, D.C. as an "Alternative Spring Break.” The eight students, accompanied by a campus minister, spent March 13 to March 15 at the Ignatian Solidarity Network’s Spring Teach-In on Immigration at Georgetown Prep, and then lobbied for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Capitol on March 16.
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March, 2009   Boston Man Raises Awareness of Refugees with Marathon Effort
John McLaughlin, an employee of Boston College and a parishioner at St. Ignatius Church in Newton, Mass., is running in this year's Boston Marathon to help the work of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA.
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February, 2009   Mission Possible: A Mine-Free World
Sunday, March 1, 2009, is the 10th anniversary of the historic treaty banning antipersonnel mines becoming binding international law. The Mine Ban Treaty obligates its participants to comprehensively discontinue the use, production, stockpile, and transfer of antipersonnel landmines; to destroy stockpiles within four years; to clear mines within their own territories within ten years, and to provide continuing assistance to mine survivors.
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February, 2009   JRS/USA Thanks Congressman for Haiti Support
On behalf of a diverse coalition of 25 human rights, refugee advocacy, faith-based and humanitarian organizations, Robert J. Carey, Chair of Refugee Council USA, writes to thank Rep. Hastings and express their support for his legislation addressing the need to designate the country of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
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February, 2009   Refugee Council USA writes to Janet Napolitano to designate Haiti for TPS
Refugee Council USA, a coalition of 25 organizations including Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, has written to Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, asking that the nation of Haiti being designated for Temporary Protected Status.
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February, 2009   100,000-plus Citizen Children Find Parents Deported
Congressman José E. Serrano released a study today showing that the Department of Homeland Security has deported more than 100,000 parents of children who are U.S. citizens. The report, which Serrano asked DHS to produce, also showed that this number could be higher if records were more complete.
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February, 2009   HOLY SEE ADDRESS ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, addresses the U.N. Economic and Social Council on Feb 5, 2009.
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February, 2009   Foreign Aid Reform: Principles for United States Humanitarian Assistance Endorsed by 27 U.S.-based NGOs
Humanitarian response is a vital part of the United States foreign assistance program. Despite its importance, draft proposals and discussions of foreign aid reform to date have focused almost exclusively on modernizing U.S. development assistance. The purpose of this brief statement is to propose the core principles that should guide U.S. humanitarian assistance in the interests of ensuring that any foreign aid reform initiative encompasses both humanitarian and development aspects of U.S. international assistance.
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February, 2009   Report: ICE Fugitive Operations Program Billed as Having Explicit National Security Focus Is Missing its Enforcement Mark
WASHINGTON — The federal fugitive operations program established in 2003 to locate, apprehend and remove fugitive aliens who pose a threat to the community has instead focused chiefly on arresting unauthorized immigrants without criminal convictions, according to a Migration Policy Institute report issued today. The report, Collateral Damage: An Examination of ICE’s Fugitive Operations Program, found that 73 percent of the nearly 97,000 people arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fugitive operations teams between the program’s inception in 2003 and early 2008 were unauthorized immigrants without criminal records. Despite the National Fugitive Operations Program’s mandate to apprehend dangerous fugitives, arrests of fugitive aliens with criminal convictions have represented a steadily declining share of total arrests by the teams, accounting for just 9 percent of total arrests in 2007, down from 32 percent in 2003, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s own estimates.
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February, 2009   Becoming a Child Soldier
In 1983, when the second civil war started in his country of Sudan, Joseph was only 11 years old. That year the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) was established; they began broadcasting on the radio, a very powerful war propaganda tool.
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February, 2009   The struggle to be Human Again
A better life is not something I just want. It is something I struggle for. I wish I had an easy answer to my life’s struggles but I don’t. I am also very skeptical of any one who claims to. This often stretches me to the limit. Living in this state of uncertainty may continue probably for some time yet I have to learn to love these struggles and live my life again. The important thing is that I still have a responsibility, a choice and the initiative to decide how I want to live the rest of my life.
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February, 2009   Safer schools needed to prevent children from joining armed activities in Chad
On Red Hand Day, 12 February, JRS West Africa calls upon the government, with the support of local and international communities, to increase efforts to prevent the use of children in armed groups through the creation of safer schools.
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February, 2009   U.N. urged to strengthen action to end use of child soldiers and JRS supports call to take further steps to safeguard children
On February 12, former child soldiers and other youth representing a grassroots campaign from around the world will present thousands of symbolic "red hands" to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to demand stronger action by international leaders to end the use of child soldiers. A UN treaty prohibiting the forced recruitment or use of children under the age of 18 in armed conflict, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, has been ratified by 126 countries and entered into force on February 12, 2002, a date commemorated annually as "Red Hand Day."
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