Right now, refugees and asylum seekers in the United States are navigating a precarious landscape, where shifting policies and unpredictable systems undermine their safety. Many came to the U.S. seeking protection but now encounter daunting barriers, including shrinking legal pathways, complex bureaucratic hurdles, and limited access to secure housing. As they work to heal and rebuild, newcomers are increasingly vulnerable and unsure of what tomorrow will bring. HIAS has fought for refugees for more than a century, but today’s situation is truly unprecedented. As domestic resettlement systems break down, the HIAS team is working around the clock, responding to emergencies, witnessing extreme hardship, and adapting in real time. Every hour brings new challenges, and HIAS refuses to let anyone face them alone. The questions we hear are urgent: What do refugees and asylum seekers need right now? How is HIAS responding to immediate and critical needs? In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, HIAS delivers rapid, lifesaving support at every step, determined to meet the most pressing needs with unwavering dedication.
The Evolving Landscape of Refugee Resettlement in the United States
The current environment for refugees and asylum seekers in the United States is marked by significant volatility. For decades, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) provided a structured pathway for individuals fleeing persecution to find safety and rebuild their lives. However, recent years have seen a dramatic contraction of this program, coupled with increasingly complex asylum processes and a general climate of policy uncertainty. This has created a situation where individuals who have demonstrated compelling reasons for seeking protection are facing unprecedented obstacles, from limited legal avenues to navigate their claims to a scarcity of essential resources upon arrival.
HIAS, an organization with over a century of experience advocating for displaced people, finds itself at the forefront of this evolving crisis. The breakdown of traditional resettlement systems necessitates a dynamic and adaptive response. The organization’s staff are reporting a heightened sense of urgency and the need for constant vigilance as they address the immediate and critical needs of those arriving on U.S. shores. The core mission remains unchanged: to ensure no one faces these challenges alone.
Responding to Immediate and Evolving Needs
A fundamental question facing advocates and the public alike is how HIAS is adapting its services to meet the present demands, especially when official refugee arrivals may fluctuate. The organization emphasizes that the need for support does not diminish even when formal resettlement numbers are low; instead, the nature of the need shifts. HIAS continues to provide critical assistance to displaced individuals within the United States, encompassing a range of services tailored to their immediate circumstances.
Even during periods of reduced refugee intake, HIAS has demonstrated a sustained capacity to welcome and support vulnerable populations. In the last fiscal year, the organization facilitated the resettlement of 3,729 refugees and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, a significant number that includes 1,545 Afghans. This commitment underscores HIAS’s dedication to serving those most in need, regardless of geopolitical shifts. Beyond direct resettlement, the organization provided short-term case management to over 6,000 displaced individuals and offered crucial free legal representation to more than 1,300 refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. This multifaceted approach highlights HIAS’s comprehensive strategy to address the diverse needs of newcomers.
Initial Resettlement: The Critical First Steps
For refugees and asylum seekers arriving in the U.S., the initial period is characterized by a critical set of immediate needs. These often include securing safe and stable housing, accessing adequate food and essential supplies, obtaining necessary medical care and health screenings, enrolling children in school, and navigating transportation and community orientation. However, these immediate necessities are intrinsically linked to a complex web of legal and administrative processes.
HIAS’s trauma-informed case management becomes indispensable at this juncture. The organization assists newcomers in obtaining vital documentation, applying for work authorization, understanding their eligibility for various benefits, and becoming informed about their legal rights and obligations. This holistic support system is designed to empower individuals as they begin their new lives, laying a foundation for long-term stability and self-sufficiency.
Supporting Refugees Through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)
HIAS plays a pivotal role in providing initial resettlement support for refugees and SIV holders through an extensive national network of local partner organizations. In Fiscal Year 2025, HIAS collaborated with 29 local affiliates across the United States. This collaboration ensures that refugees receive comprehensive, trauma-informed services designed to ease their transition.
These services encompass a broad spectrum, including:
- Case Management: Providing individualized support and guidance throughout the resettlement process.
- Cultural Orientation: Helping newcomers understand American culture, societal norms, and community resources.
- Benefits and Systems Navigation: Assisting with access to public benefits, healthcare, and other essential services.
- Healthcare Access: Facilitating medical appointments and ensuring newcomers receive necessary health screenings and care.
- School Enrollment: Supporting the enrollment of children in local school systems.
- Family Reunification Assistance: Helping to reunite separated family members.
- Employment Readiness Training: Equipping newcomers with the skills and knowledge needed to enter the workforce.
- Job Placement Assistance: Connecting individuals with potential employers and job opportunities.
This robust network of support is crucial for ensuring that refugees can integrate successfully into their new communities and achieve economic independence.
Addressing Disruptions and Systemic Gaps
When resettlement systems experience pauses or funding cuts, the impact on newly arrived families is immediate and profound. These disruptions can lead to the loss of essential caseworkers, vital guidance, financial support that prevents homelessness, structured orientation programs, and critical safety planning services during the most vulnerable initial months in a new country.
In response to these challenges, HIAS has proactively expanded programs designed to quickly stabilize families. This includes intensified efforts in housing support, the development of community sponsorship models, and the expansion of virtual services to reach individuals wherever they reside. This adaptability is critical in ensuring continuity of care and support, even amidst systemic instability.
Tackling the Housing Crisis for Newcomers
Housing represents one of the most significant barriers for refugees and asylum seekers. Many arrive with no established credit history, limited rental history, fluctuating incomes, or sudden changes in their legal status, making it difficult to secure traditional housing. HIAS has implemented several innovative housing programs to prevent eviction and homelessness.
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The Ms. L Settlement Housing Assistance Program: This program specifically supports families who have endured forced separation at the border and are rebuilding their lives after significant trauma. In 2025, HIAS provided crucial housing support to 396 families, totaling 1,329 individuals, and disbursed $1.4 million in rental assistance. This targeted support addresses the unique vulnerabilities faced by these families.
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The Housing Guarantee Fund: Recognizing that newly arrived refugees are often denied housing due to a lack of Social Security numbers, credit history, or immediate employment, HIAS established this fund. In 2025, the fund backed leases for 227 refugee families (877 individuals). Notably, over 97% of these families were able to cover rent independently thereafter, with the fund primarily serving as a mechanism to qualify for housing leases.
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Emergency Housing Assistance: In situations requiring immediate intervention, HIAS provided $135,000 in urgent rental aid to refugees and SIV holders over the past year. This assistance, often distributed through resettlement partners, has been instrumental in stabilizing newcomer households facing imminent homelessness.
The Rise of "Virtual Resettlement"
The geographic distribution of newcomers presents another challenge, particularly for those reuniting with relatives in smaller towns or rural areas where formal resettlement services are scarce. To address this, HIAS has developed its Virtual Program for Initial Resettlement (PIR). This program offers structured remote support during a newcomer’s first 90 days in the U.S., ensuring access to essential services regardless of their location.
Key components of the Virtual PIR include:
- Remote Case Management: Providing ongoing guidance and support through virtual channels.
- Community Orientation: Offering information about local resources, services, and community integration opportunities.
- Benefits Navigation: Assisting with applications for essential benefits and public services.
- Employment Readiness: Delivering virtual training and resources to prepare individuals for the job market.
- Cultural Adjustment Support: Providing guidance and resources to help newcomers adapt to American culture and society.
This innovative model significantly expands the reach of resettlement support, ensuring that individuals in underserved areas can access the critical assistance they need to begin their lives in the U.S.
Empowering Newcomers Through Employment
Finding stable employment is a cornerstone of self-sufficiency and integration for refugees and asylum seekers. However, the process can be fraught with difficulties, especially in a climate of policy shifts and rising apprehension. HIAS offers a range of employment and career programs designed to address these challenges.
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Matching Grant Program: This program is designed to facilitate rapid self-sufficiency for newly arrived families. It provides job referrals, budgeting support, and comprehensive wraparound case management. From October 2024 through December 2025, the program enrolled 272 households (870 individuals) and achieved a remarkable 70% self-sufficiency rate within 240 days.
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Refugee Career Pathways: This initiative specifically assists internationally experienced professionals in re-entering skilled work. It offers coaching, credential evaluation, training support, and job readiness assistance. In FY25, 57 clients participated in this program, completing 1,333 hours of job readiness training and receiving direct financial support for their educational and career advancement goals.
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Employer Engagement Program: HIAS actively partners with employers to develop workplace-based training programs that enhance both English language proficiency and job-specific skills. In 2025, 80 participants benefited from these programs, completing 6,424 hours of vocational English training across multiple sites.
The Indispensable Role of Legal Services
For individuals fleeing persecution, access to legal representation is not merely a procedural formality; it is often the determining factor between family unity and separation, stability and detention, and safety and deportation. HIAS provides vital free legal services through two primary avenues:
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Direct Immigration Legal Services (NYC and DC Regions): In the New York City and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas, HIAS offers direct legal assistance to hundreds of clients. This support encompasses critical needs such as asylum applications, work authorization, green card processing, family reunification, and general legal consultations. These services are instrumental in helping newcomers navigate complex legal pathways and foster their integration and stability within the United States.
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HIAS’s Pro Bono Network (Nationwide): Through its Pro Bono network, HIAS mobilizes volunteer attorneys across the country to represent refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced individuals navigating intricate legal processes. In FY2025, pro bono partners dedicated over 18,000 hours of legal services, valued at an estimated $18.6 million. This extensive network amplifies HIAS’s capacity to serve a wider population with specialized legal expertise.
Fostering Long-Term Well-being and Integration
Resettlement extends far beyond immediate survival; it encompasses the holistic well-being and long-term integration of individuals and families. Many newcomers arrive having experienced profound trauma and then face additional stressors in the U.S., including isolation, uncertainty, discrimination, and fear.
HIAS actively supports long-term integration and mental health care through its Preferred Communities program. This program provides technical guidance and oversight to resettlement partners nationwide, ensuring the delivery of crucial services. These include:
- Intensive Case Management: Providing ongoing, personalized support for individuals with complex needs.
- Direct Cash Assistance: Offering financial aid for urgent needs such as housing, food, medical care, and transportation.
- Mental Health Services: Connecting individuals with therapeutic support and counseling.
- Community Integration Programs: Facilitating social connections and engagement within the community.
- Resilience Building Workshops: Offering programs designed to enhance coping mechanisms and emotional well-being.
- Safety Planning: Developing strategies to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable individuals.
- Partnerships with Local Service Providers: Collaborating with community organizations to create a robust support ecosystem.
In FY25, the HIAS resettlement network provided intensive case management to 1,093 clients and distributed direct cash assistance to over 2,600 clients. Furthermore, HIAS offers comprehensive wraparound social services for legal clients in the greater New York City and metropolitan Washington D.C. areas. In 2025, these services supported 182 clients with increasingly complex needs, expanding resilience workshops, safety planning, and vital partnerships to address rising fear and instability.
Getting Involved and Supporting HIAS’s Mission
HIAS’s U.S. programs are a testament to a deep commitment to refugee resettlement, housing assistance, legal services, employment support, and community-based welcoming initiatives. All of these efforts are grounded in a trauma-informed, client-centered approach. As the external environment continues to evolve, HIAS remains steadfast in its dedication to adapting, developing new resources, innovative models, and strategic partnerships to ensure the safety and well-being of displaced people.
Individuals interested in supporting this vital work can learn more and take action by visiting hias.org/take-action. The organization’s ongoing efforts underscore the critical importance of humanitarian aid and advocacy in a world where displacement remains a pervasive global challenge. The commitment to helping refugees and asylum seekers rebuild their lives is more critical now than ever.
