On January 20th, President Trump signed an Executive Order suspending U.S. refugee resettlement. Just days later, on Friday, January 24th, IRIS received an official stop-work notice from the Department of State. Effective immediately, all federal funding for refugee resettlement has been frozen—including the funds that cover essential expenses like staff payroll, rent, food, and case management.
This means that NO federal funds can be used to help any of our 46 most recently arrived refugee clients. We are now unable to provide assistance to the nine refugee families who arrived in the last 30 days—families who, after years of waiting and fleeing horrific conditions of violence overseas, finally reached safety here-- only to face yet another crisis.
Since October, more than 32,000 refugees have arrived in the United States. Many are still within their first 90 days—a critical window for securing housing, employment, and stability. Without immediate support, families who have already endured unimaginable hardship now face homelessness, hunger, and uncertainty in a country that promised them safety.
The Reception & Placement (R&P) program is a lifeline. It ensures that newly arrived refugees receive food, shelter, medical care, and job support—basic necessities that allow them to rebuild their lives. Without this program, our ability to help these families disappears overnight.
2025 marks IRIS’s 20th anniversary of welcoming and empowering refugees. For refugees and other immigrants targeted by President Trump’s Executive Orders, we will not turn our backs on them now. It can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to welcome a refugee family. So, in order to continue this lifesaving work, we must raise an initial goal of $100,000 towards our emergency fund.
Your donation will allow us to provide direct assistance to refugees affected by this crisis and develop a long-term crisis response plan to support immigrants in need.
Donate to the IRIS Emergency Fund
IRIS is a program of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible. The organization’s tax identification number is 95-1684078. 100% of your donation goes to IRIS.