This holiday season, a nonprofit campaign is asking Americans to write holiday cards to welcome newly arrived refugee families.

The 10th annual "Hope for the Holidays" campaign is spearheaded by Global Refuge, a charity founded in 1939, previously named Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, explained the program's mission.

"It is an important reminder, during the holiday season -- as we recognize that Jesus was a refugee -- that America is a nation of immigrants," Vignarajah emphasized. "That for so many faiths, welcoming the stranger is a part of our religions. It's a way to show a token of support and hope."

Global Refuge resettles about 20,000 legal refugees immigrating to the U.S. each year, including 7,600 in California. The families are fleeing conflict in places like Ukraine and Afghanistan. Vignarajah noted they often spend years in camps and undergo extreme vetting before the federal government grants them asylum.

Despite the flood of anti-immigrant rhetoric during the presidential campaign, Vignarajah hopes the incoming Trump administration takes a cue from Ronald Reagan on refugee policy.

"President Reagan resettled 600,000 refugees during his presidency," Vignarajah pointed out. "And unfortunately, during the prior administration, the refugee program was cut significantly. Our hope is that we don't see that happen in the new year, because there are obviously families who are fleeing for their lives."

The card-writing effort is headquartered at Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, north of Los Angeles. Donations are used to buy toys, school supplies and basic necessities for newly arrived families.


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As threats of deportation of illegal immigrants increase with the incoming Trump administration, groups in Washington say immigrants are an integral part of the state.

Research from the Washington State Budget and Policy Center and Economic Policy Institute finds nearly one-fifth of workers in the state are immigrants and they generate 145 billion dollars in economic output.

Kaitie Dong, senior policy analyst with the Washington State Budget and Policy Center, said incoming President Donald Trump's plans for mass deportations are a threat to the state.

"One, that is just inhumane and horrendous," she declared. "We don't stand by that at all. Secondly, it's bad for our state economy."

Dong's research also found 29% of "main street" businesses are owned by immigrants. A coalition of groups and lawmakers in the state, including OneAmerica, Washington Immigrant and Solidarity Network, and state Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-South Seattle, is urging Gov. Bob Ferguson to protect immigrants. The groups say his office should direct the Department of Corrections to stop cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Dong said lawmakers in Olympia have a chance to protect undocumented immigrants and adds the state can continue to fund health care for these folks. Lawmakers are moving ahead with a bill to provide unemployment insurance for people who are undocumented.

"Passing this legislation would be incredibly important in ensuring that our undocumented workers do have access to a wage replacement when they lose their jobs due to no fault of their own," she continued.

Dong added state lawmakers have an important role to play in this session as Trump comes back into power.

"Washington and especially our Washington legislators have an opportunity to protect immigrants, resource immigrants who are such an important part of our community, as well as our workforce and economy," she concluded.


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Southeast Asian refugees at risk of deportation in Massachusetts are asking President Biden to pardon them before he leaves office.

Deportations skyrocketed under the first Trump administration with removals of Cambodians up nearly 300%.

Kevin Lam, campaign coordinator for the Southeast Asian Freedom Network, said many Vietnam War refugees lacked the resources to apply for citizenship and risk being separated from their families once again.

"There's action that the Biden Administration can take right now to truly protect immigrant and refugee communities from the threat of detentions and deportations under Trump," Lam contended.

Lam pointed out it includes extending the Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from countries impacted by war or other dangerous conditions and protecting DACA recipients with new H-1B visas.

The 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War will be marked in 2025. More than 1 million Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian refugees resettled in the U.S., including parts of Boston and Lowell. Some became entangled in the criminal justice system as they grappled with the trauma of war and now face removal over decades-old convictions.

Lam stressed Biden can rectify policies he once supported, which led to mass incarceration and expulsion of refugees.

"The implications of policies that were passed under him and actions that were taken through him have put Southeast Asians into the prison to deportation pipeline," Lam asserted.

Last month, Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans and said he would consider more pardons before the end of his term next week.

Lam argued refugees who fled U.S. military intervention to rebuild their lives in Massachusetts deserve the same chance.


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With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office on Monday, a Pennsylvania group is helping some residents prepare for possible deportation actions and warning of the consequences.

Trump has said his administration will undertake what he called "the largest mass deportation in U.S. history."

Cathryn Miller-Wilson, executive director of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Pennsylvania, advised people to stay calm, assert their right to a hearing and avoid opening their doors to unexpected visitors. She added mass deportation would mean workforce shortages for the state, as well as higher tax burdens for residents and businesses.

"What's going to happen if there is success with the proposed policies is, first of all, a good chunk -- maybe 50% or more -- of the workforce will simply disappear," Miller-Wilson pointed out. "They'll either be put into detention or they'll be deported," she said.

America First Legal, representing the Trump administration, has already cautioned more than 200 officials in so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions about possible legal repercussions for hindering federal immigration enforcement or assisting undocumented people.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has pledged to protect residents' rights and uphold community safety.

Miller-Wilson said her organization is working with officials to help keep schools and courts safe, ensuring the children of undocumented parents can go to classes without fear. She added they are also working to provide legal resources and social services to people, particularly those who have lower incomes.

"We've been receiving, since Election Day, an increasing number of calls from individuals who want representation; who may be eligible for a legal remedy and are concerned about trying to get that remedy before the 20th, something that is likely not to happen because the immigration process is so slow," Miller-Wilson outlined.

Miller-Wilson explained misinformation leads to misunderstandings about who crosses the border, and said many people who are undocumented initially entered the country legally but let their visas expire.


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