March 17, 2025 @ Spirit in the desert
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest has been partnering with the government, houses of worship, and volunteers to welcome refugees to Arizona since 1975.
Our work to welcome refugees is under direct threat. The Presidential administration has terminated refugee resettlement, cutting off critical funding overnight, leaving 130 families who have already arrived in Tucson and Phoenix in immediate jeopardy. There are currently 388 legally admitted and thoroughly vetted refugees within their first 90 days of arrival, who have been left behind. These are families who have fled war, persecution, and unimaginable hardship, only to now face uncertainty in the very place they hoped to find refuge.
We refuse to stand by while this decision puts lives in limbo. We will continue to fight for our mission of welcome, but we need you with us. Will you stand with refugees today?
Resources to Share About Refugees
A few of the ways you can help:
- Donations: Gifts will fund essential expenses – rent, employment services, groceries, school enrollment, screenings, and a case manager that speaks their language.
- Link to giving page.
- Flyer to host a donation drive.
- Purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist.
- Donation card for congregations.
- Volunteer: LSS-SW urgently needs compassionate volunteers to support refugees as they rebuild their lives in Arizona. Because critical funding has been cut, LSS-SW has limited staffing to provide services to our most vulnerable neighbors.
- Link to learn more.
- Upcoming volunteer orientations: March 18th from 11:30am to 1pm. Link to register for orientation.
- Advocate: We are called by faith to welcome our neighbor, and we implore you to join us to use our voices for our neighbors in their time of great need. Refugee resettlement is a legal, safe, and secure pathway to immigration. Those coming through the refugee resettlement program have been fully vetted through numerous security screenings and measures to ensure they are safe to enter the United States. LSS-SW asks you to join with us to reach out to your policymakers to ask that refugee resettlement be reinstated so we can continue to help those fleeing persecution and threats to their safety.
- Use this template: “Hi. I’m a member of ______ congregation in Congressman/Senator _____ district and I urge the Congressman/Senator to ask Secretary Rubio to rescind the stop work order preventing refugee resettlement agencies from serving the people who are already here in the US. I care about this issue because ______ “
- Or click here for a letter template you can edit.
- Click here for a list of Congressional email contacts.
- Sign Up for LSS-SW Advocacy E-Alerts.
Join Spirit in the Desert for a Community Education and Information Meeting discussing the works of Lutheran Social Services 5p-6p
Connie Phillips, President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest will be joining us to share an overview of their refugee resettlement program and how you can respond to recent threats to this work. Since 1975, LSS-SW has served some of the world’s most persecuted people living right here in Tucson and Phoenix. Violence and armed conflict chase millions of people from their homes, their families, and their countries, forcing them to seek safety in other countries around the world. Recent actions taken by the current Presidential administration have effectively ended the U.S. Refugee Admissions program, which has received bipartisan support since its inception in 1980.
Topics:
- Who refugees are, how they are legally admitted to the United States, how they are different from other types of immigrants, and how they contribute to Arizona’s communities
- The history of refugee resettled, and its interconnectedness to people of faith
- How recent executive actions have impacted refugees
- How you can use your gifts to support refugees right here in Arizona – everything from contacting your elected officials, to mentoring a refugee, or collecting donations.