The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Act Now Donate
Start of main content.

Advocacy // Immigrant Empowerment & Inclusion

Global Refuge Delivers Powerful Testimony at Congressional Hearing

Global Refuge logo

Global Refuge Staff

October 27, 2023

Global Refuge President and CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah spoke to members of Congress about the need to rebuild the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and secure additional pathways to protection for those seeking safety.

“Immigration is a win-win, but to fix the system and offer refuge to those seeking safety, we need strong leadership: from the President, from the American public, but most importantly from Congress,” said Global Refuge President and CEO, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, in compelling testimony to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

Vignarajah’s testimony emphasized the urgent need for improvements to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, safeguards for unaccompanied migrant children, passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act, protections for those displaced by climate disaster, and a coherent national system to support asylum seekers that leverages the expertise of refugee resettlement organizations.

With a rich history spanning nearly 85 years, Global Refuge has played a pivotal role in welcoming over 750,000 refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives in the United States. Our commitment to protecting those fleeing persecution and violence began during World War II, and has since extended to welcoming and empowering those seeking safety from across the world. The subcommittee hearing comes amid unprecedented global displacement, including challenges U.S. communities face in the absence of a robust domestic humanitarian system to respond to the needs of asylum seekers, particularly as political entities continue to send newly arrived individuals and families to interior cities without advanced notice or coordination.

“We have seen what happens in the absence of a thoughtful, developed infrastructure to provide casework and assistance to asylum seekers: a political circus rife with campaign stunts like privately chartered jets and buses, floating buoy walls in the Rio Grande, and more. Immigrants are not pawns or punch lines,” testified Vignarajah. “America has the capacity to receive refugees and immigrants in a manner that honors our economic, humanitarian, national security, and religious freedom principles – played out in welcoming communities across the U.S. It is left to Congress to find the political will to honor these commitments.” Global Refuge encourages supporters to raise their voices alongside those seeking safety by joining our advocacy efforts today.

Vignarajah’s opening statement can be viewed below, and her written testimony can be found here.

Thumbnail for a video entitled 'The Refugee Program and an Expansion of Lawful Pathways'

The Latest

  • Advocacy

    January 16, 2026

    Operation in Minnesota Targeting Lawfully Admitted Refugees

    As many people know, the process of seeking safety in the United States for families forced to flee their homes is extensive and difficult. Refugees admitted to the United States by the government undergo years of processing, in-person interviews, security checks, and medical screenings before setting foot on U.S. soil.

    Read More
  • Press Release

    December 16, 2025

    Global Refuge Deeply Alarmed by Expansion of Sweeping Travel Ban

    Global Refuge strongly condemns the Trump administration’s decision to dramatically expand its travel ban, escalating a policy first announced in June that already restricted entry for nationals from 19 countries. Today’s proclamation broadens those restrictions to 39 countries worldwide, further limiting lawful travel and migration through a sweeping mix of full and partial entry bans.

    Read More
  • News

    December 10, 2025

    Global Refuge Reaffirms Commitment to Human Dignity

    At Global Refuge, we honor and recognize the inherent dignity of all people. For 86 years, we have walked alongside refugees and other immigrants as they build their new lives in the United States—often fleeing war, persecution, and humanitarian disaster in pursuit of a better life. We welcome newcomers not simply because it is the right thing to do, but because it is central to our mission and identity: As a witness to God's love for all people, we stand with and advocate for children, refugees, and other immigrants , transforming communities through ministries of service and justice.    

    Read More
  • News

    December 4, 2025

    7 Ways to Make a Difference for Immigrants and Refugees This Season

    The holiday season is here, bringing festive fun, time with family and friends, and a chance to reflect on the past year. For many refugees and other immigrants, it has been a particularly difficult and dangerous time. They may be spending the season away from loved ones, hiding in the shadows, or worrying whether they still have a future in the United States.

    Read More
  • News · International Work

    May 20, 2025

    Tomas’ Story: Building a Bright Future and a Healthy Home

    In a remote village in Guatemala, Tomas is building a new future for himself and his family—without having to leave home. 

    Read More

Share