IRIS Emergency Fund
UPDATED: 02/05/2025
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 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.
Due to these devastating federal funding cuts, six vital members of our legal team—including multilingual attorneys, accredited legal representatives, and paralegals—face anticipated layoffs as of March. These are the very professionals who help immigrants apply for work permits, green cards, and citizenship—services that are more critical than ever as ICE ramps up indiscriminate immigration raids.
The stakes for immigrant families in Los Angeles have never been higher. IRIS’s legal team and case management team are lifelines for those seeking safety, stability, and a future in the United States. Without support for case management, our ability to help immigrant families receive food, shelter, medical care, and job support— disappears overnight. We cannot allow this to happen. Immigrant families in our community are counting on us, and we need your support to ensure IRIS remains a pillar of protection and hope.
2025 marks IRIS’s 20th anniversary of welcoming and empowering refugees. In order to continue this lifesaving work, we must raise an initial goal of $250,000 towards our emergency fund by March 15th.
Your support will help us retain these crucial team members so they can continue providing life-changing legal support to those who need it most and ensure that newly arrived refugees receive basic necessities that allow them to rebuild their lives. Please join us as we stand up for immigrant rights and ensure that no one faces the immigration system alone.
On behalf of everyone at IRIS, thank you for your consideration!
IRIS Emergency Fund
100% of your donation goes directly to IRIS. 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.