CWS Lancaster

On Friday, March 21, CWS received notification of a near-total termination of work on its Unaccompanied Children Program, halting legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children. CWS Lancaster has provided Know Your Rights training and legal representation for unaccompanied children with funding from the Acacia Center for Justice since 2019. "Unaccompanied children are placed in removal proceedings and appear in immigration court just like adults. They are not guaranteed the right to representation, no matter their age. Some of our clients are toddlers. Many of our clients are teenagers who are in school and transitioning into adulthood in a new country who are in need of support." Currently, CWS Lancaster’s attorneys and accredited representatives are providing representation for over 200 children who live in central and southcentral Pennsylvania as they face immigration legal proceedings. Learn More at Church World Service: https://lnkd.in/efsTaAhq Take Action with Church World Service: https://lnkd.in/eyeZhYxA

We are grateful to our friends at the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce for hosting members of our Immigration Legal Services team to present on the different pathways new neighbors may take to join our wonderful community. We are so thankful to work with such great community organizations!

Earlier this fall, CWS Lancaster, the Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 and local government officials Ahmed Ahmed, CRDE, Lochard Calixte and Alice Yoder joined together to celebrate some of our newest American citizens. For 14 years, CWS Lancaster & the Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 have partnered together to provide citizenship instruction and naturalization application services thanks to the DHS-funded Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. Congratulations to all for your hard work and determination!

We were proud to see Neswil, one of our newest refugee neighbors, share his experiences as part of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission 2nd annual disability conference in July. Neswil joined panelists to discuss the impact of armed conflict and resettlement on individuals with disability.

Alain Martinez, CWS Lancaster's Economic Empowerment Program Manager, provides insight into how CWS supports new neighbors on their journey to financial self-sufficiency and fulfilling employment as a part of the Lancaster Chamber's?Lancaster Thriving?summer 2024 edition. "Research indicates that refugee employees are committed, eager to work, have high workforce retention rates. Their diverse skill sets and new perspectives lead to innovation and can foster a new sense of purpose within organizations. Together, refugee employees and employers are building diverse workplaces that are prepared to meet future needs." See pages 14 - 15 of the summer 2024 edition to learn more!

Even in the dog days of summer, we're hard at work welcoming new neighbors and ensuring all of our immigrant neighbors have access to high-quality immigration legal services. Over the last three months, 68 new neighbors have joined us in safety and our Immigration Legal Services program filed 480 applications for things like permanent residency, citizenship, asylum, and family reunification. But none of this would be possible without our welcoming community -- who donated over 5000 volunteers hours in just the last three months!

Hey! We know that guy! Check out CWS Lancaster's very own Rwamucyo Karekezi, Refugee & Immigrant Community Organizer, on the cover of The Refugee Advocacy Lab's storytelling guide! Rwamucyo is a powerful speaker, community leader, and collaborator!

Grateful to Millersville University of Pennsylvania's commitment to ensuring our newest neighbors have a safe place to live and a welcoming community in which to grow!

Today is World Refugee Day, an internationally recognized day acknowledging the hardship refugees go through and celebrating their many contributions to communities around the world. Special thanks to Ten Thousand Villages US for hosting Community Service Events across 11 different stores TODAY where 10% of sales will be donated to CWS Lancaster! #WorldRefugeeDay

It was a wonderful morning of connecting, educating, and inspiring with the 2024 New Americans Leadership Academy! We met today at City of Lancaster, PA, City Hall to discuss government and civic engagement! We kicked off the morning with an overview of Voting with Matt Johnson, CWS Lancaster, and Franklin & Marshall College American Studies student, Julian Thomas! Following our voting conversation - we were joined by County Commissioner Alice Yoder to discuss key differences between Lancaster City and Lancaster County, we touched on collaboration, affordable housing, and the roles and responsibilities of a County Commissioner. A big thank you to Commissioner Yoder, Matt Johnson, and Julian Thomas for joining us today!