On Jan. 20, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump signed an executive order to stop refugees from entering the U.S. for 90 days.
"The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans," the order argues.
In the interest of national security and public safety, the order says, it is American policy "to admit only those refugees who can fully and appropriately assimilate into the United States."
But statistics show that refugees contribute far more to the U.S. economy than they take — about $123.8 billion more from 2005 to 2019, according to a fiscal impact report by the American government released in 2024.
"This is a country based on what newcomers brought," says Jim CastroLang, policy and advocacy director for Spokane nonprofit Thrive International.
They open businesses at a higher rate, work in valuable sectors like agriculture and tech, and generally assimilate very well, he says.
Regardless, the block went into effect two days after the order was signed. Then, federal funding to all 10 U.S. refugee resettlement agencies was paused. More than 10,000 people who had been thoroughly vetted and waited years to enter the U.S. legally had next-day flights canceled.
The Spokane chapter of World Relief, one of the 10 national resettlement agencies, had to fire its 15-person refugee resettlement team.
Thrive International was created right before Ukrainians started fleeing the Russian invasion in 2022. First and foremost, Thrive provides temporary housing for refugees. Most Ukrainian refugees are in Spokane thanks to a temporary protected status that doesn't provide a pathway to citizenship. As soon as it's revoked, the holder must leave the country.
Thrive International: thriveint.org
World Relief Spokane: worldrelief.org/spokane
International Rescue Committee Spokane: rescue.org/united-states/spokane-wa
Many Ukrainians are currently due to renew their registration. Those at Thrive applied months ago, CastroLang says, but as of this writing, they haven't heard back yet. They're left wondering what will happen if the deadline comes before they receive an answer.
Seeking support in Congress, Thrive invited U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner to its housing center on March 18 to hear Ukrainians' stories. Baumgartner, a Republican who represents Washington's 5th Congressional District, offered his sympathy and said he was glad these Ukrainians were in Eastern Washington, even though his visit came just weeks after he called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resign.
"They're two completely different things — Zelenskyy is a politician and refugees are refugees, so they're not really connected," he says.
Baumgartner says his call for Zelenskyy to resign was based on the leader's refusal to sign over rights to Ukrainian mineral deposits, an agreement he'd made before his highly publicized meeting with Trump on Feb. 28. But Baumgartner says his opinion on Ukraine's leader doesn't discount his support for those fleeing violence.
"Zelenskyy needs to show himself to be a reliable partner that the U.S. can depend upon as we face down Russian aggression in Eastern Europe," he says. "[But] it's in the U.S. national interest that those folks who are legitimate refugees be treated as such. They're making a good contribution to our community."
On April 4, Baumgartner led a bipartisan letter to Trump asking the president to continue protections for Ukrainians fleeing war. Here in Spokane, several organizations in our area hope people will get to know the refugees in our communities, and join the ongoing services supporting neighbors who are already here.
WORLD RELIEF
World Relief has been a resettlement agency in Spokane for 32 years. Now, that work is shifting since it's unable to receive any new arrivals.
"Our goal right now is to continue working with the literally thousands of people we've settled in Spokane," says Christi Armstrong, the executive director of World Relief in Spokane. "We've settled over 12,000 people in the last 30 years, so there are large refugee communities in Spokane. Some of them have only been here for a couple of months, and that is not enough time for them to get really integrated into the community."
World Relief coordinates job training, money management help, driver's license prep, computer basics, English as a Second Language classes, and good neighbor teams, all to create a sense of belonging. The organization always needs volunteers in these areas, but especially now, as World Relief faces an uncertain future.
"We're trying to get a lot of people lined up as volunteers just so that if something more diminishes in World Relief, we have people who are there to take up the slack," Armstrong says.
"The thing I think is really impressive and inspiring about our clients throughout all these uncertain times is that they have hope."
Financial donations (visit worldrelief.org/spokane) are also crucial, since federal funding is frozen indefinitely. But more than anything, the best way to help is to get to know the people around you, Armstrong says.
"The people that we've settled in Spokane are all completely vetted and fully documented legal to be here," she says. "Please, when you see someone that looks different than you or sounds different than you, please don't assume that they're here illegally or undocumented. Many of them actually are citizens."
THRIVE INTERNATIONAL
Even though Thrive focuses on housing, it also offers education, empowerment and cultural integration programs for youth and adults.
Thrive has a list of volunteer opportunities online but is always looking for people to drive kids to and from soccer practice, offer child care during women's sewing classes, or take part in free community events like the upcoming international art festival on April 15 at downtown's Central Library, from 1 to 5 pm.
"We really want to focus on joy," says Amelia Ingle, coordinator of media and communications for Thrive.
For anyone interested in lobbying their representatives, advocacy director CastroLang strongly recommends reaching out to elected officials with an extremely specific focus. If you're looking for guidance, CastroLang says community members can contact him at jim@thriveinternational.org for advice.
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
International Rescue Committee, or IRC, is the other resettlement agency in Spokane. Last year, IRC and World Relief helped settle 1,000 refugees in Spokane, their highest annual number ever.
Programming extends far beyond initial contact, IRC Community Engagement Manager Kimmie Curry says. IRC connects refugees in the LGBTQ+ community or those with complex medical needs with the right health care, offers youth tutoring and mentorship, provides rental assistance, helps parents find child care, and helps people navigate green card or naturalization processes.
"We've just worked really hard to find creative solutions to respond to the changes and to make sure that services aren't interrupted for the individuals that we're working with so that's not impacting them as negatively as could be expected," Curry says. "But it really does take the entire community advocating, volunteering — whatever people feel inspired or have the capacity to do is really needed at this time."
IRC is especially in need of professionals to be a part of its "career laddering" program that helps highly skilled refugees re-enter their field of expertise. IRC also has a New Roots community garden where refugees can plant culturally appropriate foods and socialize. They're looking for people to help build a greenhouse for the garden this spring.
But really, there's no shortage of volunteer opportunities, Curry says. Don't hesitate to reach out to her if there's a specific way you're looking to get involved — she guarantees it will be needed and wanted. Her biggest ask? Don't give up.
"The thing I think is really impressive and inspiring about our clients throughout all these uncertain times is that they have hope," Curry says. "They have hope in our country. They have hope in our community. It's that hope and that resilience that's gotten them here. It's just really inspiring to see them maintaining that hope throughout all of the challenges that are taking place right now." ♦
