INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT INC
ONE BATTERY PARK PLAZA 4TH FL, NEW YORK, NY 10004 refugeerights.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT (IRAP) ORGANIZES LAW STUDENTS AND LAWYERS TO DEVELOP AND ENFORCE A SET OF LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS. [SEE CONTINUATION ONSCHEDULE O]MOBILIZING DIRECT LEGAL AID, LITIGATION, AND SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY, IRAP SERVES THE WORLD'S MOST PERSECUTED INDIVIDUALS AND EMPOWERS THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERS.

DEVELOP AND ENFORCE A SET OF LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS.

LEGAL SERVICESIMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMICFY20 BROUGHT UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES DUE TO COVID-19. AS THE PANDEMIC UNLEASHED NEW PRACTICAL AND POLITICAL OBSTACLES TO REFUGEE SAFETY, WE REDOUBLED OUR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF DISPLACED PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. OUR VIRTUAL LEGAL AID MODEL POSITIONED US WELL TO MAINTAIN UNINTERRUPTED CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CLIENTS EVEN AS IN-PERSON GATHERINGS BECAME UNSAFE, AND ENCOURAGED US TO EXPLORE NEW VIRTUAL MODALITIES FOR LEGAL AID CLINICS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE RECENTLY OFFERED A NATURALIZATION CLINIC OVER VIDEO CONFERENCE, AND IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE WILL BE PILOTING THE USE OF REMOTE REPRESENTATION FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER. THE PANDEMIC HAS LED TO BORDER CLOSURES, TRAVEL BANS, AND THE SUSPENSION OF VARIOUS REFUGEE AND VISA PROCESSES. WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THE IMPACT OF THESE MEASURES ON OUR CLIENTS BY MONITORING WHICH PATHWAYS TO SAFETY REMAIN OPEN AND PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH CURRENT INFORMATION AND LEGAL COUNSELING, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SAFETY. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE WORKED TO ALLEVIATE THE HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS BY PROVIDING VULNERABLE CLIENTS IN URGENT SITUATIONS WITH EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR FOOD, SHELTER, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND CLOTHING. IN THE UNITED STATES, ALTHOUGH THE U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED, WE CONTINUED TO ASSIST WITH FAMILY REUNIFICATION PETITIONS, AND WE ADVOCATED IN THE U.S. LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND ALL IMMIGRANT VISA AND BACKGROUND CHECK VALIDITY PERIODS AND PROVIDE COVID-RELATED BENEFITS TO REFUGEES. AT THE SAME, U.S. COURTS REMAINED OPEN, ENABLING US TO CONTINUE PURSUING HIGH-IMPACT LITIGATION TO DEFEND AND EXPAND REFUGEE RIGHTS.LEGAL ASSISTANCEIN FY20, IRAP PROVIDED LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND REPRESENTATION TO A TOTAL OF 6,038 INDIVIDUALS FROM 34 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. AMONGST OUR CLIENTS, 25% WERE FROM SYRIA; 16% WERE FROM IRAQ; AND 10% WERE FROM AFGHANISTAN. IRAP'S FIELD TEAMS IN AMMAN, JORDAN AND BEIRUT, LEBANON CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TARGETED OUTREACH TO NGOS AND OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES ON THE GROUND TO IDENTIFY AND REFER AT-RISK DISPLACED PEOPLE IN NEED OF LEGAL AID. IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR EXTENSIVE REFERRAL NETWORKS OF LOCAL PARTNERS TO HELP IDENTIFY AND ASSIST NUMEROUS CLIENTS IN HIGHLY TENUOUS SITUATIONS. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED REFERRAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEARLY 60 ORGANIZATIONS. IN JORDAN, THESE INCLUDE THE JORDANIAN WOMEN'S UNION, JESUIT RELIEF SERVICE, THE CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE, THE SYRIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL SOCIETY (SAMS), PALESTINE CHILDREN'S RELIEF FUND, AND THE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS. IN LEBANON, OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE HELPAGE, SAMS, BEKAA, THE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS, AND INARA.TO BROADEN OUR OUTREACH BEYOND CONVENTIONAL METHODS, IRAP LAUNCHED A CHATBOT THAT ENABLES US TO HELP INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT AND VISA OPTIONS. THE CHATBOT CAN IDENTIFY WHICH PROGRAMS A USER IS ELIGIBLE FOR, THEN CAN IMMEDIATELY DELIVER RELEVANT LEGAL INFORMATION OR FORWARD A REQUEST TO IRAP WHEN THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR US TO ASSIST WITH A CASE. THIS TOOL, WITH BOTH ARABIC AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE INTERFACES, HELPS US RESPOND IN A MORE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE MANNER TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF INQUIRIES WE RECEIVE AND IDENTIFY THE MOST VULNERABLE CASES IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. IT ALSO DIRECTS INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT REQUIRE FULL LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO PRO SE RESOURCES IN SIX DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON OUR WEBSITE. SINCE ITS LAUNCH, AN AVERAGE OF 1,400 INDIVIDUALS PER MONTH HAVE USED THE CHATBOT, OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY 26% HAVE BEEN REFERRED ONWARD FOR ADDITIONAL IRAP LEGAL SUPPORT.GLOBAL FAMILY REUNIFICATIONOVER THE PAST YEAR, IRAP HAS PURSUED OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING OUR WORK TO SCALE IN NEW PLACES WHERE THERE IS A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR LEGAL AID AROUND FAMILY REUNIFICATION FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE. TO HELP CLOSE THE GAP, IRAP HAS TAKEN A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN BUILDING THE NECESSARY GLOBAL LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE. TOGETHER WITH A CONSORTIUM OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, GRASSROOTS PARTNERS, AND PRO BONO ATTORNEYS, WE HAVE LAUNCHED TIMELY AND IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE LEGAL AID FOR SEPARATED MIGRANT FAMILIES SEEKING REUNION IN A VARIETY OF COUNTRIES. IN GREECE, WE HAVE DEEPENED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GERMAN NGO, EQUAL RIGHTS BEYOND BORDERS, TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE SEEKING TO REUNITE WITH RELATIVES IN EUROPE. IN DOING SO, WE ARE WORKING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO ARRIVE IN GREECE SEEKING ASYLUM BY PROVIDING DIRECT FAMILY REUNIFICATION-RELATED REPRESENTATION TO DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS IN ATHENS AND CHIOS. THE PROJECT AIMS BOTH TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, AND TO OVERCOME STRUCTURAL HURDLES THAT ARE KEEPING FAMILIES SEPARATED AND DISPLACED PEOPLE IN UNDIGNIFIED LIVING CONDITIONS IN GREECE. TO DATE, WE HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE ON MORE THAN 630 CASES THROUGH THIS PROJECT AND WON 57 COURT CHALLENGES TO UNLAWFUL FAMILY REUNIFICATION REJECTIONS.WE ALSO BUILT UPON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND REFUGEPOINT TO PROVIDE LEGAL AID TO UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE CHILDREN WITH FAMILY MEMBERS THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE. INITIALLY, THIS PROJECT SERVED CHILDREN IN ETHIOPIA, SUDAN, EGYPT, AND LIBYA, AND WE ARE NOW EXPANDING TO MULTIPLE OTHER SITES INCLUDING JORDAN, IRAQ, LEBANON, AND ISRAEL. TO DATE, WE HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROJECT TO 203 DISPLACED PEOPLE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN.IN THE UNITED STATES, WE CONTINUED OUR WORK TO HELP FAMILIES WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM OUR COURT VICTORY IN THE CASE CHALLENGING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S TERMINATION OF THE PAROLE PROGRAM FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN MINORS (CAM) SEEKING TO REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THE UNITED STATES. DESPITE DELAYS DUE TO COVID-19 SHUTDOWNS, 757 CAM BENEFICIARIES HAVE ALREADY TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1,169 BENEFICIARIES HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO TRAVEL.

LITIGATIONIN FY20, OUR LITIGATION TEAM ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN CASES THAT PROTECT AND EXPAND THE RIGHTS OF REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.WE WON A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION IN JANUARY 2020, STOPPING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE POWER TO VETO REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS. WE ARE NOW PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S APPEAL OF THE DECISION. THEN, IN FEBRUARY 2020, WE REACHED A HISTORIC SETTLEMENT IN OUR CASE CHALLENGING THE OCTOBER 2017 EXECUTIVE ORDER REFUGEE BAN. THE SETTLEMENT REQUIRES THE GOVERNMENT TO EXPEDITE THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT APPLICATIONS OF OVER 315 PERSONS AFFECTED BY THE BAN.LATER, IN MAY 2020, WE SUBMITTED A JOINT PLAN WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE DELAYED APPLICATIONS OF AN ESTIMATED 10,000 AFGHANS AND IRAQIS FACING PERSECUTION DUE TO THEIR WARTIME SERVICE TO THE U.S. THIS PLAN BUILT UPON OUR SUCCESSFUL LAWSUIT IN WHICH A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THE DELAYS UNLAWFUL.LASTLY, IN JULY 2020, WE FILED A LAWSUIT TO DEFEND ASYLUM SEEKERS' RIGHT TO WORK IN THE U.S. WHILE THEIR ASYLUM APPLICATIONS ARE PENDING. TWO MONTHS LATER, IN SEPTEMBER 2020, WE SECURED A VICTORY IN THIS CASE THAT STANDS TO BENEFIT A MINIMUM OF 150,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY.

POLICYWE CONTINUED OUR WORK TO PROTECT AND EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT EXIST TO PROVIDE PATHWAYS TO SAFETY FOR AFGHAN AND IRAQI ALLIES WHO ASSISTED THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND TROOPS OVERSEAS AND WHO NOW FACE THREATS OF VIOLENCE IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES AS A RESULT OF THAT WORK. IN FY20, WE HELPED LEAD THE PASSAGE OF CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION THAT CREATED AN ADDITIONAL 16,000 SIVS FOR AFGHANS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHOSE LIVES ARE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVICE TO THE U.S. MILITARY. CONGRESS ALSO RENEWED THE AFGHAN SIV PROGRAM FOR ANOTHER YEAR, AND EXPANDED PROTECTIONS FOR THESE ALLIES BY EXTENDING THE TIME PERIOD AND BROADENING THE RANGE OF QUALIFYING EMPLOYMENT.

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