Hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children at an emergency intake shelter at Fort Bliss either faced unnecessary delays in being reunited with their families or were released to family or sponsors who had not had adequate background checks, an internal federal report shows. Read more»

Thousands of Afghan refugees who have come to Arizona and the rest of the United States to escape the Taliban over the past two decades struggle with day-to-day tasks like finding jobs, opening bank accounts and getting driver’s licenses. Read more»

Refugees are arriving in greater numbers this year after resettlement counts reached a 40-year low under former President Trump, and while their need for mental health services is greater than that of the general population, refugees are much less likely to receive such care. Read more»

The United States has taken in more than 100,000 Ukrainians, but things were messy for local volunteers early on. Without a clear roadmap, Tucson residents organized and figured out how to start assisting the incoming refugees and their sponsors. Read more»

The wait at the border has led some migrants to develop health problems, exacerbated people’s chronic ailments, like hypertension or diabetes; left some in dire conditions without care; and compounded the trauma experienced by those fleeing their homes. Read more»

More than 6.3 million Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia first invaded in late February 2022 - refugees that are political pawns of Russian President Vladimir Putin, intended to politically destabilize the European Union and NATO. Read more»

The treatment of Ukrainian versus Central American, African, Haitian and other asylum seekers has prompted criticism that U.S. refugee policy is racially and religiously discriminatory, favoring white, European, mostly Christian refugees over other groups. Read more»

The White House announced a wave of new sanctions against Russia on Thursday while pledging to send more humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and welcome up to 100,000 refugees. Read more»

If you doubt that the U.S. beacon of light needs a fresh bulb, ask any Ukrainian seeking safety from Putin’s tyranny. The immigrant family stares blankly at a wall. A nightmare stands before them. Read more»

The European Union’s response to Ukrainian refugees stands in stark contrast with the treatment of the international students, African and Asian migrants and the untold number of refugees and asylum-seekers of color from Syria, Afghanistan and Bangladesh also fleeing Ukraine. Read more» 1

Refugee resettlement groups in Arizona found homes for almost 1,900 Afghan refugees from the fall of Kabul in August through February, and DES and its partners are prepared to take any Afghans who will be resettling in Arizona, even though they do not know how many to expect. Read more»

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is granting Temporary Protected Status that will shield Ukrainian nationals living in the United States from deportation as well as apply for work permits - but only applies to those already in the country. Read more»

You cannot pick or choose which immigrant or migrant is more deserving. Every immigrant deserves a fair process and an opportunity to be heard. If you support displaced Ukrainians, you should be supporting a system that provides this opportunity for any immigrant. Read more»

"I do not for a moment believe we are bound by our 'protocols' and have to simply force people to file the usual paperwork, pay the fees and sit in line. That mentality is killing people." — Councilman Steve Kozachik Read more»

The Pima County Public Library's "Welcome to America" team is partnering with the groupsTucson Afghan Community and the International Rescue Committee to collect items for Afghan refugees making Tucson their new home. Read more»