News & Views

July 2023 Stories from the Front Lines


Working together to welcome asylum seekers to Philadelphia

Governor Abbott continues to send buses of asylum seekers from Texas to Philadelphia since Title 42 ended on May 11th, 2023. Since then, Philadelphia’s welcoming community has provided 15 pro bono attorneys and 8 volunteer interpreters, who have helped complete asylum applications for 13 asylum seekers from 9 families at asylum clinics at HIAS PA.

HIAS PA also provides helpful information at the city’s Welcome Center to asylum seekers arriving from the southern border about ICE check-ins, how to find legal representation, applying for a change of address, and more, as part of a collaboration between local immigration organizations and the city.

-Brenda Nogales, Crisis & Humanitarian Response Program Manager


Ukrainian family starts a business after less than a year in the US!

One of my Ukrainian clients started her own cleaning company! My client, her husband, and their 6-year-old son have only been in the US since last October, so it’s amazing that they were independently able to get this started so soon. They are super excited and recently shared their first flier with me. They are also interested in learning from other small cleaning businesses in the area.

-Lia Finkelstein, Employment Access Coordinator


Young Afghan women’s rights activist receives asylum in the US!

Last week we received notice of our first Afghan asylum approval since the Taliban took over in 2021! This client is a young Hazara woman, a former Fulbright Scholar, and a women’s rights activist. She founded a nonprofit organization focused on women’s entrepreneurship in Afghanistan, and had received death threats and experienced other forms of violence due to the nature of her work and her speeches. Her family also experienced threats based on their anti-Taliban work. She was represented by a team of pro bono attorneys at Blank Rome LLP. Excitingly, she is the first Afghan parolee who was resettled by HIAS PA to receive asylum. This is only the beginningwe are still waiting on 41 more applicants’ decisions!

-Jessica Oliff Daly, Pro Bono Coordinator


Seventh grade students hear first-person experiences from HIAS PA’s Afghan staff

After reading the book, “Refugee,” the 7th grade classes at Conwell Middle School invited HIAS PA’s Education team to come speak about the field of refugee resettlement and education. Parvin Hashemi, Education Case Aide at HIAS PA, shared her experiences coming to the US from Afghanistan, and how she uses her knowledge of both US and Afghan culture to now be a source of comfort and welcoming for our Afghan families through her role as a case aide. It was a great experience, and I am really grateful to Parvin for sharing her lived experience and professional expertise!

-Michelle Ferguson, Education Program Director


HIAS PA in the News!

G'mar chatima tova.

HIAS Pennsylvania's office will be closed on Monday, September 25th, in observance of Yom Kippur. 

TONIGHT (4/20) - Join us ONLINE at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!

Join us ONLINE at 6:45PM TONIGHT, Thursday, April 20th, for HIAS PA's 2023 Golden Door Awards: United for Immigrants!

Happy Passover from HIAS Pennsylvania!HIAS PA is closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover

HIAS Pennsylvania will be closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover from 1PM on Wednesday, April 5th through Friday, April 7th, and on Wednesday, April 12th and Thursday, April 13th.

Join us at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!United for Immigrants

The Golden Door Awards is HIAS Pennsylvania's annual fundraiser. Your generous support helps us serve low-income immigrants from all over the world as they build new lives in our community.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

TONIGHT: Join us at the table!Join us for Thankful Together!

Thankful Together, formerly known as Refugee Thanksgiving, is happening TONIGHT at 6PM!

Register here to join us tonight: https://hiaspa1.wpengine.com/event/thankful-together-2021/

Celebrate our volunteers who make this all possible!Click here at 11:45AM to join our Annual Meeting!

Click here to join our virtual Annual Meeting!

The Annual Meeting starts at noon, but join us at 11:45AM for an informal chat before the event!

POSTPONED! Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan

Today's Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan Facebook Live event has been postponed due to a worldwide Facebook outage. We will update you as soon as possible about rescheduling the event.