Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Founded 1939
Location
  • Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Key people
 Linda Hartke, President and C.E.O.
Revenue
 US$ 50.4 million (2013)[1]
Employees
 103
Mission Witnessing to God’s love for all people, we stand with and advocate for migrants and refugees, transforming communities through ministries of service and justice.
Website http://lirs.org/

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a non-profit organization that welcomes and supports refugees and migrants. It is one of nine refugee resettlement agencies working with the Office of Refugee Resettlement[2] and one of only two that serves unaccompanied refugee minors.[3] LIRS also advocates for just policies and practices relating to immigration and detention.[4][5]

As an organization, LIRS originates from the response of American Lutherans in 1939 to the needs of Europeans displaced because of World War II,[6] however, the roots of the organization reach back to the 1860s when the New York Ministerium and the Pennsylvania Synod joined together to help and protect Lutheran immigrants in the US.[7] Since then the organization’s scope has expanded to include any refugees entering the US, support for asylum seekers,[8] and migrants,[9][10] and services to unaccompanied children (UACs).[11]

LIRS continues to be a faith-based organization and maintains relationships with three national Lutheran denominations, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.[12]

References

  1. ↑ LIRS 2013 Annual Report
  2. ↑ "Voluntary Agencies | Office of Refugee Resettlement | Administration for Children and Families". Acf.hhs.gov. 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  3. ↑ "About Unaccompanied Refugee Minors | Office of Refugee Resettlement | Administration for Children and Families". Acf.hhs.gov. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  4. ↑ "Immigrant Detention Centers in Texas, New Mexico Have Old Problems, Report Finds". US News. 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  5. ↑ "‘Locking Up Family Values, Again’ Report". Lirs.org. 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  6. ↑ Solberg, Richard W. Open Doors the Story of Lutherans Resettling Refugees. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 1992. Print.
  7. ↑ Bouman, Stephen Paul., and Ralston H. Deffenbaugh. They Are Us: Lutherans and Immigration. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2009. Print.
  8. ↑ First Posted: Oct 30, 2014 04:24 PM EDT (2014-10-30). "Immigration Reform Update: Immigrant Rights Groups Call for Closing Artesia, Karnes Detention Centers as Report Details 'Inhumane' Conditions : US News". Latin Post. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  9. ↑ Hartke, Linda (2012-04-24). "See It, Say It: The Supreme Court Should Strike Down SB 1070 | Sojourners". Sojo.net. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  10. ↑ 09032015Thu Last updateMon, 22 Sep 2014 2am (2014-09-22). "If High Court Upholds Arizona's SB 1070, Priests and Rabbis Could Be Prosecuted for Providing Humanitarian Aid". Truth-out.org. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  11. ↑ "Shelters for child border-crossers aren't all government-run". CBS News. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  12. ↑ "Church Partners". Lirs.org. 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2015-09-03.

External links

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