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 1860’s 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. ↑ http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/voluntary-agencies
  3. ↑ http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/programs/urm/about
  4. ↑ http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/10/30/immigrant-detention-centers-in-texas-new-mexico-have-old-problems-report-finds
  5. ↑ http://lirs.org/familyvalues/
  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. ↑ http://www.latinpost.com/articles/24832/20141030/immigration-reform-update-immigrant-rights-groups-call-artesia-karnes-detention.htm
  9. ↑ http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/04/24/see-it-say-it-supreme-court-should-strike-down-sb-1070
  10. ↑ http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/9680-if-high-court-upholds-arizonas-sb-1070-priests-and-rabbis-could-be-prosecuted-for-providing-humanitarian-aid
  11. ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/shelters-for-child-border-crossers-arent-all-government-run/
  12. ↑ http://lirs.org/our-work/partnership/church-partners/

External links