Helping West Michigan Welcome Afghans

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 -

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates’ team met with the first refugees to arrive from Afghanistan today. They will be the first of many cases we open, seeking a variety of immigration remedies with the end goal of safety, security, and permanent residency.

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (LIA) has been serving refugees from its very origins in 2015. South Central American refugees formed the bulk of cases in the early days. And Michigan, in general, has a long history of welcoming refugees from across the world.

We are anticipating resettlement for 75 refugees in the Holland area alone, with similar numbers across Muskegon County and the Spring Lake/Grand Haven area. These are complex cases, challenging even in the best of circumstances.

Like many of our neighbors, the LIA team has watched the turn of events unfold in Afghanistan over the past several weeks. These are families and individuals, mothers and brothers, neighbors and skilled workers, who have navigated the unfathomable challenges of leaving their home country behind.

Each refugee resettlement case will take upwards of 80 hours of skilled legal expertise to petition for a variety of immigration remedies including asylum, which must be filed within a year of each individual's entry into the United States. In addition to our legal services, most of the government fees associated with filing claims will be covered by LIA.

Financial support is being accepted to ensure that every case can be filed when ready. Donations may be made online at lia-michigan.org/give, by calling (616) 298-8984 during business hours, texting LIA to 44321, or via mail to 735 Paw Paw Dr., Holland, MI 49423.