The Trump administration’s indefinite refugee ban, stop work orders and prolonged delays in reimbursement for resettlement agencies have had a devastating impact on tens of thousands of refugee families and communities across the country and around the world. Welcome to the latest edition of State of Play from Church World Service. This resource will provide regular updates from the CWS Policy Team on the current state of play; updated asks for national, state and local leaders; and the latest headlines and community resources. Subscribe now to receive daily updates on the latest developments and ways to support impacted communities.
State of Play |
The latest: Reconciliation bill moves forward; hunger strikers speak out; anti-ICE protesters convicted; CWS launches Rise Up for Refuge campaign.
Reconciliation package funding mass deportations set for a vote this week. The Senate began its “vote-a-rama” this morning on a reconciliation package that provides $70 billion for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The bill had been stalled for nearly two weeks over two provisions – a now-stripped out $1 billion allocation for the White House ballroom and the separate, now-abandoned $1.8 billion Department of Justice “anti-weaponization” fund. During vote-a-rama, Senators can file an unlimited number of amendments, making the process stretch for many hours.
If the bill clears vote-a-rama, it will move to final vote in both the Senate and the House. As a budget reconciliation bill, it requires only a simple majority to pass. Barring unexpected defections, it is expected to reach President Trump’s desk by the end of the week.
It’s not too late to tell your lawmakers: reject billions more for ICE and CBP without any reforms or guardrails. CWS joined more than 1,000 organizations opposing additional immigration enforcement funding “until the violence, abuses, and deaths in American communities and in immigration detention centers stop.” You can find our press statement reaffirming our opposition to this funding bill here.
Hunger strikers speak out. During an oversight visit to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County, Representatives Judy Chu (CA-28), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), and Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) received a petition signed by 150 detained people describing the “unbearable and inhuman” conditions inside and widespread violations of due process.
On May 19, at least 20 people in custody launched a hunger strike demanding bond reform, improved conditions, adequate medical and mental health care, nutritious food, accountability for deaths, the right to organize, and the closure of Adelanto. Anonymous accounts shared with Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice (ICIJ) describe people “being treated like animals” and leaders “being targeted” and sent to solitary confinement for their participation. One striker shared: “I’ve been in this country more than 40 years with no tickets, no arrests, nothing. I believe too many people are being kept in detention unnecessarily. They find any little reason to call someone a flight risk so they can deny bond.”
Another described “unbelievable” emotional distress among those detained, with “a lot of people here talking about suicide or trying to take their own lives because they feel hopeless.” Since January 2025, five people have died while in Adelanto or soon after they were transferred from the facility. ImmDef, Public Counsel, and CHIRLA filed a federal lawsuit challenging the conditions at Adelanto earlier this year.
Anti-ICE protesters convicted of federal conspiracy. After an eight-day trial, a jury in Spokane, Washington found three protesters guilty of felony conspiracy charges. The group, known as the “Spokane 3,” had joined hundreds of community members attempting to prevent the transport of two Venezuelan asylum seekers to an immigration detention facility. The asylum seekers, who entered the U.S. legally with humanitarian parole, were detained after appearing for a mandatory ICE check-in.
Jac Archer, the Co-Executive Director of Spokane Community Against Racism, and Justice Forral, the Human Rights Commissioner for the city of Spokane, were both convicted of conspiring to impede federal officers. Bajun Mavalwalla II – a veteran who served in Afghanistan and later founded a nonprofit assisting Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal – was convicted of aiding and abetting others involved in a conspiracy to impede officers.
The Spokane 3, along with six other protesters who accepted plea deals, were arrested on federal charges a month after the initial protest, where no officers or protesters were injured. Their indictments came soon after the Department of Justice ordered its federal prosecutors’ offices to prioritize and publicize cases related to unrest over immigration enforcement. The acting US attorney in eastern Washington resigned rather than sign the indictments against the nine protesters.
The Spokane 3 face up to six years in federal prison and/or $250,000 in fines. The defendants plan to appeal. Responding to the verdict, ACLU of Washington Legal Director La Rond Baker said: “The Administration has a demonstrable history of using the Department of Justice to silence and punish its critics. Using the power of government to deter criticism is undemocratic and counter to the values of our state and the country.”
Church World Service launches new campaign, Rise Up for Refuge. As we begin celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month, CWS is officially launching Rise Up for Refuge. The campaign supports local communities by providing resources, coordination, and expertise to grow the impact of community-led action responding to the targeting of our immigrant and refugee neighbors. 16 Covenant Members have already joined the initiative – you can join us on our new site!
Stories of Impact |
| Loni is a mother of six children who fled violence and torture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The family’s flight to Houston to reunite with her husband and the children’s father was scheduled for February – but it was cancelled after the ban went into effect. Loni and her children are now stuck indefinitely in Malawi. The Sung family are refugees from Myanmar who were split up as they fled for safe harbor. Part of the family has been resettled in Texas, and they have been waiting for years as the rest of the family goes through the resettlement process. The flight was scheduled for early February, and the family here bought a four-bedroom home just to accommodate them. Their flight was cancelled at the last minute.
Taq, a resettlement caseworker in Ohio, has witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of recent Executive Orders that have halted refugee arrivals, leaving families like his own in limbo. Taq’s cousin and his family were scheduled to arrive in the United States on February 20th but had their flights canceled, and his brothers, who are awaiting asylum interviews, are living in fear. “They are now left stranded…those still in [Afghanistan] have seen their hopes crushed.” Find more stories of impact here, and watch this space for new stories as they arise. Have a story to share? You can share it with us via this form for refugees overseas or this form for refugees, immigrants and service providers in the U.S. |
