IIA Statement on Recent Rhetoric Targeting Afghan Communities

AKRON, OH – December 4, 2025 –

In the wake of the recent tragedy in Washington, we are reminded once again how quickly entire communities can be painted with suspicion and blame. Recent comments targeting Afghan evacuees deepen the harm, reducing families who have fled violence and loss to political talking points. This rhetoric does not make our nation safer; it only dehumanizes people who sought refuge here and are working every day to rebuild their lives.

Afghans in the United States are parents, students, workers, and neighbors. They came here because they believed America could offer safety and stability. Many supported U.S. efforts abroad, and thousands endured years of conflict before being evacuated. Their stories are complex, but above all, they are human. They deserve to be spoken about as individuals, not defined by one incident or used as fuel for broader political attacks.

For years, communities, advocates, and organizations across the country have been calling for comprehensive immigration reform. That advocacy has never stopped. What has failed is our political system’s ability to act. Our immigration laws should not shift every four years with a new administration. They should reflect the bipartisan consensus that our current system is outdated, inconsistent, and in urgent need of repair.

People are frustrated with both parties, because Congress has allowed dysfunction to replace progress. Each delay leaves millions of human beings caught in limbo, navigating rules that change faster than any family can keep up with. Immigrants who are not yet citizens bear the heavy burden of this instability, repeatedly used as scapegoats in political fights when all they want is to live safely, work, and contribute to their communities.

We need a system that is humane, consistent, and rooted in dignity. We can honor public safety while also honoring the humanity of those who come to this country seeking protection. Real reform is how we do that. It is long past time for Congress to come together, move beyond rhetoric, and finally build an immigration system worthy of the values we claim to uphold.

This Month at IIA: Community Action, Food Assistance, and Inspiring Stories

Your support allows the International Institute of Akron to meet urgent needs, strengthen families, and create a welcoming community for immigrants and refugees. This month, our community stepped forward in remarkable ways to help families facing food insecurity. We shared important immigration updates, and we continued advocating for those most affected by federal policy changes.

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Community Generosity: Supporting Families Facing Food Insecurity

Since our food assistance request on October 21, our community has responded with tremendous generosity. Together, we have raised over $1,200 in grocery gift cards and over 10 tables filled with food we requested to help immigrant and refugee families in Summit County who are struggling to afford food. We also raised over $8000 to help keep our doors open and staff employed to provide critical services for our community.

These funds are already helping families affected by recent SNAP restrictions that make many new arrivals ineligible for food assistance. In a recent Signal Akron story, “SNAP cuts for immigrant families strain Akron food pantries,” Communications Specialist Liv Randall shared how these changes are placing many families at risk.
Your support ensures that families do not face these challenges alone, and we could not be more grateful.

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Community Story: A Mother’s Strength 

This month, IIA assisted a single mother of seven children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who is working tirelessly to support her family.
After years spent in a refugee camp, she resettled in Akron and is now maintaining full-time employment, earning about $17 per hour. Her youngest child was born in the United States and receives $200 in SNAP benefits. However, her six older children, all born in the refugee camp, are still awaiting their Green Cards and are not yet eligible for assistance. With monthly rent of $1,200 plus utilities, she struggles to afford enough food for her children.
On October 31, IIA staff delivered groceries from our Donation Room and $200 in Aldi gift cards directly to her home, as she has no transportation. She shared that she planned to use the gift cards to buy meat for her children, something she has not been able to provide consistently.

Her story reflects the resilience of so many families in our community and demonstrates how your generosity directly improves lives.

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                Akron Bicentennial Panel: Immigrants in Survival Mode   
As part of Akron’s Bicentennial Celebration, Executive Director Madhu Sharma joined a panel discussion about the impact of immigrants on Akron’s past, present, and future. She emphasized that many immigrant families continue to live in survival mode as they navigate barriers related to housing, employment, legal processes, and meeting basic needs. Her remarks underscored the critical role of community support and organizations like IIA in helping families find stability.

Read more about the discussion here - Akron immigrants are in ‘survival mode’

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Immigration News: Citizenship Test Changes 

NPR recently reported that beginning October 20, the U.S. citizenship test is becoming more difficult, with additional questions and a more demanding speaking section. These changes may create new barriers for lawful permanent residents working toward citizenship, particularly those who are still learning English.

IIA Citizenship Class Graduates Becoming U.S. Citizens! ^^

IIA’s education and legal services teams are preparing clients for these changes so they can continue their path toward naturalization with confidence.
Read the article here - U.S. citizenship test gets harder: More questions, tougher standards : NPR

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Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Advocacy 

Temporary Protected Status holders from countries including Honduras, Haiti, and El Salvador continue to face uncertainty as federal deadlines approach. Ohio is home to more than 26,000 TPS holders who contribute significantly to the state’s workforce and economy. IIA continues to advocate for long-term protections and encourages community members to learn more about how they can support TPS holders.

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Resources and Learning 

With Thanksgiving around the corner, we wanted to share some important and accessible resources about important histories that affect our communities today.

• VOCES: American Historia – The Untold History of Latinos | PBS

  • A powerful look at Latino history, identity, and overlooked stories.

•  Here’s How America’s Immigration Policies Have a Racist Past

  • A historical overview examining the roots of today’s immigration system.

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How You Can Support IIA 

Your contributions make a real difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees:

• Donate: Every gift helps IIA keep its door open and staffed to support the growing needs of our immigrant community.

• Fundraise for IIA: Organize a fundraiser with your workplace, faith group, or community.

• Collect non-perishable food items and grocery gift cards: Help individuals losing SNAP benefits and facing food insecurity by donating non-perishable food items and grocery store gift cards. These will directly go to families in need.

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Thank You
To all of our supporters: your generosity and advocacy continue to make a meaningful difference. Because of you, immigrant families in Akron are finding safety, stability, and hope. We will always be grateful for our community. 

Because of You, Hope Still Lives Here

Dear Friend of IIA, 

One year ago, we shared our vision for 2025: to remain steadfast in defending the rights of refugees and immigrants, ensuring access to due process, and fostering a true sense of home for everyone who walks through our doors. 

This year has tested that commitment like never before. In what has been one of the most challenging periods in IIA’s 109-year history, I am deeply proud of our staff, volunteers, and community partners, whose dedication and compassion have never wavered. Together, we have continued to meet the ever-growing needs of our immigrant and refugee neighbors, even amid immense change. 

This year has brought unprecedented challenges for Akron’s immigrant and refugee community. A federal executive order suspended all refugee resettlement, leaving families abroad stranded and pausing one of IIA’s founding programs. We were able to resettle only 28 individuals, compared to 489 individuals in 2024. Rising ICE activity across Ohio created fear and uncertainty, prompting IIA to host Know Your Rights presentations and community information sessions to ensure families understood their protections. Meanwhile, the revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for several countries placed thousands at risk of deportation, and our legal team worked tirelessly to guide clients through appeals and relief options during this difficult time. 

Compounding these pressures, federal and state-level policies added new hardships. The Big Beautiful Bill cut healthcare access for immigrant families while increasing funding for ICE detention, deepening insecurity for families who have called Ohio home for years. Later in the year, the removal of SNAP benefits pushed many households closer to crisis. IIA responded quickly, connecting families with emergency food assistance and other critical resources, even as federal funding cuts threatened our own programs and the jobs of the staff who make this work possible.  

Despite these challenges, hope and resilience shine through our clients’ stories. 

This year, IIA helped a young gay man from Russia who was denied entry to the U.S. on a visitor visa and placed in deportation proceedings. He sought asylum out of fear of persecution if drafted into the Russian military, as well as for opposing the invasion of Ukraine. With the support of our legal team, he was granted asylum and is now on the path to lawful permanent residence. Today, he is pursuing law school in the United States and hopes to help others in similar situations, turning his experience into a future of advocacy and justice. 

In June, we helped an unhoused immigrant mother and her two young sons spotted by a community member in a park during a thunderstorm with only one suitcase. Within days, we secured long-term housing, furnished their home, and set them up for stability and success. Today, the mother is employed, her children are safe, and she is learning English to build a stronger future. Proof that lasting stability is possible when a community comes together. 

If I’m honest, this has been a hard year for our staff, our community, and especially the clients we serve. Families face food and housing insecurity, job loss, and the constant fear of deportation. 

But no matter what happens, we continue to fight. We are providing critical legal services, connecting families with emergency food and housing, offering English and citizenship classes, and helping parents and children build safe, stable, and hopeful futures. 

We need your help to keep this work going. Our goal is to raise $20,000 by January 15, and we are also collecting non-perishable food items and grocery store gift cards to support families in immediate need. Every gift, whether financial or in-kind, makes a life-changing difference. 

Please act today: www.iiakron.org/take-action 

Your support is not just important - it is critical. Lives depend on it. 

With deepest gratitude, 

Madhu Sharma 
Executive Director 
International Institute of Akron