Photo courtesy of Tapestry Farms.

Last year, 106,000 immigrants came to the United States seeking refuge, according to USA Facts. A person often seeks refuge or asylum in the U.S. in order to escape persecution that is considered unjust and illegal in the U.S. These unjust persecutions in their home country are often over race, religion, political opinion, and involvement in certain social groups. Persecution of this kind is prohibited in the United States under Title VII under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

While a refugee is safe from persecution once they are approved to live in the United States, it isn’t all easy going from there. The next step for the refugee and their family is to integrate into U.S. society, which can present its own challenges. In 2023, St. Ambrose University answered the call to help refugees integrate and settle down in U.S. society and became the first campus in Iowa to join Every Campus a Refuge.

“In December, we welcomed a mom of two teenagers, and two preschoolers, who is due to have another baby next month,” says Service and Justice Coordinator of SAU Ministry Nicole Grant. “They are a wonderful family and a delight to have on campus but also very vulnerable since they are learning English for the very first time and experiencing their first winter here in the midwest.” Grant says she’s concerned that this family may be SAU’s last.

St. Ambrose Believes Every Campus is a Refuge

Every Campus a Refuge, or ECAR, is a higher-education initiative that calls upon all higher education institutions to house and aid in resettling refugees who have arrived in the United States. The idea started when Dr. Diya Abdo, a professor at Guilford College, heard Pope Francis’ call for every parish in Europe to host a refugee family. This call inspired Dr. Abdo, who extended the invitation to all higher education institutions.

National Policy Says Otherwise

However, President Donald Trump has put an indefinite halt on the acceptance of refugees into the United States and has cut federal funding for refugee aid. President Trump stated that this decision was made out of concern for national security and overwhelming the country. Without incoming refugees and federal funding, this puts the future of the ECAR program at SAU into question.

A Federal Cut in Funding Impacts QC Families

In the Quad Cities, the loss in federal funding is a big deal. According to KWQC, “World Relief Quad Cities learned the funding for its Resettlement and Placement Program, which helps refugees with coming to the U.S., housing, rent, bills, and food, had been taken away on Jan 21. Some of the organization’s other long-term programs are also in jeopardy of losing funding.

The station reported, “George Carizey, director of outreach and development for World Relief QC, said they lost funding to serve 200 people.” Calls to reach Mr. Carney for the Buzz were not returned.

SAU Does Not Back Off Support

Currently, St. Ambrose University is one of 19 campuses in the nation to join the movement and aid refugees with housing and integration to U.S. society.

“At St. Ambrose, we have a home set aside to house one family of refugees at a time,” says SAU’s Nicole Grant.

“Fortunately, the overarching Every Campus a Refuge program is primarily funded through grants and private donations, so is currently able to continue the work of advocating for refugees and supporting universities to house refugees already resettled onto campuses.

“Since the current administration has halted all new arrivals, there may not be opportunities to resettle new families for quite some time.

“ECAR leaders have been advised by Diya Abdo to maintain our infrastructure and prepare for when the policy changes, so we are ready for an inflow and not caught off guard or overwhelmed when our resettlement program re-opens, perhaps with a new administration.

“We are not sure when that will happen though.”

Grant says that the lack of support from the federal government still has its consequences for refugees already accepted into the United States. 

“Our family is here legally so should not be under threat to be deported, and no one has put pressure on us to shut the program down here on campus. However, our current family has lost funding which was promised to them through the Federal government to help with their adjustment to life in America for their first 90 days. This is a shame.

“Thankfully, our family is receiving free rent on campus and additional support services through Tapestry Farms, a privately funded organization that serves refugees in our community and so will have the support necessary to become fully independent tax-paying citizens.

Members from all over the SAU community are coming together to support this family.

“Currently, Dr. Coomber is visiting regularly to teach ESL like he did for our first family,” says Grant. “We have a student, Fidele Muragara, who has been helping with translation for the family. 

“Tapestry Farms has been helping with their medical appointments and adjustments to school. 

“They also set up a carpool for the four-year-old to start attending preschool, which a few members of our SAU community are helping out with. 

“A group of students just attended training to work directly with the family, providing support and engaging them in campus and community activities to help their English as a Second Language skills and socio-emotional adjustment to being in a new place, especially with the kids. 

“A student is also currently planning a diaper drive. I am coordinating these students and supporting them through this process of getting to know the family and finding ways to be helpful and supportive.

“However, Tapestry Farms cannot possibly make up for the loss of federal funding, which was promised to all the families in our community who arrived in the months prior to the new administration taking office. Many families in the Quad Cities who arrived in the months prior to the administration have experienced betrayal and broken promises from our federal government and are at great risk of failing to adjust to their life here. 

“The employees who are left at World Relief have been working hard to connect all of these families with church communities like ours at St. Ambrose to make up for these lost resources, due to the new administration’s unexpected policies. However, the loss of their staff and funding have created an even more difficult adjustment for many recent arrivals in the quad cities and all over the country.”