Hello Neighbor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting refugees and immigrants in Pittsburgh, is responding to the Administration’s indefinite halt to the United States Refugee Admissions Program announced through Executive Orders on Monday, January 20th, 2025.

Hello Neighbor was founded in 2017 and has grown in Pittsburgh, across the region and nationally as an innovative nonprofit supporting our newest neighbors, recently resettled refugees and immigrants, as they build their lives from scratch.

As a refugee resettlement agency, we are deeply concerned by the Administration's Executive order announced on Monday, January 20th, 2025 titled Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program which suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) indefinitely, effective January 27, 2025.

The move is a remarkable renunciation of U.S. leadership and commitment to humanitarian protection and freedom. An unprecedented 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, and over 43 million people are in need of international protection due to active conflict, oppressive regimes, and religious persecution. This action also impacts thousands of families in the United States who are now unable to reunify with their family members through the refugee program.

"The refugee program reflects America's deep commitment to moral and humanitarian leadership, ensuring the world's most vulnerable are safely resettled. This decision by the Administration leaves countless refugees at risk and undermines vital humanitarian efforts and our ideals as a country,"
said Sloane Davidson, Founder and CEO of Hello Neighbor.

The United States has a longstanding tradition of offering refuge to those fleeing persecution, a commitment that was reaffirmed in fiscal year 2024 when the nation resettled more than 100,000 refugees—the highest number in three decades. This achievement not only provided safety to vulnerable individuals but also enriched our communities economically, socially, and culturally.

The suspension of USRAP undermines this legacy and poses significant challenges to the infrastructure that supports refugee resettlement. Organizations like ours have invested substantial resources to rebuild and strengthen the resettlement program, efforts that are now at risk. 

Hello Neighbor remains committed to supporting refugees currently in the United States and will continue to advocate for policies that reflect our nation's highest ideals of compassion and welcome.

For media inquiries, please email info@helloneighbor.io.