Like many nonprofit organizations, Tahirih relies on the support of not only our generous donors but also a committed group of volunteers who believe in our mission and the potential to build a world free from violence. In April, as we celebrate National Volunteer Month, we want to highlight some of the wonderful volunteers who make it possible for Tahirih to serve as many survivors as possible.

Today, the Biden administration announced it would end its use of Title 42 on May 23, 2022. For two years, Title 42 has been used to justify the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border and the denial of their right to seek asylum.

Tahirih’s policy work is rooted in our core values and in our specific theory of change. Inspired by the Bahá’í faith and grounded in our belief in the oneness of humanity, we reach for a society that embraces our diversity and guarantees everyone’s human rights. Our mission is to advance policies and laws that enable immigrant survivors of gender-based violence to pursue legal immigration status, live in safety, and forge their own paths. Everything we do is in service of that goal.

The immigration system is shattered. Survivors are denied access to safety because of policies and practices that could be fixed. The Tahirih Justice Center is prioritizing the following policy goals to immediately improve protections for immigrant survivors while simultaneously seeking long-term, systemic change.

My New Red Shoes (MNRS) is proud to announce Project Empower, a new basic income pilot that will provide direct cash assistance to immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and their children. In partnership with Tahirih Justice Center, a national non-profit organization serving immigrant survivors, and Community Financial Resources, a national economic justice non-profit, MNRS is providing participant households across the San Francisco Bay Area with $1,000 a month for 6 months, beginning March 2022.

The Los Angeles Times immigration reporter, Andrea Castillo, spoke with Tahirih’s Senior Litigation Counsel, Richard Caldarone, about the new asylum regulations and what they mean for survivors of violence. 

The Biden administration today rolled out a new rule that attempts to repair a deeply flawed asylum system. Although the rule rolls back dangerous changes to the asylum process made in 2020, and adopts some new procedures that are welcomed, it does not go far enough to ensure the protection of individuals seeking asylum in the U.S.

Yesterday, Maryland’s House of Delegates passed legislation that would raise the minimum age for marriage in Maryland from 15 to 17. We are grateful to Del. Vanessa E. Atterbeary for championing House Bill 83 and to Delegate Emily Shetty for ensuring the amended version remains strong after considering the Senate’s concerns. HB 83 would ban 17-year-olds from marrying someone who is older than them by four years and would require the 17-year-old to appear before a judge who will evaluate the intended marriage for signs of coercion.

Last night, the Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a vote that was six years in the making. The Tahirih Justice Center applauds Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for their legislative leadership in the fight to get VAWA over the finish line. The new authorization provides more than $500 million to increase resources for survivors of violence.

Tahirih’s Managing Attorney, Payal Sinha, wrote an opinion piece published by otherwords.org. The commentary explains why 1.4 million immigrants are stuck waiting on work permits, which is threatening their ability to survive.

The Washington Post’s columnist Petula Dvorak interviewed Tahirih’s Public Policy Director, Casey Swegman Carter, on the importance of passing a legislation that would end child marriage in Maryland. This is the seventh year a bill has been introduced that seeks to ban child marriage in the state.