AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETIES Highlights of our Refugee Resettlement History

The Beginning The “foreign born” arriving in the U.S. were aided in their transition to life in a new country by the Woman’s American Baptist Home Mission Society’s Department of Christian Americanization.

1946 An Ecumenical Movement The Northern Baptist Convention (predecessor of American Baptist Churches USA) joins other denominations in establishing the Church World Service (CWS) Immigration and Refugee Program as a means to respond ecumenically to the needs of millions of displaced persons in Europe following World War II.

1948 Congresses passes the Displaced Persons Act, the first important refugee legislation in U.S. history, providing the framework for resettling a number of displaced persons in the United States. The first family resettled in 1948 was from Latvia.

,000 displaced persons (mainly from Baltic countries) are resettled under the auspices of Northern Baptists.

Hungarian Refugees 1956–Hungarian “freedom fighters” attempt to oust the pro-Soviet government. The effort is crushed by Soviet troops and tanks, causing 187,000 Hungarians to flee to Austria. 1959–1958 American Baptists resettle 469 Hungarians in addition to hundreds of refugees from other countries.

1958 – 1973 Castro and Cuban Refugees 1958–Castro comes into power in Cuba. By 1960–Cubans flee to the United States at a rate of 1,000 per week. 1965–1973 American Baptists are responsible for resettling 13,323 Cuban refugees.

1975 American Baptists at the Forefront Collapse of South Vietnamese government brings 135,000 refugees into the United States. Atrocities under the Pathet Lao in Laos and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia create additional refugees American Baptist Churches USA becomes the first denomination cooperating with CWS Immigration and Refugee Program to resettle an Indochinese family and takes responsibility for finding sponsors (including 340 churches) for 2,390 Indochinese refugees during this one year alone.

1976 Resettlement of 1,892 refugees, the largest group being Iraqui Assyrians. The first Kurdish family from Iraq is resettled.

1982 ABCUSA Adopts Refugee Policy The American Baptist Churches USA General Board adopts Immigration and Refugee Policy Statement declaring its commitment to wholistic ministry to migrants, refugees and overstayed and undocumented persons—advocating their human rights and resettling refugees and immigrants.

1983 American Baptist churches resettle the first Amerasian children fathered by U. S. servicemen. Accompanied by their mothers and siblings, 17 children are welcomed by American Baptists.

1984 ABCUSA – Church Sanctuary The General Board of American Baptist Churches USA adopts a resolution on Church Sanctuary for Central American Refugees, which affirms its “full support for the persons and churches participating in the movement to provide Christian sustenance and care to refugees from Central America.”

1988 Refugees from the Soviet Union Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev eases restrictions on immigration. Refugees from the Soviet Union sponsored by the denomination increase significantly.

1991 Historical Perspective of Haitian Refugees First democratically elected president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, ousted by Haiti’s military. Some 8,000 Haitians flee to the United States in small boats. Most are interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard and held in camps at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

1997 1,592 refugees from 25 countries are sponsored through American Baptist Churches USA. The denomination once again leads all denominations working with Church World Service with refugee arrivals totaling 1,332.

A total of 8,867 refugees are resettled during this period including 2,762 Cubans, 198 Somalians and 111 Iranians.

Due to the militant junta in Myanmar (former Burma), tens of thousands of ethnic groups are forced to flee their homeland. Many become refugees in Thailand, Malaysia and India. A total of 807 Karen and 287 Chin refugees from Burma are resettled via American Baptist Home Mission Societies partnership with CWS. Thousands more are resettled by government and nonprofit agencies. Refugees from Bhutan, Cuba, Iran and Iraq continue to arrive.

From 1948 – 2009, American Baptist Churches USA, in conjunction with CWS, is credited with settling more than 100,000 refugees from 53 countries.

You Can Help Sponsor a family Pray for all refugees Contribute to America for Christ Offering and One Great Hour of Sharing to support the Immigration and Refugee Resettlement Program of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.

Contact Information Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq. National Coordinator for Refugee Resettlement And Immigration Services , x2430 Ms. Diane Giova, Assistant Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services , x2450