Greensboro Interfaith Immigrant Justice Coalition

★ Take Action

Sunday, October 25, 2026 · 2:00–5:00 p.m. · Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 901 E. Friendly Ave.

UNITY Walk To The Polls — Walk With Us to Early Voting

Our Coalition and more than twenty partner organizations are coming together for a public march to early voting that says immigrant justice, workers' rights, civil rights, racial justice, environmental justice, and voting rights are all part of the same struggle. We gather at 2:00 p.m. for an opening program with inspiring speakers and the Community Gospel Choir, then walk nine-tenths of a mile to the early voting site at the old Guilford County Courthouse, 301 W. Market St.

Look for the Grimsley High School Blue Steel Drumline, giant Paperhand Puppet Intervention butterflies, congregational hospitality tables, the Piedmont Raging Grannies and Singing Resistance, a Kids' Mock Voting Booth, and a Voter Information table with complete voting instructions.

This is a multicultural, interfaith, nonpartisan event — everyone is welcome. No ticket required, but please register so we can plan for accessibility and shuttles. Carpooling is encouraged; shuttles will bring walkers back to the church after the program as needed. Parking, accessibility, shuttle, and rain-plan details are sent after you register.

How your congregation can help

Share the flyer in your newsletter, bulletin, or social media
Announce it at your next service or meeting
Bring a group
Register your walkers

Register Now → Promotional Materials →

Upcoming Event

Thursday, October 15, 2026 · 6:00 p.m. · New Garden Friends Meeting, 801 New Garden Rd.

Signmaking & Singing Resistance Party

UNITY Walk to the Polls — Signmaking and Singing Resistance Party, Thursday October 15, 6 PM, New Garden Friends Meeting, 801 New Garden Rd., Greensboro

Before we walk, let's make some signs and some music! Grab a paintbrush or marker and help create the signs that will lead the way at the Oct. 25 UNITY Walk To The Polls. Pull up a chair and learn a few songs with Singing Resistance GSO — or do both. No talent or experience needed. Come as you are. We'll supply the poster board, markers, and pizza. You bring the energy.

RSVP →

Community Need

Washers and Dryers Needed

Church World Service in Greensboro has an ongoing need for washers and dryers for the refugee families they serve. If you have these items — or know someone who does — please get in touch.

Contact Katie Trautman at ktrautman@cwsglobal.org or 336-617-0381.

★ Coalition in Action — Collecting Donations Now

Weekend hosts, October 2–4, 2026 · Lumpkin, Georgia

Raising Funds for Our October Visit to El Refugio

El Refugio is the hospitality house in Lumpkin, Georgia, for families and loved ones visiting people held at the Stewart Detention Center. It offers a place to rest, eat, sleep, and connect with people who care.

"The helpline keeps ringing, the Hospitality House keeps opening, volunteers keep visiting, families keep coming. People inside keep reaching out. This is what keeps us connected to Stewart and what allows us to carry what we learn into rooms where decisions are made."

The lack of adequate food, medical care, and other basic services for detainees is worsening as the number of people held pushes the center grossly over capacity — reinforcing the need for accountability and advocacy. Stewart holds the fourth-largest detainee population in the country: 2,100 to 2,200 people in a facility designed for 1,752, most of whom have no criminal record.

Groups serve as weekend hosts for visiting families. A group of coalition members, led by Ginny Holquist, will host October 2–4. We will bring food, drinks, and gas cards — and, most importantly, be supportive and empathetic listeners for families and, if allowed, for detainees we may visit.

Upon our return, we will share what we learn with coalition members, faith communities, and community organizations.

In recent weeks El Refugio has welcomed Senator Raphael Warnock to the Hospitality House and met with Rep. Pramila Jayapal and her delegation during their visit to Stewart Detention Center.

Our goal: match last year's $4,000

Please give, as an individual or as a congregation. Last year the coalition raised $4,000 to carry with us, and we would like to do at least that much again. Your donation supports the work of El Refugio and buys food, supplies, and gas cards for those visiting detainees.

Donate to the Trip →

★ Need to Know — August 31, 2026

Immigration Policy Update: Coalition Work Is Needed More Now Than Ever

With the murders of two American citizens in January by federal agents and the firing of two key federal administrators, immigration and deportation activities have quieted. But, as one reporter put it, "A retreat from deportation theatre is not the same as a retreat from deportations."

No longer focused primarily on border crossings, deportations now target migrants from the interior of the country — arresting many who have lived here for years, including people married to American citizens, people with citizen children, and children themselves. Arrests take place on the street and at traffic stops, workplaces, and airports.

The administration is using novel legal tactics, including terminating visas and suspending temporary immigration and humanitarian programs for certain nationalities. Processing of green card and visa renewal applications has slowed, leaving many immigrants in legal limbo.

ICE continues to treat migrants cruelly — most recently disclosed, the agency is equipping agents with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks. Children are forced to attend immigration court without legal representation. Families are torn apart. Immigrants and refugees live in fear while doing the basic things they need to survive.

As citizens and congregations, we must continue resisting the politics and supporting our refugee and immigrant neighbors, as well as the agencies that serve them. Resist, speak out, and give.

By the numbers

43,000 ICE arrests in June; 50,000 in July

2,000 arrests a day — the stated quota

1.6 million migrants now hold removal orders, one ICE encounter away from deportation

Source: The Economist, August 29, 2026

Ways to act now

Give to El Refugio before our October visit
Sign up as a Refugee Feeding Network donor or volunteer
Donate a washer or dryer to a newly arrived family
Register for the Oct. 25 UNITY Walk To The Polls

★ Urgent Action Needed

Your Congregation Is Needed to Protect Immigrant Drivers

On June 24, 2026, the NC General Assembly voted to override Governor Stein's veto on SB-153, a law requiring state law enforcement to collaborate with ICE. This creates a safety crisis for North Carolina. The bill also:

Requires state law enforcement agencies to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE
Removes governmental immunity for local governments that violate the anti-sanctuary law
Requires additional steps to prevent undocumented people from accessing public benefits
Prevents UNC schools from limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

Congressional Delegation Conducts Oversight at Stewart Detention Center

A man sits inside Holding Cell 5 at the Stewart Detention Center, behind a heavy steel door with a barred window marked CAP. 14 — A holding cell at the Stewart Detention Center, Lumpkin, Georgia.

A congressional delegation led by U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) conducted an oversight visit at the Stewart Detention Center. She was joined by Reps. Nikema Williams (GA-05), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Deborah Ross (NC-02), and Hank Johnson (GA-04).

The Marshall Project's feature, "In the Shadow of an Immigrant Detention Center, a Small House Offers Refuge," tells the story of El Refugio in powerful detail — volunteers providing a meal, a bed, and gas money to anyone visiting someone detained in remote rural Georgia.

Watch the Oversight Report → Read the Feature →

Take Action

H.R. 9899 / S. 5308 · Five years since the fall of Kabul

Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor the Afghanistan TPS Act

The bipartisan Afghanistan TPS Act would designate Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status through July 1, 2029, restoring deportation protection and work authorization to vetted Afghan allies already living in the United States after TPS was terminated. Now is the time to tell your members of Congress to pass it into law.

"Today belongs to Afghans… To the more than 200,000 who have rebuilt their lives here since 2021, and who did it while the country they moved to argued about whether they should have been let in. To the 14,000 awaiting family reunification but still stranded tonight, holding families together across an ocean on nothing but the belief that a promise still means something."
— Shawn VanDiver, President, #AfghanEvac, August 15, 2026

Free legal help, pathway information, safety guidance, and mental health and crisis support are gathered at afghanevac.org/resources — updated constantly, for anyone in Kabul, Doha, Islamabad, or Greensboro.

Contact Your Representative → AfghanEvac Resources →

Community Need

New Arrivals Institute Food Pantry Needs Donations

New Arrivals Institute Food Pantry Donation flyer listing requested items

Requested items: rice · dry beans & lentils · pasta · couscous · peanuts & peanut butter · sugar, salt & spices · dry or shelf-stable milk · cleaning & laundry supplies · flour · cornmeal · oil · dried dates

Three ways to help: order straight from NAI's Amazon wishlist, give to the food fund, or organize a collection at your congregation and drop it off at NAI.

To organize a collection, email jbiemiller@newarrivalsinstitute.com.

Donate to the Food Fund → 🛒 Amazon Wishlist →

Coalition in Action — July 2026

A Week for Democracy

Coalition members on the Guilford County Courthouse steps holding voting rights signs

This past week, coalition members put our commitment to immigrant justice and voting rights into action — twice.

Monday: Moral Monday Public Witness — Coalition members joined clergy and community leaders for Triad Moral Mondays: A Southern Call to Conscience, where Rev. Steve Tate from our Leadership Team was a featured speaker. He spoke to the direct connection between SB-153 and protecting every community's access to the ballot.

Tuesday: March & Board of Elections Meeting — Coalition members joined a march from the Beloved Community Center to the Guilford County Courthouse, then a rally before the Board of Elections meeting. Despite strong public comment, the Board voted 4–1 not to restore early voting sites at N.C. A&T and UNCG. One piece of good news: the Board preserved Sunday early voting — the traditional day for Souls to the Polls. Because the vote was not unanimous, the decision now goes to the N.C. State Board of Elections for final resolution.

Read Steve's Remarks → NC Newsline Coverage →

New Resource

RING Website — One-Stop Site for Immigrant & Refugee Resources

A valuable new resource from the Community Response Advocacy Coalition: RING (Refugee & Immigrant Network of Guilford). Here anyone can find links and connections to the full range of immigrant needs — food, health care, Know Your Rights, employment, legal aid, events, agencies, and more.

This is a "one stop shop" for many of our community resources.

Check It Out →

Coalition Win

June 30, 2026 · Raleigh, NC

Coalition Joins NC Advocacy Day in Raleigh

Coalition members at NC Advocacy Day, Raleigh

Representing our Coalition, Steve joined community leaders from across North Carolina for a statewide advocacy day — sharing lived experiences, engaging legislative offices, and advocating for stronger, more welcoming communities.

At the end of the day, we celebrated a win: a fix was included in the budget to restore Medicaid eligibility for legally eligible immigrants under CHIPRA 214, fixing a problem in HB696 that would have made 27,000 pregnant women and children ineligible as of October 1.

This is a powerful example of what can happen when people come together to lift their voices. Real change is possible!

Coalition Success

World Refugee Day, June 2026

Successful World Refugee Day Hygiene Collection

World Refugee Day hygiene bag distribution, Westminster Presbyterian Church

For the second year, our Coalition successfully implemented this program. Ann Morris and her leadership team from Westminster Presbyterian Church collected supplies and packed them into cloth bags handmade by a refugee woman. Their team distributed 300 bags on World Refugee Day.

There was more demand than supply this year — next year we plan to do more promotion to grow this program even further.

Need to Know

Suppressing the Naturalized Citizen Vote

New analysis of USCIS data shows dropping naturalization rates ahead of the midterms.

"From January through March 2025, USCIS scheduled 151 initial interviews for ACRS naturalization clients. During the same period in 2026, USCIS scheduled just two initial interviews — a 99 percent decrease. These changes at USCIS are unprecedented and unwarranted."

Read the Full Analysis →

Community Need

Support the Refugee Feeding Network

The Refugee Feeding Network is a community partnership that helps ensure our refugee neighbors have access to wholesome, nutritious food. Neighbors donate food through Green Bags, which A Simple Gesture distributes and picks up, and Church World Service hosts mobile markets where families can get what they need.

Many refugee neighbors are no longer eligible for SNAP benefits, so the program needs both donations and volunteers. This is a meaningful way to support newcomers facing food insecurity.

Most-needed items: cooking oil, flour, sugar, jasmine rice, Nido (powdered milk), and black tea.

Sign Up to Donate or Volunteer →

Community Need

Groceries Give A Helping Hand to Our Immigrant & Refugee Neighbors

Click the wish lists below, purchase items, and have them shipped to FaithAction International, 2211 West Meadowview Rd, Suite 10, Greensboro, NC 27407. Volunteers will bag and deliver to families in need.

🛒 Groceries via Walmart
🛒 Groceries Wishlist via Amazon
🧴 Health, Care & Cleaning Supplies via Amazon

More Information →

Take Action

Church World Service Action Alerts

Church World Service works alongside our supporters to make sure Congress and the White House do what's right. Through your calls to action, we make a difference for those who need it most.

Sign Up for Action Alerts

Past Event

September 2, 3 & 9, 2026 · Online

Civics 101 and Voter Registration Trainings

Show Up For Your Neighbor — How You Can Support New American Voters at the Polls

Church World Service's Rise Up for Refuge team held a September training series helping congregations take part in nonpartisan voter education with new American communities: Civics 101 for New Americans and Community Members, and two sessions of How to Run a Voter Registration Drive.

Past Event

September 17, 2026 · 122 N. Elm St., Suite 820, Greensboro

Medicaid Community Education Event

NC African Services Coalition — Medicaid Update Community Education Event, Thursday September 17, 2026, 10:00 AM–1:30 PM, 122 N Elm Street Suite 820, Greensboro NC

The NC African Services Coalition welcomed community members and partner organizations to an event on upcoming Medicaid changes — who may be affected, and what healthcare coverage and community resources are available.

Questions about Medicaid resources? Contact Kaylyn Brown at kaylyn@ascafrica.org or 336-814-3951.

Past Event

September 4, 2026 · Grace UMC, Greensboro

Stranger to Neighbor Kickoff — FaithAction International

FaithAction International — Stranger to Neighbor Kickoff Event, Friday September 4, Grace UMC Church, 438 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, 5:30-7:00 PM

FaithAction International brought partners together at Grace UMC for a light meal, networking, and a chance to reconnect at the kickoff of Stranger to Neighbor.

Past Event

September 10, 2026 · College Park Baptist, Greensboro

ICE Watch Training — Greensboro

Siembra NC and Make North Carolina Work held an ICE watch and Fourth Amendment workplaces training so neighbors can support one another and organize in our community.

Past Event

August 8, 2026 · First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro

Afghan Dinner — Celebrating Five Years of Welcome

Afghan Dinner — CWS Greensboro, Saturday August 8, 5:30-8:00 PM

Five years ago, Greensboro opened its doors to Afghan families seeking safety and a fresh start. Church World Service Greensboro marked the anniversary with an evening of Afghan cuisine, firsthand stories, and community — celebrating the volunteers, congregations, sponsors, and neighbors who made that journey possible.

Past Event

May 4, 2026 · First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro

Service of Healing & Hope

Our Coalition hosted an interfaith gathering for immigrant justice — an evening of simple meal, table talk, prayer, music, and Singing Resistance songs. Interfaith clergy and local musicians guided us through grief, fear, and anger toward healing and hope.