Podcasts about krish o'mara vignarajah

The huge humanitarian crisis at the southern border continues. More than 300,000 migrants were processed by US immigration officials just last month. And the repercussions of the crisis are far-reaching. Republicans in Congress are holding up aid to Ukraine and Israel until some kind of deal is reached about tightening border security in the US. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, returns to the show to discuss the crisis.Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refuge Service, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, discusses immigration policy and how the organization works to assist migrants and refugees.

Asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border are often subject to arbitrary decisions made by border patrol agents who decide whether they can enter the country or not. And in Texas, a federal judge ruled Gov. Greg Abbott's floating barrier in Rio Grande. Reporter Lillian Perlmutter and Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, join us. And, as more companies return to in-office work requirements, the future of remote work is uncertain. Callum Borchers, columnist at the Wall Street Journal, joins us to explain what happens next. Then, the NFL football season kicks off on Thursday as the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Detroit Lions. With the return of football comes the return of sports betting, now legal in two-thirds of states. But there's a darker side to the industry. Professor Lia Nower, director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, joins us.

Almost everyone agrees that immigration policy in the United States is lacking, but despite decades of debate, Congress has not been able to pass comprehensive reform on the issue. For some, the primary issues are border security and economic concerns, and for others, labor needs and a commitment to humanitarianism take precedence. Why is it so hard to find common ground, and what are some visions for a different immigration future? NBC correspondent Tom Llamas moderates a panel of experts at the Aspen Ideas Festival who identify the key immigration pressure points and share thoughts on moving forward. Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey joins Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, U.S. representative Tony Gonzales from Texas and Mary Kay Henry, the international president of the Service Employees International Union.

A federal judge blocked President Biden's new policy that would make it tougher to apply for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, joins us. And, there's an ongoing, deadly heat wave in Texas, and the state approved a 50% price increase on water bottles. Paul Flahive, accountability reporter for Texas Public Radio, joins us to discuss the danger of price gouging. Then, we talk with Miriah Nunnaley, director of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, about the care the coalition provides to the state's unhoused population. Among those receiving help is Ed Clair, a man who lived on the street throughout the winter and had to have his feet amputated after they froze in the cold weather.

We sit down with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, to discuss what led her to serve the immigrant community, her five years in the Obama administration, and working with companies to help them invite immigrant talent.

Congress has not passed meaningful immigration reform in more than two decades. So when  President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he promised to craft immigration policies far more humane than those of his predecessor and to “reassert America's commitment to asylum-seekers and refugees.” But the realities of immigration during the Biden years have been far more mixed. In recent months, the administration put in place more restrictions on who and how people can claim asylum in the U.S. at the U.S./Mexico border. These rules are some of the administration's harshest asylum policies yet.  These tightened restrictions are coming just ahead of the end of the Trump-era border restriction, Title 42. Since 2020, Title 42 has allowed border security to turn away hundreds of thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers attempting to enter the country through the southern border. Title 42 is set to expire when the Biden Administration lifts the COVID-19 national and public health order on May 11. And the White House has voiced concern with a possible “surge” in migration at the border. For more on this, we're joined now by Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. And Isabela Dias a reporter at Mother Jones covering immigration.

Congress has not passed meaningful immigration reform in more than two decades. So when  President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he promised to craft immigration policies far more humane than those of his predecessor and to “reassert America's commitment to asylum-seekers and refugees.” But the realities of immigration during the Biden years have been far more mixed. In recent months, the administration put in place more restrictions on who and how people can claim asylum in the U.S. at the U.S./Mexico border. These rules are some of the administration's harshest asylum policies yet.  These tightened restrictions are coming just ahead of the end of the Trump-era border restriction, Title 42. Since 2020, Title 42 has allowed border security to turn away hundreds of thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers attempting to enter the country through the southern border. Title 42 is set to expire when the Biden Administration lifts the COVID-19 national and public health order on May 11. And the White House has voiced concern with a possible “surge” in migration at the border. For more on this, we're joined now by Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. And Isabela Dias a reporter at Mother Jones covering immigration.

The State Department announced a new program to help facilitate refugees coming to and settling in the United States. It's called Welcome Corps and aims to empower private American citizens to sponsor refugees. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service joined Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Mayor Adams traveled to the border in El Paso this past Sunday to make the case that the federal government needs to cover the cost of caring for the influx of migrants making their way to NYC. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, talks about the predicament cities are in and the Biden administration's current immigration and border security policies.

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, talks about the migrant crisis at the border and what her organization is doing to help refugees, plus the latest on Title 42 and the Afghan Adjustment Act.

In this week's episode, we're focusing on DACA, as the program and its recipients wait for a decision on the program's legality from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. We'll welcome Niña Ledonio, BPC's Corporate Relations Manager and a DACA recipient, to talk about the program's impact on her life. This Week in Immigration regular, Theresa Cardinal Brown, will then join to talk through the policy side of DACA, walking us through the Biden administration's recent final rule and the maze of litigation that DACA faces. Finally, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the President of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, will join us to discuss the Afghan Adjustment Act. 

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah is the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) — the largest faith-based national nonprofit exclusively dedicated to serving immigrants and refugees. In this episode of Journeys, Krish shares with us her story of how her family came to Maryland from Sri Lanka and her thoughts on the U.S. immigration system.

NBC News correspondent Carol Lee reports that the Trump White House staff was “caught off guard” and unprepared to move out of the White House, leading to a chaotic exit without a lot of planning. Alaska is set to use ranked-choice voting for the first time in Tuesday's primaries and special election, with all four House candidates from different parties facing off in one race. Ali Vitali reports. Donna Edwards, Michael Steele and Marianna Sotomayor join the Meet the Press NOW roundtable. Afghanistan marks one year since the Americans withdrew. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah discusses efforts to support Afghan evacuees.

What rights do refugees have, and how can states protect them? The first episode of Intersections discusses Ukraine, Afghanistan, the two-year anniversary of Title 42 and the global health crisis, and other current issues in refugee rights with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, and Jon Hoisaeter, Deputy Representative for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Washington, DC.   Additional Resources: LIRS: https://www.lirs.org/ UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/ceu/ Rights of Refugees: https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/publications/brochures/3b779dfe2/protecting-refugees-questions-answers.html   On Title 42: https://abcnews.go.com/US/title-42-amid-backlash-biden-administration-defends-trump/story?id=80149086 Truth of the Matter Podcast: The Haitian Migrant Crisis and the Bigger Picture: https://www.csis.org/node/62683

In this week's episode, Theresa Cardinal Brown will be joined by Cris Ramon, Global and U.S. Immigration Policy Researcher and Analyst, to discuss how Europe is responding to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees. Also joining is Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, to talk about what policy avenues the United States has available to assist Ukrainians in the United States and those displaced because of this military action.  Links: How to Help Refugees — Aid, Relief and Donations | USA for UNHCR Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service  

It's been more than six months since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Since the withdrawal, more than 76,000 Afghans have resettled across the U.S. We check in on resettlement efforts, the challenges facing Afghan refugees, and more with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

It's been more than six months since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Since the withdrawal, more than 76,000 Afghans have resettled across the U.S. We check in on resettlement efforts, the challenges facing Afghan refugees, and more with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

President Biden inherited an emaciated resettlement and asylum program from former President Trump, whose administration enacted blatantly anti-immigrant, anti-refugee and anti-asylum policies throughout its four years. This week we look at the path forward for those affected by America's archaic immigration system - and what you can do to help make changes for immigrants and their families in our communities.    We hear from Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Taif Jany Director of Policy and Practice at RCUSA, and Lacy Broemel, a Policy Analyst at the International Refugee Assistance Project.   If you liked what you heard here, please be sure to check out the full conversation on our Facebook page.

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah is a Marshall Scholar, former policy director to Michelle Obama and an immigration advocate serving as President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (@lirsorg). If her last name sounds familiar, it's because her brother Thiru Vignarajah was interviewed in EP 16! (make sure to check out that episode)She joins Ara on the latest episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss growing up in #Baltimore, the lessons learned in losing an election, working with Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) and the lifelong learning benefit of such an opportunity, having a bout with breast cancer, and much more.Follow Krish:- Twitter (https://twitter.com/KrishVignarajah) - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krish-o-mara-vignarajah-34382683/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah01:44 - Krish speaks on the impact of her parents' support05:09 - What it was like growing up in Baltimore08:04 - Krish's decision to pursue political science at Yale10:42 - Will Ivy League Schools maintain their brand recognition?16:14 - How did Krish become the policy director to former First Lady, Michelle Obama21:46 - Securing a role as the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service24:31 - Handling the ISIS crisis27:11 - What surprised Krish about the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, after joining it29:42 - Losing an election, and the learning lesson it created33:17 - Breastfeeding on camera as part of her campaign36:39 - The personal legacy Krish wants to leave behind38:18 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self39:26 - Lifelong learning, podcasts / books Krish values41:41 - Creator Confessions48:53 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     

The U.S. in the middle of resettling tens of thousands of Afghan citizens around the country. At the same time, it’s turning away Haitians and Central Americans at the U.S.-Mexico border. What gives? “The reasons why they may be migrating are very similar, in terms of fleeing persecution, war, violence; the difference is where they seek that legal relief,” said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a nonprofit organization that’s helped resettle refugees for decades. On the show today, we’ll dig into the U.S. refugee system, how it got to be this way and how we can rebuild a system that is more just. We’ll also talk about a major victory for garment workers in California and what that might mean for their counterparts nationwide. Plus, we’ll get an update on the debt troubles of China’s Evergrande and hear from listeners about their parent-child “Make Me Smart” listening teams. When you're done listening, tell your Echo device to “make me smart” for our daily explainers. This week we'll explain why Costco hot dogs are so cheap, the fight over Apple’s app store and the economic consequences of hurricanes. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter! You can find the latest issue here. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Afghan refugees and Haitians at the Texas border: Who’s worthy of US protection?” from Vox “The Biden administration will raise the cap on refugee admissions to 125,000” from The New York Times “The evacuation of Afghan refugees is over. Now what?” from The Brookings Institution “California Ends ‘Piece Rate’ Work For Garment Workers, Guaranteeing Minimum Hourly Wage” from HuffPost “Garment Workers, Paid Per Piece, Say They’ll Keep Fighting to Change System” from NBC News “Evergrande Bondholders Mull Next Steps in Wake of Missed Payment” from The Wall Street Journal  “Yellen tells Congress that U.S. will run out of debt ceiling flexibility on Oct. 18”  from The Washington Post

The U.S. in the middle of resettling tens of thousands of Afghan citizens around the country. At the same time, it’s turning away Haitians and Central Americans at the U.S.-Mexico border. What gives? “The reasons why they may be migrating are very similar, in terms of fleeing persecution, war, violence; the difference is where they seek that legal relief,” said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a nonprofit organization that’s helped resettle refugees for decades. On the show today, we’ll dig into the U.S. refugee system, how it got to be this way and how we can rebuild a system that is more just. We’ll also talk about a major victory for garment workers in California and what that might mean for their counterparts nationwide. Plus, we’ll get an update on the debt troubles of China’s Evergrande and hear from listeners about their parent-child “Make Me Smart” listening teams. When you're done listening, tell your Echo device to “make me smart” for our daily explainers. This week we'll explain why Costco hot dogs are so cheap, the fight over Apple’s app store and the economic consequences of hurricanes. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter! You can find the latest issue here. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Afghan refugees and Haitians at the Texas border: Who’s worthy of US protection?” from Vox “The Biden administration will raise the cap on refugee admissions to 125,000” from The New York Times “The evacuation of Afghan refugees is over. Now what?” from The Brookings Institution “California Ends ‘Piece Rate’ Work For Garment Workers, Guaranteeing Minimum Hourly Wage” from HuffPost “Garment Workers, Paid Per Piece, Say They’ll Keep Fighting to Change System” from NBC News “Evergrande Bondholders Mull Next Steps in Wake of Missed Payment” from The Wall Street Journal  “Yellen tells Congress that U.S. will run out of debt ceiling flexibility on Oct. 18”  from The Washington Post

Glenn separates fact from fiction in a Newsweek article titled “Taliban Holds Up Glenn Beck Group's Planes.” Glenn reveals one story of how the State Department complicated evacuations from Afghanistan. Glenn breaks down what the banks are doing as the country is distracted. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, joins to discuss efforts to help supply and resettle Afghan refugees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glenn separates fact from fiction in a Newsweek article titled “Taliban Holds Up Glenn Beck Group's Planes.” Glenn reveals one story of how the State Department complicated evacuations from Afghanistan. Portland threatened to cut trade and travel with Texas over its anti-abortion heartbeat law. A new report reveals what the U.S. funded at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Glenn breaks down what the banks are doing as the country is distracted. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, joins to discuss efforts to help supply and resettle Afghan refugees. Glenn and Stu take on the corporate media's obsession with bashing ivermectin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four years ago, host Peter O'Dowd visited the fishing village of Jean Lafitte, an area in Southern Louisiana that was battered on Sunday by Hurricane Ida. We revisit one of the residents that O'Dowd met in 2017 and listen back to some of his reporting on coastal erosion in the area where Ida hit. And, the U.S. military is out of Afghanistan, but many Afghan refugees still face an uncertain future. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of the groups helping resettle Afghans, joins us.

Sometimes an image is so powerful it breaks through political rhetoric, media noise and sears into the soul. A recent video of Afghani children being foisted over the Kabul airport wall and into the arms of American soldiers resonates in this way. What we don't see is the organized process underway by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) to help Afghans who supported the U.S. Military as translators, drivers and guards, flee Afghanistan and resettle in America. LIRS has been at the forefront of this work for 80 years and is now mobilizing a network of churches, nonprofits and volunteers to welcome these families. CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah knows that in these divisive times even resettlement work will be politicized, and Afghan families will be demonized. And LIRS not only resettles families it advocates in Congress for immigration policies that are long overdue. Having lived the refugee experience and served at the highest levels of the State Department during the Obama Administration she is committed to the mission and prepared for resistance. Krish perseveres to honor these families and her own.  

The family's new apartment is on the second floor of a mazelike, lower-income complex in a suburb of Sacramento, California.It's barely furnished, but bit by bit, it's becoming home. A vacuum cleaner stands next to two donated mattresses, leaning against a wall.“We haven't gotten the beds yet. No worries. For now, we are managing.”Afghan father in Sacramento, California“We haven't gotten the beds yet,” the father said. “No worries. For now, we are managing.” Donated mattress and a tricycle are among the items slowly arriving at a newly arrived Afghan family's apartment in Sacramento, California.  Credit: Monica Campbell/The World  Just days before Kabul fell to the Taliban, the family in Sacramento — mom and dad and their 2-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son — managed to fly out of Afghanistan after the father received a Special Immigrant Visa based on his work for the US military.Related: How to help Afghans right now Because of ongoing threats by the Taliban against the family, they asked not to use their names.Many of the newcomers helped the United States' military and have applied for or received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIVs). The SIV program was created by Congress to allow local allies in Iraq and Afghanistan, who are threatened by groups like the Taliban, to resettle in the US.Other arriving Afghans are part of a broader at-risk group — ranging from extended family members of SIV recipients to human rights activists — who can reportedly request humanitarian parole, a rapid way to temporarily enter the US with permission, an option used to evacuate people at the end of the Vietnam War.Among the groups spearheading efforts to support Afghan refugees once they land in the US are refugee resettlement agencies and Afghan American groups.Related: Chaos in Afghanistan creates power vacuum for ISIS, al-Qaeda to reorganize, counterterrorism expert says“Our mission is to get you somewhere to live, get you enrolled in a jobs program, and get your first couple of months' rent and utilities paid,” said Vanassa Hamra, with World Relief Sacramento, part of a larger refugee resettlement agency.That is often the path for many refugees resettled in the US: They receive federal help with housing, enrolling kids in school and finding work. Those benefits can run out, however, within a year, so having affordable rent is critical once refugees are on their own. Boxes arrive at the door of a World Relief Sacramento employee. Donations are arriving quickly to the refugee resettlement agency. The boxes are filled with everything from kitchen supplies to bedding, items needed to help furnish newly arrived Afghan refugees' homes.   Credit: Courtesy of World Relief Sacramento It is also unclear how many Afghans the US will ultimately receive. Tens of thousands are en route or have just landed at US military bases. Many helped America's military, but the US is also now evacuating a much larger group of at-risk Afghans. Traditionally, resettlement groups have had far more time to prepare for newcomers. But not now.Related: Taliban have acquired an 'overwhelming amount of potential weaponry,' global security expert saysChances to help those hoping to join the evacuation are fading fast. More European allies and other nations were ending their airlifts Friday, in part to give the US time to wrap up its own operations and get 5,000 of its troops out by the Aug. 31 deadline.In an emotional speech Thursday night, US President Joe Biden vowed to complete the evacuation and hunt down the ISIS militants responsible for the suicide attack on Thursday that killed well over 100 Afghans and 13 US service members. The group's Afghanistan affiliate is far more radical than the Taliban fighters who seized power less than two weeks ago in a lightning blitz across the country.The US warned more attacks could come ahead of Biden's fast-approaching deadline to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan by Tuesday.The Taliban have said they will allow Afghans to leave via commercial flights after the US withdrawal, but it remains unclear which airlines would return to an airport controlled by the militants.Many others will try to escape over land borders. The UN refugee agency said a half-million people or more could flee in a worst-case scenario in the coming months.Related: How the Kabul airport went from calm to chaosUntold numbers of Afghans, especially ones who had worked with the US and other Western countries, are now in hiding, fearing retaliation despite the group's offer of full amnesty.‘They were knocking'Like many other Afghans, the father in Sacramento waited several years for the visa. Already, the father said the Taliban have gone to their home in Kabul, perhaps looking for him.“They came to our gate,” the father said. “They were knocking.”He said his mom told the armed group there were no men inside and they went away.Threats like that are keeping the couple awake at night in California. The mom, 27, is also worried about how life is changing for the women she knows back home.“My sisters and friends can't leave the house. They can't go and walk to the bazaars.”Afghan mother in Sacramento, California“My sisters and friends can't leave the house,” she said, speaking Pashto. “They can't go and walk to the bazaars.”And she can't reach out to her friends to see how they are doing because only a few people know she's left Afghanistan.“Only our immediate family knows that we are here,” she said, looking down and touching the Persian rug she's sitting on. It's deep red and elegant. A newly arrived Afghan family, now in Sacramento, California, is slowly furnishing their apartment. A family friend, also from Afghanistan and now living in Sacramento, too, gave them a Persian rug.   Credit: Monica Campbell/The World It reminds her of home, she said. A family friend who also left Afghanistan a few years back and now lives in Sacramento bought them the rug and a TV.One new prized possession: a slightly worn, steel pressure cooker. It's tinier than the one the family had back in Afghanistan.“In our culture, in our tradition, families are not three or six members. My family has 17 members,” the father said.Back in Kabul, they all lived next to each other and ate communally.Adjusting to family separations that may last years are among the many changes facing thousands of Afghans arriving in the US. Many will head to parts of the country with Afghan American communities, the largest in California, followed by Virginia, Texas, New York, Washington and Maryland, according to census figures.Resettlement agencies across the country say that they must ramp up fast to meet refugees' needs.To hear more about The World's report on Aug. 27 about resettlement in the US, click the audio player below.  “This effort is very much building the plane as we're flying it,” said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, who leads Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a resettlement agency based in Baltimore, Maryland.Vignarajah said it is unclear how many Afghans will ultimately arrive in the US in the coming months.“Honestly, at this point, what we're going to be relying on are private donations, in-kind contributions, people who are willing to open up their homes to these individuals,” Vignarajah said.Big donors and volunteers are key because refugee resettlement agencies are just barely recovering from the hits during the Trump administration, when the number of refugees allowed into the US was cut to historic lows.Afghan American organizations are also taking the lead.“We can speak the language. We understand some of the cultural nuances, just the openness of just being Afghan and understanding those aspects.”Aisha Wahab, city council member and interim mayor, Hayward, California“We can speak the language. We understand some of the cultural nuances, just the openness of just being Afghan and understanding those aspects,” said Aisha Wahab, a city council member and interim mayor of Hayward, a city east of San Francisco and a major Afghan American hub.Wahab is also among the first Afghan Americans elected to office in the US.“Afghans have come to this country as refugees for nearly half a century,” Wahab said. “There's not a single Afghan generation that has been alive today that has not been affected by war directly or indirectly.”She has been flooded with Afghan Americans offering to help, including people ready to make big commitments, such as Nurges Gheyaszada, a licensed mental health therapist who lives in the Bay Area.She has taken a leave of absence from her job to help newly arriving Afghan refugees. Her family left Afghanistan in the late 1980s, when Gheyaszada was just an infant. She hopes to meet families soon after they arrive and offer her services, “kind of treading lightly and not pushing it.”She said that she wants to recognize the trauma people are experiencing and to know that “we are here to listen to you.”Gheyaszada does worry that support for refugees will fade once Afghanistan is no longer the top news story.“That's when the real fight starts, where we need to continue this momentum as Afghan Americans,” she said.Hopes for the future  In Sacramento, the local Afghan community — those who have resettled here over the years and know how difficult these first days can be — has advice for the newly arrived family. A newly arrived Afghan woman is now safe in the United States, after fleeing Afghanistan. Only her immediate relatives know she has left. Her husband worked with US military forces and she fears Taliban reprisals.   Credit: Monica Campbell/The World  Local Afghans tell him: “Don't be sad. You will be good in the future,” the father recalled. “You will have your own house. And all the things will be great.”While the couple spoke, their two kids played. Their son pedaled a donated red tricycle down the short hallway. He will start kindergarten soon. His little sister watched an Afghan music video on her dad's phone. That phone also has messages from her father's former co-workers — who are now scrambling to leave Afghanistan themselves — trying to enter the Kabul airport.The father thinks the US could have withdrawn from Afghanistan in a better way: “The US government could prevent this situation that is happening right now. It could be managed better.”He also adds feeling guilty being in the US.“I'm very lucky that I am here, safe. But sometimes, I think that I made a big mistake.”Afghan father in Sacramento, California“I'm very lucky that I am here, safe,” he said. “But sometimes, I think that I made a big mistake.”It was his job in Afghanistan that has put his family in danger, he said. And now he is in the US and his family remains at risk in Afghanistan.“It would be better to be by their side, whatever happens.”Then, he remembers how his life felt increasingly under threat as the Taliban gained power. He started switching up his route to work — to avoid being followed. He stopped seeing friends as much and quit exercising outdoors.Here in California, they feel freer. In the evenings, the family goes for walks in a nearby park, also frequented by Afghan American families. The children run around, something they no longer felt safe doing back home.“The life we were living, that was not life.” 

As many as 100,000 Afghans — those who worked with the U.S. military over the years, and their families — are trying to get out of the country. But access to the Kabul airport is controlled by the Taliban, and the American military says evacuating American citizens is its 'first priority.' Among the Afghans trying to flee are those who've applied for or been granted a Special Immigrant VISA. James Miervaldis, chairman of No One Left Behind — which helps Afghan and Iraqi interpreters resettle in the U.S. — tells NPR the process has been frustratingly slow. For Afghans and the families who do make it out, those who wind up in the United States will be offered help from organizations like the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the group's president and CEO, tells NPR how the resettlement process unfolds. This episode also features stories from family members of Afghan refugees already living in the U.S., which which first aired on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, with production from Hiba Ahmad and Ed McNulty. Correspondent Eleanor Beardsley in Paris reported on Afghan refugees in France. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

And now, an update on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Reports from the area outside Karzai Airport describe ongoing chaos and danger for those who are attempting to leave the country, as the US and other countries rush to evacuate their citizens and Afghans who assisted NATO forces over the last 20 years. After the Taliban gained control of Kabul on Sunday, the scene at Karzai Airport was chaotic for a couple of days, until American troops finally restored order at the airport, and implemented a schedule of military and commercial flights. Tom's next guest is Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She has long been an advocate for the Afghan partners who are facing an uncertain future. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah joins us on our digital line. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As many as 100,000 Afghans — those who worked with the U.S. military over the years, and their families — are trying to get out of the country. But access to the Kabul airport is controlled by the Taliban, and the American military says evacuating American citizens is its 'first priority.' Among the Afghans trying to flee are those who've applied for or been granted a Special Immigrant VISA. James Miervaldis, chairman of No One Left Behind — which helps Afghan and Iraqi interpreters resettle in the U.S. — tells NPR the process has been frustratingly slow. For Afghans and the families who do make it out, those who wind up in the United States will be offered help from organizations like the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the group's president and CEO, tells NPR how the resettlement process unfolds. This episode also features stories from family members of Afghan refugees already living in the U.S., which which first aired on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, with production from Hiba Ahmad and Ed McNulty. Correspondent Eleanor Beardsley in Paris reported on Afghan refugees in France. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Before Aretha Franklin died in 2018, she hand-picked Jennifer Hudson to portray the "Queen of Soul" on screen. Hudson joins us to discuss "Respect." And, advocate Krish O'Mara Vignarajah talks about the ongoing situation in Kabul as chaos continues at the airport there, with many Afghans desperate to leave.

Today on Midday, it's Midday on Foreign Affairs. Tom's next guest is Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She formerly served in the Obama Administration as a senior adviser at the State Department and as a policy director for Michelle Obama. Ms. Vignarajah describes the uncertain prospects for Afghans who have been serving the US military as translators, fixers and other capacities. They are frustrated and fearful of retribution now that the United States is ending its 20-year presence in Afghanistan and beginning final troop withdrawals— even as the country's indigenous, anti-Western Taliban forces are once again ascendant. The ILRS is urging the Biden Administration to begin evacuating America's Afghan allies to safety outside the country. Ms. Vignarajah also discusses the continuing humanitarian crisis along the US southern border, where thousands of Central American migrant families and asylum seekers endure difficult transit and detention conditions, and face uncertain prospects for safe passage into America. Krish Vignarajahjoins us on our digital line from Syracuse, New York. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I wasn't running despite being a woman, but in part because of being a woman." - Krish O'Mara Vignarajah Our guest this week Krish O' Mara Vignarajah embodies "The Power Of The Only" not just because of her impressive resume, but by the way she shows up.  She is creating a new model of what leadership looks like through her service and her actions and shows us how we can step into our "Only." Krish is the President and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS), one of only two organizations that are helping to reunify families during the separation crisis. She previously served in the Obama White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama and at the State Department as Senior Advisor. With multiple degrees from Yale including serving on the Yale Law Journal and was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford, she's also worked at McKinsey and company. In 2018 she was the only woman running for Governor of Maryland. She was just nine months old when she and her family escaped Sri Lanka on the brink of a civil war with only $200. Now her mission is to help support others and their American dream. “Cancer obviously changes your perspective, just as the pandemic has made all of us appreciate every precious moment that we have." - Krishanti Vignarajah On today's show, we talk about the power of authenticity and taking risks.  She shares the words that inspired her to run for governor while doing a spin class with Michelle Obama that can help you step into your strength. We discuss the journey of running for office as a new mother, how to overcome your self-doubt, and perfectionism.   We also talk about why being an only isn't always about being first, it's about the path you leave behind for others.   Join us as she shares her personal health story publicly to raise awareness and help others not feel so alone. "When I launched my campaign my daughter was three months old and I frankly thought it would be too tiring to try to be someone else." - Krishanti Vignarajah Show Notes: Trust your gut when it comes to your body and your health Her breast cancer journey during COVID-19 Diversity in the Maryland state legislature How to get out of a rut How to prepare to run for office Why immigration is an asset to the US Why women are uniquely qualified to run for office How to find environments where your uniqueness is an asset "When your mother is a maverick, you grow up challenging orthodoxy." - Krishanti Vignarajah 3 Pieces of Advice or Action Steps: Find mentors and sponsors Seek out environments where you can bring a unique perspective as The Only Pay it forward Connect with Krishanti Vignarajah: Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn |Luthern Immigration and Refugee Service Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only! If you would like a free copy of The Power Of The Only principles and a Clarity and Vision worksheet to help apply them in your business and life click here to get access. Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence and representation and to make an impact in your personal and professional life. Get my Free YOU, Amplified! Video Training Series-7 Steps To Always Ready, Confidence, Clarity and Connection On-Camera and Off! Click here Want even more insider tips, resources and training  to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership.  Join me in my free, invite only  YOU, Amplified!™ community! You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.