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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 5, 2002

LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICE CUTS JOBS
02-257-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)
restructured Sept. 27, eliminating 14 staff positions and freezing
salaries, as part of a "renewal process" to deal with a potential
financial deficit, reduced refugee arrivals and other special needs in
U.S. immigrant communities.
     LIRS is a joint ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.  Before the restructuring, LIRS had a staff of about
70 people at the national office in Baltimore and at various locations
across the United States.
     "It is of the utmost importance that LIRS continue its vital,
nationally and
internationally recognized work with refugees and migrants," said
Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr., LIRS president.  "To that end, we have
embarked upon a renewal process to stabilize the agency's finances,
preserve its stellar ability to carry out core functions, and enable the
agency to rise boldly to the unique challenges of the day."
     Deffenbaugh cut short his sabbatical leave, which was scheduled to
continue into December, and returned to full-time service as president
of LIRS on Oct. 14.
     Annie Wilson, LIRS vice president for programs, served as acting
president in Deffenbaugh's absence.
     Thirteen people lost their jobs; one position in the finance
department was vacant when the finance department was reduced.	Wilson
said LIRS will hire a finance director to assume the responsibilities of
that department.
     The agency advancement department was eliminated, and some of its
responsibilities were absorbed into remaining job descriptions, said
Wilson.  Some activities, including the Ambassador volunteer program,
were merged into a new division designed specifically to address
challenges that have developed since Sept. 11, 2001, she said.
     "Three key factors led to the financial challenges faced by LIRS
this year," said Wilson.  One was the reduced number of refugees the
government has allowed to enter the United States since the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.  Another factor was a change in the way the
government calculates its support for refugee resettlement.  The third
factor is "the disappointing results we have experienced in private
contributions and grants," she said.
     "There is a temptation to say our financial situation is directly
tied to the events of Sept. 11, but it isn't," said Wilson.  "It's just
a complex combination of things that came together, exacerbated by what
happened on Sept. 11 and by the slowdown in refugees," she said.
     "In 2001, of the total arrivals nationwide, LIRS, our Lutheran
Social Services refugee resettlement affiliates, partners and sponsoring
congregations were responsible for bringing new hope and new life to
11,627 refugees in America.  This year only 4,499 arrived.  That's a big
difference between 2001 and 2002," said Wilson.
     "Government funding is tied to refugee arrivals but in a more
complicated way than previously.  Generally speaking, there is a per
capita link between each refugee arrival and the amount of money
provided," Wilson said.  She said federal support accounted for about 80
percent of the LIRS budget.
     "Now that we've made some of these changes, we do have a balanced
budget for 2003, and it's balanced on hard conservative reality," said
Wilson.  "I feel confident that we will be able to sustain some
additional and new challenges in 2003 without having to take any more
drastic action."
     "We're not worried for ourselves," she added.  "We're worried for
the refugees."
     Each federal fiscal year a "presidential determination" sets the
number of refugees to be allowed to enter the United States -- giving
exact numbers of specific refugees processed at certain U.S. facilities.
The fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
     Immediately following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the
government imposed a moratorium on refugee resettlement.  The moratorium
was lifted for refugees in late November 2001, but the U.S. government
could process only 27,058 of the 70,000 refugees identified in the 2002
presidential determination due to more stringent and time-consuming new
procedures, said Wilson.
     "That means America failed to rescue 42,942 desperate people --
the average attendance at a World Series baseball game," said
Deffenbaugh.  "It would hardly be a challenge for America to absorb that
many people."
     "The unprecedented shortfall in fiscal year 2002 and the low
annual allocation of 50,000 for fiscal year 2003 have a profound impact
on those seeking refuge from religious persecution, war and terrorism,
as well as on refugees already resettled in the United States," said
Deffenbaugh.
     "The numbers game is insidious.  The government fails to meet the
admissions goal, and the following year the allocation for refugees and
the budget to support the program are reduced.	The government again
fails to meet the target and so on.  What is it about our governmental
systems that prevent us from reaching these targets?" Deffenbaugh asked.
     "I urge Congress to hold oversight hearings to investigate this
matter," he added.
-- -- --
     The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service home page is at
http://www.lirs.org on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html