USCRI Detroit Urges Representatives to Hold Administration Accountable

While USCRI is know for its direct services to clients, it also leads the way in terms of advocacy for positive refugee and immigration policy.

On May 16, 2018, Director of USCRI Detroit, Tawfik Alazem, and a recently resettled Syrian refugee mother, her daughter, and son-in-law met with Senator Gary Peters’ constituent services representative Zeina Djurovski at the Senator’s office in Detroit.

Mouna arrived from Lebanon in January 2018 to live with her daughter Rim and her son-in-law Zaher. Both Rim and Zaher are Syrian-American medical doctors who work at a major hospital in Detroit. After Mouna arrived safely to the United States, one of the first things she wanted to do is find a way to reunite with her other daughter, who is still living in Syria. Mouna also wanted to advocate for helping other Syrian refugees who are not as lucky as her; they are still suffering in Lebanon and hoping they will be resettled sometime soon, as Mouna was lucky enough to. The meeting at the Senator’s office gave Mouna the chance to speak on behalf of Syrian refugees and to inform the Senator’s staff about her own resettlement experience.

Mouna said, “I felt so happy when I arrived to Detroit to see my daughter Rim again, and now my biggest wish is to reunite soon with my other daughter, Rolla.”

Mouna also spoke about the excellent care and service that she received from USCRI Detroit’s staff and the great support that the Detroit community is providing to refugees.

During this visit, the agency Director Tawfik Alazem also updated Senator Gary Peters’ constituent services representative on the current challenges that refugee resettlement is facing in FY18 and urged Senator Peters to put more pressure on the administration to ensure that it upholds its commitment to meeting the Presidential Determination for FY 2018.