Immigration and Refugee Resettlement

Every year, Oregon offers new homes and a new start to hundreds of refugees who have escaped intolerable conditions in their home countries. Now in late 2021 and 2022, we are preparing for resettling as many as 1,200 new Afghan refugees.   When immigrants make their homes in Oregon, they make Oregon stronger. Even so, immigration policies remain a source of national controversy. 

In November 2021, the League of Women Voters of Portland presented a panel discussion about the important ways in which Oregon helps immigrants and refugees. This episode features the following panelists: 

• Shannon Singleton, Governor Brown’s Director of Equity and Racial Justice
• Lee Po Cha, Executive Director, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
• Safia Iman Ali Noor, Upward Bound Academic Advisor and Administrative Assistant, IRCO
• Matthew Westerbeck, Director of Refugee Services, Catholic Charities of Oregon
• Moderator, Kathleen Hersh, co-chair, League of Women Voters of Washington County