Lutheran Services Carolinas aids over 3K refugees to build new lives in the Carolinas

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) works to help resettle refugees who've been granted asylum in North and South Carolina.

The organization used to only have a South Carolina office in Columbia but has since expanded to Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach. Since October 2023, the organization has helped 140 new arrivals in Charleston alone.

“We assist them with basically anything they need to become self-sufficient and to integrate into society here in the U.S.,” said Seth Hershberger, the resettlement and immigration director for LSC’s Columbia office.

From providing housing to medical assistance and English-language classes, LSC has helped nearly 3,000 refugees from October 2023 through March 2024.

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All are coming to the United States legally after being granted asylum through an intense process of background checks and interviews.

The group hopes to correct any misconceptions around refugee resettlement in a state like South Carolina with strong border security policies.

“Overall, we've been really pleased with how much support we've had once people realize, ‘Hey, these are people, just like you and me, that are just humans that are fleeing for their lives from the war in Syria or the war in Ukraine,’” Hershberger said.

Most people are coming from countries like Afghanistan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

READ MORE: "Mission Charleston embodies 'love thy neighbor' while helping Afghan refugees."

Idris Bin Abdul Shukur came to South Carolina from Malaysia in November. He said the organization changed his life.

“We don't have to worry about our food, a living place, work," Abdul Shukur said. "They [helped] find me a job and also [helped] find me a ride to job. Everything. They do it perfectly."

He says LSC treats refugees like family and not clients.

Abdul Shukur now lives in Pennsylvania; he’s learned English over the past five months and has a job working for Amazon.

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Hershberger said Gov. Henry McMaster was supportive of the organization expanding to places like Charleston and Myrtle Beach, but most of LSC’s work is federally regulated.

With a presidential election nearing in November, the group worries about possible cuts previously made by former President Donald Trump.

“It shrunk the work that we did. We weren't able to help as many people, unfortunately,” Hershberger said. “So, there's definitely thoughts of that and concerns about that.”

Under the Trump administration, the country had a record-low goal of 15,000 refugees admitted per year. Now, with President Joe Biden in office, that number has jumped to a goal of 125,000 refugees admitted a year.