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On displacement and the places people call home

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The U.S. Capitol beneath a blue sky.

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. File photograph. Toni Smith / USGS · Public domain

When Federal Funding Cuts Reach Refugees’ Everyday Lives

How the 2025 suspension of refugee admissions and federal funding changes contributed to CWS Orange County’s closure—and what that means for refugees’ everyday lives in Southern California.

From my volunteer work with CWS Orange County Drawing on correspondence with staff and public records from government agencies, the courts and CWS.

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 6 min read

People watching the burning towers of Wang Fuk Court at night in Tai Po, Hong Kong

People watch the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. Derek Yung / iStock · Editorial use

After Wang Fuk Court

Finding a place to live after the Wang Fuk Court fire

What it takes to settle again after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in over 70 years.

Following contact with the Hong Kong Red Cross, this article draws on personal accounts they made available.

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 5 min read

Notes on Displacement

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An August 14, 2026 email from Justin Castillo announcing that CWS Orange County will close on September 4.

August 24, 2026 · Xingtong Jerry Zou

A year and a half at CWS

On August 14, Justin emailed to say that CWS's Orange County office would close on September 4. After a year and a half with CWS, I am grateful to Justin, the staff, and the families who let me be part of their lives. These are a few records from that time: the closure email, a conversation at the office, and a call with Justin to go through a client interest form. Thank you for the patience, guidance, and friendships. I hope we stay in touch.

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Projects

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Water treatment without grid electricity

A hand crank or pedal powers the UV lamp in this laboratory prototype by Xingwei Wang and colleagues.

TEHG-UV laboratory demonstration. Open on YouTube
UN-FIRST City University of Hong Kong

Assessing whether the prototype could help treat water after displacement, with laboratory findings and the questions a field trial would need to answer.

Explore the water project

Finding a place to live

Rental searches in Long Beach: checking rent, deposits and application requirements, and recording the terms for case managers.

Explore the housing project

All articles

All articles

When Federal Funding Cuts Reach Refugees’ Everyday Lives

How the 2025 suspension of refugee admissions and federal funding changes contributed to CWS Orange County’s closure—and what that means for refugees’ everyday lives in Southern California.

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 6 min read

The $27,000 Problem

Musasa’s Broken Pump and the Cost of Waiting

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 6 min read

Water by Hand

A Human-Powered UV Device: Questions for a Field Trial

Xingtong Zou & Xingwei Wang
· 7 min read

After Wang Fuk Court

Finding a place to live after the Wang Fuk Court fire

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 5 min read

CWS After the LA Fires

CWS’s response to the January 2025 fires: evacuation supplies, translated information and a shared registration system at the Wildfire Resource Hub.

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 3 min read

After the Fire, Before a Lease

For renters displaced by Los Angeles's January 2025 fires, finding somewhere to stay left another question: how long could they afford to remain?

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 6 min read

Sand Cartels

Illegal Dredging in Southeast Asia and Coastal Displacement

Xingtong Jerry Zou
· 7 min read

Our Mission

The Margins is an independent publication on displacement. We publish reporting, photographs and personal accounts, and work with contributors and researchers on projects addressing housing and water access.

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