The Hebrew Sheltering Society and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, established to meet the needs of Jewish immigrants to the U.S., united in 1909 to form HIAS, the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society. In 1954, HIAS, the United Service for New Americans, and the migration services of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee consolidated into a single international migration agency, United Hias Service. United Hias Service is funded by Federations, welfare funds, membership, and individual contributions.

The Service locates friends and relatives through its global network of offices. It assists immigrants at every step of the journey, preparing documents and arranging transportation, offering a personal welcome and shelter upon arrival, and providing a plan for resettlement. It further helps the newcomer comply with government regulations and naturalization procedures. The Service intervenes with government authorities in cases of unjustified detention and deportation, and presses constantly for relaxation of immigration barriers all over the world.