Facing Closure and Losing Staff, Refugee Groups Ask Albany to Replace Lost Federal Funds

Agencies that work with refugees called on New York lawmakers on Tuesday to double state funding that supports resettlement efforts, seeking to fill a hole made by the Trump administration’s executive orders.

Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera, a Democrat from Buffalo, is pushing to increase funding for the New York State Enhanced Services to Refugees program to $15 million a year. He said refugee resettlement has played a critical role in stabilizing upstate cities.

“ There is not a better program for upstate New York to reinvigorate neighborhoods the way that this program has,” Rivera said.

Gothamist has reported on how refugee resettlement agencies in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Utica were forced to lay off case workers and scramble to raise donations after President Donald Trump issued an executive order ending refugee admissions. Federal agencies soon froze and then canceled resettlement contracts.

Resettlement agencies like Church World Service — which has a nationwide network that includes a Rochester office — won an injunction against the admissions ban and funding freeze on Friday. The court order by U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead hasn’t been implemented, a representative for Church World Service said in an email.

About two dozen people — including several refugees — gathered on Tuesday at the State Capitol to ask state lawmakers to fill the gap amid the ongoing uncertainty.

Marwah Alobaidi, a refugee from Iraq who now directs resettlement services for Interfaith Works of Central New York, said the loss of federal funding has created uncertainty.

“Over the past four years, Syracuse has been a beacon of hope welcoming over 5,000 refugees,” she said. “New Americans have not only found a home here, but they have also enriched our community in an unparalleled way.”

More than 18,000 refugees have come to Utica over the past four decades, according to Shelly Callahan of The Center, a local resettlement agency. “ They literally stemmed population decline and brought the city back to life,” she said.

Refugees must demonstrate they face danger in their home countries in order to qualify for their legal status, and they often wait for years for a chance to legally enter the United States. Resettlement agencies provide a first line of help with finding housing, jobs and other basic necessities for new arrivals. Once admitted, refugees are put on a path to citizenship.

In his executive order, Trump said the United States was “inundated” with immigrants and “lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans.”

Rivera and other legislators said they were concerned resettlement agencies would be forced to close if the state didn’t step up. Lawmakers are negotiating with Gov. Kathy Hochul over a $252 billion budget that is due by April 1.

Anna Niyonzima came to Rochester with her family 20 years ago as a refugee from Burundi. She has sponsored other refugee families and now works at the Refugee Partnership of Buffalo, a coalition of resettlement agencies. She said the agency offices are critical community centers.

“If you’re ever in Buffalo take a drive down Grant Street, you’ll find local businesses owned by refugees and immigrants. Visit West Side Bazaar – you will not be disappointed,” she said. “The work of the refugee resettlement organization cannot stop. If it does, where will we go?”

Story by Jimmy Vielkind, New York Public News Network
Jimmy Vielkind covers how state government and politics affect people throughout New York. He has covered Albany since 2008, most recently as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

Image: Nay Thorn (right) joins a rally for refugee resettlement funding at the New York State Capitol on Tuesday. He came to Rochester from Myanmar 15 years ago. (Credit: Jimmy Vielkind
/New York Public News Network)