Civic Register
| 12.28.17

State Dept. Tells Refugee Agencies to Downsize

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What’s the story?

According to Reuters, the "State Department has told refugee agencies it will sharply pare back the number of offices across the country authorized to resettle people in 2018 as President Donald Trump cuts the number of refugees allowed into the United States."

Why does it matter?

In the U.S., refugee resettlement is handled by nine non-profit agencies who work with local offices in every state. The agencies receive federal funding for some of their work, which includes helping new arrivals enroll their children in school, arrange doctors’ visits, and apply for Social Security cards.

The agencies are independent but must get government approval for where – and how – they settle refugees.

Reuters reported that agencies "expected to handle fewer than 100 refugees in fiscal year 2018 will no longer be authorized to resettle new arrivals, which means many of them will have to close."

The Trump administration has said it wants to "enhance a refugee’s likelihood of successful assimilation" in order to promote “self-governance” and “better secure our community.”

But Robert Carey, who directed the Office of Refugee Resettlement during the Obama administration, said that if refugees lose access to "services to help them navigate the processes of registering for school, and English classes and finding a job, that will mean that it will take longer for them to navigate life in the United States and contribute to our economy."

Joshua Meservey, a senior policy analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation who formerly worked in refugee resettlement, told Reuters that costs need to be balanced against benefits.

Regarding the funding of smaller agencies, Meservey said:

"It is unclear to me if the assimilation gains are great enough to justify the extra expense."

What do you think?

Are the "assimilation gains…enough to justify the extra expense"? Will the cutbacks mean it will take refugees “longer…to navigate life in the United States”? Do we need even fewer refugee agencies? Or do we need more? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

— Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: vichinterlang / iStockphoto)