{"id":263,"date":"2025-10-24T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=263"},"modified":"2026-01-06T17:30:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T22:30:32","slug":"suspended-u-s-refugee-program-separates-families-stalls-resettlement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2025\/10\/24\/suspended-u-s-refugee-program-separates-families-stalls-resettlement\/","title":{"rendered":"Suspended U.S. refugee program separates families, stalls resettlement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Natanya Fried\u00adheim, Anna Heqi\u00admi, Kar\u00adla Perez,
Lau\u00adren Cohen, Alli\u00adson Muzzy and Brooke Holzhauer 
State\u00adhouse Report\u00ading Project <\/strong>
<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cing Cing Hlamyo (CQ) poses for a portrait in her store on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at Shwe Market International Foods in Columbia. Shwe Market sells food that can be difficult to find around Columbia, such as jackfruit chips and octopus.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-1024x694.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-1024x694.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-1024x694.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-768x520.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait-1536x1041.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-portrait.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Cing Cing Hlamyo, a for\u00admer refugee from Myan\u00admar, pos\u00ades for a por\u00adtrait in her gro\u00adcery store, Shwe Mar\u00adket Inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal Foods in Colum\u00adbia, Mis\u00adsouri. Pho\u00adto by Annie George\/Missourian<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Cing Cing Hlamyo and four oth\u00ader Burmese fam\u00adi\u00adlies in Mis\u00adsouri pooled their mon\u00adey to join Wel\u00adcome Corps. Launched by Pres\u00adi\u00addent Joe Biden\u2019s admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion in 2023, Wel\u00adcome Corps allowed peo\u00adple in the Unit\u00aded States to spon\u00adsor refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it opened, all the Burmese, they were so excit\u00aded,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group put mon\u00adey in a bank account for the expect\u00aded refugee. Then in Jan\u00adu\u00adary, the pro\u00adgram abrupt\u00adly shut down. \u201cWe\u2019re just wait\u00ading. That\u2019s all we can do now,\u201d Hlamyo said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wel\u00adcome Corps is just one facet of refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment in Amer\u00adi\u00adca that Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump changed dra\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly when he began his sec\u00adond term Jan. 20. As part of a larg\u00ader with\u00addraw\u00adal from inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal human\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan aid, Trump signed an exec\u00adu\u00adtive order<\/a> halt\u00ading the U.S. Refugee Admis\u00adsions Pro\u00adgram. The State Depart\u00adment also end\u00aded fund\u00ading to local reset\u00adtle\u00adment non\u00adprof\u00adits, though a law\u00adsuit lat\u00ader restored some of that mon\u00adey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across the coun\u00adtry, non\u00adprof\u00adits have closed their refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgrams or are look\u00ading for new fund\u00ading sources, with many wait\u00ading to see if the pipeline will reopen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fol\u00adlow\u00ading the fed\u00ader\u00adal Refugee Act of 1980, the U.S. built a for\u00admi\u00adda\u00adble bureau\u00adcra\u00adcy to reset\u00adtle peo\u00adple who face per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adtion abroad. Fed\u00ader\u00adal agen\u00adcies vet appli\u00adcants, many of whom live in refugee camps scat\u00adtered across the globe. Once approved, a net\u00adwork of non\u00adprof\u00adits uses fed\u00ader\u00adal funds to help new\u00adly arrived refugees get on their feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s re-elec\u00adtion last year reflects a grow\u00ading ani\u00admos\u00adi\u00adty among West\u00adern coun\u00adtries toward glob\u00adal\u00adiza\u00adtion. The pres\u00adi\u00addent has denounced inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal insti\u00adtu\u00adtions like the Unit\u00aded Nations, which part\u00adners with the U.S. and oth\u00ader coun\u00adtries to reset\u00adtle refugees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s fed\u00ader\u00adal bud\u00adget bill made refugees with\u00adout a green card inel\u00adi\u00adgi\u00adble<\/a> for ben\u00ade\u00adfits includ\u00ading the fed\u00ader\u00adal food assis\u00adtance pro\u00adgram. It also affect\u00aded their eli\u00adgi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty for full Med\u00adic\u00adaid ben\u00ade\u00adfits and the Children\u2019s Health Insur\u00adance Pro\u00adgram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bon\u00adnie Gay of Prince\u00adton Alliance Church in New Jer\u00adsey has seen the impact of refugees whose arrivals have been blocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cEvery sto\u00adry is one of trau\u00adma and loss,\u201d said Gay, who leads the church\u2019s Alliance for Refugees. \u201cThey come seek\u00ading safe\u00adty and a fresh start where they can put down roots in a place of wel\u00adcome and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No money for the American Dream<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Some non\u00adprof\u00adits end\u00aded their refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgrams entire\u00adly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecticut\u2019s flag\u00adship reset\u00adtle\u00adment agency, Inte\u00adgrat\u00aded Refugee and Immi\u00adgrant Ser\u00advices<\/a>, lost $4 mil\u00adlion in fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading. As a result, the agency closed offices in Hart\u00adford and New Haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

War drove a Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut stu\u00addent to flee from Bagh\u00addad, Iraq with her fam\u00adi\u00adly. IRIS sup\u00adplied the refugee fam\u00adi\u00adly with food, a stu\u00addio apart\u00adment and legal coun\u00adsel upon their arrival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sec\u00adond-year stu\u00addent, who request\u00aded anonymi\u00adty, said she fears ongo\u00ading depor\u00adta\u00adtions, but feels sup\u00adport\u00aded in her new home\u00adtown of New Haven and with\u00adin the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty she built at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut. A uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty soror\u00adi\u00adty, Mu Sig\u00adma Upsilon, held a dona\u00adtion dri\u00adve for IRIS in late Sep\u00adtem\u00adber. \u201cI am grate\u00adful for the edu\u00adca\u00adtion and oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adties Amer\u00adi\u00adca has giv\u00aden me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions diver\u00adsi\u00adfied their income streams to con\u00adtin\u00adue offer\u00ading ser\u00advices to refugees years after their arrival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s exec\u00adu\u00adtive order con\u00adtends the U.S. can\u2019t absorb large num\u00adbers of immi\u00adgrants \u2014 par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly refugees \u2014 \u201cin a man\u00adner that does not com\u00adpro\u00admise the avail\u00adabil\u00adi\u00adty of resources for Amer\u00adi\u00adcans, that pro\u00adtects their safe\u00adty and secu\u00adri\u00adty and that ensures the appro\u00adpri\u00adate assim\u00adi\u00adla\u00adtion of refugees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hillary Baez, the refugee ser\u00advices assis\u00adtant pro\u00adgram man\u00adag\u00ader of Catholic Char\u00adi\u00adties of South\u00adwest Kansas<\/a> saw the changes com\u00ading. \u201cOur orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion basi\u00adcal\u00adly took that as an ini\u00adtia\u00adtive to try and find oth\u00ader sources of fund\u00ading to ask for more dona\u00adtions from our donors,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion opened a thrift store and has plans to open three more \u201cas just anoth\u00ader way for us to keep our\u00adselves run\u00adning,\u201d Baez said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Con\u00adfer\u00adence of Catholic Bish\u00adops<\/a>, one of 10 nation\u00adal orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions that part\u00adnered with the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment to dis\u00adtrib\u00adute reset\u00adtle\u00adment funds, announced in April it would end its part\u00adner\u00adship. Two Catholic Char\u00adi\u00adties affil\u00adi\u00adates \u2014 North\u00adeast Kansas<\/a> and Cen\u00adtral and North\u00adern Mis\u00adsouri<\/a> \u2014 were among those that end\u00aded their local refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgrams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Catholic Char\u00adi\u00adties of Cen\u00adtral and North\u00adern Mis\u00adsouri in Jef\u00adfer\u00adson City dis\u00adsolved its refugee ser\u00advices in March, three of its employ\u00adees moved to City of Refuge<\/a> in near\u00adby Colum\u00adbia.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refugees that the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion helped were direct\u00aded to City of Refuge and Del\u00adla Lamb Com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty Ser\u00advices<\/a>, anoth\u00ader non\u00adprof\u00adit, in Kansas City. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vis\u00adi\u00adtors tour\u00ading City of Refuge on a recent morn\u00ading saw civics class\u00ades where refugees pre\u00adpared for the cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship test with ques\u00adtions like: If the pres\u00adi\u00addent and vice pres\u00adi\u00addent are unable to serve, who takes over? Tour\u00ading guests knew the answer (the speak\u00ader of the House) but couldn\u2019t recall the cur\u00adrent speaker\u2019s name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMike John\u00adson,\u201d a man seat\u00aded in the class said under his breath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

City of Refuge has con\u00adtin\u00adued to pro\u00advide cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship class\u00ades even as the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion cut fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading for sim\u00adi\u00adlar ser\u00advices<\/a> to oth\u00ader orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions. Up to $500,000 in fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading for the non\u00adprof\u00adit will expire in Octo\u00adber 2026, and it\u2019s not clear what fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading will be avail\u00adable after. Because of that, the City of Refuge is look\u00ading to diver\u00adsi\u00adfy its finan\u00adcial sup\u00adport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hlyamo is one exam\u00adple of what those who have ben\u00ade\u00adfit\u00aded from City of Refuge have accom\u00adplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By many accounts, Hlamyo, one of more than 3.6 mil\u00adlion<\/a> refugees who entered the U.S. in the last 50 years, achieved the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan dream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was five months preg\u00adnant and owned one jack\u00adet when she and her hus\u00adband arrived, their 18-month-old daugh\u00adter in tow, in Novem\u00adber 2009 to face their first Mid\u00adwest win\u00adter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grow\u00ading up in Myan\u00admar was fraught. Hlamyo watched sol\u00addiers beat her father \u2013 the mil\u00adi\u00adtary want\u00aded use of his truck, but its engine was bro\u00adken. They forced her fam\u00adi\u00adly into unpaid labor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hlamyo now enjoys the fruits of her hard work in Amer\u00adi\u00adca. The moth\u00ader of four owns an Asian gro\u00adcery store, one of the few places in mid-Mis\u00adsouri where shop\u00adpers can find frozen octo\u00adpus, bit\u00adter mel\u00adon, jack\u00adfruit chips and South Asian spe\u00adcial\u00adties. Her eldest daugh\u00adter is apply\u00ading for col\u00adlege.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No help for 2025 arrivals <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Cing Cing Hlamyo (CQ) weighs ginger roots for a customer on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Shwe Market International Foods in Columbia. Shwe Market restocks its fresh vegetables and fruit every Thursday, according to its Facebook page.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-1024x721.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-1024x721.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-1024x721.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-768x541.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger-1536x1081.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Cing Cing Hlamyo, a for\u00admer refugee from Myan\u00admar, weighs gin\u00adger roots for a cus\u00adtomer on Tues\u00adday, Sept. 30, 2025 at the gro\u00adcery store she now owns and oper\u00adates in Colum\u00adbia, Mis\u00adsouri. Pho\u00adto by Annie George\/Missourian<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A court order required the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion to admit refugees who had approved appli\u00adca\u00adtions and con\u00adfirmed trav\u00adel plans by Jan. 20. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An attor\u00adney with the Inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal Refugee Assis\u00adtance Project, which sued on behalf of reset\u00adtle\u00adment agen\u00adcies and refugees, said 70\u2013100 peo\u00adple entered the coun\u00adtry as a result of the injunc\u00adtion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baez said Catholic Char\u00adi\u00adties of South\u00adwest Kansas wel\u00adcomed three refugees from Eritrea, in East Africa, after Jan. 20 because the group already had flights to the US. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\u00adev\u00ader, fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading cuts meant they couldn\u2019t get assis\u00adtance pre\u00advi\u00adous\u00adly avail\u00adable to recent arrivals. Catholic Char\u00adi\u00adties of South\u00adwest Kansas could still pro\u00advide ser\u00advices such as employ\u00adment and Eng\u00adlish assis\u00adtance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tat\u00adjana Bozhi\u00adnovs\u00adki, reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgram direc\u00adtor at Ethiopi\u00adan Tewa\u00adhe\u00addo Social Ser\u00advices<\/a> in Colum\u00adbus, Ohio, said her orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion was affect\u00aded by the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order on day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sin\u00adgle moth\u00ader with four chil\u00addren arrived on Jan. 17, and three days lat\u00ader, Bozhi\u00adnovs\u00adki had to tell the fam\u00adi\u00adly that the non\u00adprof\u00adit could no longer help them find hous\u00ading, enroll kids in school or find jobs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t pos\u00adsi\u00adbly do that if you have a heart and if you have a soul,\u201d Bozhi\u00adnovs\u00adki said. Ethiopi\u00adan Tewa\u00adhe\u00addo Social Ser\u00advices lost 75% of its staff, many of them refugees, as a result of the fed\u00ader\u00adal mon\u00adey freeze. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some peo\u00adple with con\u00adfirmed trav\u00adel plans were still unable to enter fol\u00adlow\u00ading the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tyler Reeve of Com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty Refugee & Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion Ser\u00advices<\/a> in Colum\u00adbus helped some mem\u00adbers of a fam\u00adi\u00adly arrive on Jan. 17. The rest were unable to enter, even though they were approved as refugees and had pur\u00adchased plane tick\u00adets for Feb\u00adru\u00adary. The fam\u00adi\u00adly is sep\u00ada\u00adrat\u00aded indef\u00adi\u00adnite\u00adly. Lay\u00adoffs left the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion with no full-time reset\u00adtle\u00adment staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jew\u00adish Fam\u00adi\u00adly Ser\u00advices<\/a> in Colum\u00adbus lost more than $2 mil\u00adlion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tariq Mohamed, the nonprofit\u2019s senior direc\u00adtor of refugee ser\u00advices, wel\u00adcomed a teenage boy and girl right before Jan. 20, expect\u00ading their par\u00adents and the rest of their sib\u00adlings to arrive in Feb\u00adru\u00adary. The fam\u00adi\u00adly doesn\u2019t know when they will see each oth\u00ader again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The non\u00adprof\u00adit has been able to con\u00adtin\u00adue some of its oth\u00ader pro\u00adgrams, includ\u00ading help\u00ading refugees already in the U.S. find employ\u00adment, reg\u00adis\u00adter their kids for school and get vac\u00adcines, as fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading still exists for those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Oct. 1 to Jan. 20, Jew\u00adish Fam\u00adi\u00adly Ser\u00advices reset\u00adtled 184 peo\u00adple, doing an entire year\u2019s worth of work in three months before the order passed, in antic\u00adi\u00adpa\u00adtion of Trump\u2019s actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Biden\u2019s admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion, refugee admis\u00adsions for the fis\u00adcal year 2024, which end\u00aded last Octo\u00adber, reached 100,034, the high\u00adest annu\u00adal total since 1995.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a big, big ramp up over the last few years,\u201d said Paul Costi\u00adgan, Missouri\u2019s state refugee coor\u00addi\u00adna\u00adtor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few new arrivals<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A spokesper\u00adson for the State Depart\u00adment, which over\u00adsees the refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgram, did not pro\u00advide num\u00adbers when asked how many refugees have entered the coun\u00adtry since Trump took office this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion is con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00ading a new annu\u00adal ceil\u00ading of 7,500 for fis\u00adcal year 2026, which start\u00aded Oct. 1, accord\u00ading to report\u00ading<\/a> by The New York Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mis\u00adsouri Office of Refugee Admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion used to get month\u00adly reports from the State Depart\u00adment on how many refugees to expect and how many ulti\u00admate\u00adly arrived. Those reports ceased in Jan\u00adu\u00adary, said Costi\u00adgan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prince\u00adton Alliance Church<\/a> in Plains\u00adboro, New Jer\u00adsey, estab\u00adlished refugee ser\u00advices in 2023 with approval from the State Depart\u00adment. It wel\u00adcomed 135 immi\u00adgrants before the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order. The church had expect\u00aded anoth\u00ader 100 peo\u00adple this year, but only 26 made it in the wan\u00ading days of the Biden admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two peo\u00adple sched\u00aduled to arrive in late Jan\u00adu\u00adary had their tick\u00adets can\u00adceled, said Gay, the exec\u00adu\u00adtive direc\u00adtor of the church\u2019s Alliance for Refugees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under pre\u00advi\u00adous admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtions, Jew\u00adish Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Ser\u00advice was Kansas City\u2019s largest refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment agency. In fis\u00adcal years 2023 and 2024, the agency reset\u00adtled 409 and 630 refugees, respec\u00adtive\u00adly. Fol\u00adlow\u00ading Jan. 20, the agency has served only 60 new arrivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reese Taw\u2019s work at Jew\u00adish Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Ser\u00advice is per\u00adson\u00adal. A mem\u00adber of Karen, an eth\u00adnic minor\u00adi\u00adty group in Myan\u00admar, Taw and his fam\u00adi\u00adly arrived in the U.S. as refugees when he was nine. A reset\u00adtle\u00adment agency helped his fam\u00adi\u00adly adjust to life in Amer\u00adi\u00adca. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI get to help the same peo\u00adple that were in my posi\u00adtion a while ago because I can relate to the frus\u00adtra\u00adtion,\u201d Taw said. \u201cJust being able to serve the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty, as a whole, it\u2019s ful\u00adfill\u00ading to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taw was one of 12 employ\u00adees the non\u00adprof\u00adit laid off in March. He was rehired, but the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion is grap\u00adpling with fund\u00ading loss. \u201cWe\u2019ll try to sur\u00advive as long as we can, but we\u2019ll see what hap\u00adpens,\u201d Taw said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

States assume larger role<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Look\u00ading to the future, Costi\u00adgan of the Mis\u00adsouri refugee office pre\u00addicts an over\u00adhauled refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment pro\u00adgram where states have more con\u00adtrol. Some states are already putting their own fund\u00ading behind pro\u00adgrams cut by the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Jer\u00adsey Demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic Gov. Phil Mur\u00adphy cre\u00adat\u00aded the state\u2019s Office of New Amer\u00adi\u00adcans in 2019, amid Trump\u2019s first-term immi\u00adgra\u00adtion crack\u00addown. New Jer\u00adsey had at least $1 mil\u00adlion cut since Trump returned to office in Jan\u00adu\u00adary, state bud\u00adget doc\u00adu\u00adments show. Mur\u00adphy pledged to dou\u00adble the state\u2019s sup\u00adport for its ini\u00adtia\u00adtives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Jer\u00adsey law\u00admak\u00aders this year boost\u00aded the state-run Refugee Reset\u00adtle\u00adment Pro\u00adgram to $29.5 mil\u00adlion, six times greater than the pre\u00advi\u00adous year. The mon\u00adey goes to sev\u00aden non\u00adprof\u00adits, which offer refugees cash, case man\u00adage\u00adment, job assis\u00adtance, health expens\u00ades and oth\u00ader aid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Gov. Ned Lam\u00adont signed a bill in March allo\u00adcat\u00ading $2.8 mil\u00adlion to pro\u00adgrams tar\u00adget\u00aded by the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion. IRIS, New Haven\u2019s flag\u00adship reset\u00adtle\u00adment agency, and anoth\u00ader orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion received a total of approx\u00adi\u00admate\u00adly $500,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peo\u00adple involved in refugee reset\u00adtle\u00adment say the com\u00admit\u00adment from local com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties has remained steady. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jew\u00adish Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Ser\u00advice saw an out\u00adpour\u00ading of sup\u00adport from the Kansas City com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty after los\u00ading its fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading for refugee ser\u00advices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a Sep\u00adtem\u00adber meet\u00ading in Joplin, a city of 53,000 in south\u00adwest Mis\u00adsouri, peo\u00adple from the fire depart\u00adment, com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty col\u00adlege and city gov\u00adern\u00adment showed up to coor\u00addi\u00adnate assis\u00adtance for recent\u00adly arrived refugees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty com\u00admit\u00adment is there,\u201d Costi\u00adgan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Final-Refugee-Time\u00adline_1022<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This arti\u00adcle was pro\u00adduced through the State\u00adhouse Report\u00ading Project<\/a>, a col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtive effort by col\u00adle\u00adgiate jour\u00adnal\u00adism pro\u00adgrams across the coun\u00adtry. Anna Heqi\u00admi and Kar\u00adla Perez are senior jour\u00adnal\u00adism majors at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut<\/a>.<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Natanya Fried\u00adheim, Anna Heqi\u00admi, Kar\u00adla Perez,Lau\u00adren Cohen, Alli\u00adson Muzzy and Brooke Holzhauer State\u00adhouse Report\u00ading Project  Last year, Cing Cing Hlamyo and four oth\u00ader Burmese fam\u00adi\u00adlies in Mis\u00adsouri pooled their mon\u00adey to join Wel\u00adcome Corps. Launched by Pres\u00adi\u00addent Joe Biden\u2019s admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion in 2023, Wel\u00adcome Corps allowed peo\u00adple in the Unit\u00aded States to spon\u00adsor refugees. \u201cWhen it [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":267,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communities","category-immigration"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/20250930_ShweMarket_Hlamyo-ginger.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":507,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/with-fewer-refugees-ct-groups-seek-new-ways-to-help\/","url_meta":{"origin":263,"position":0},"title":"With fewer refugees, Connecticut volunteers seek new ways to help  ","author":"Anna Heqimi","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Anna HeqimiUConn Journalism When\u00a0Doina Lavoie-Gonci and\u00a0other\u00a0volunteers with the Old Lyme Refugee Resettlement Committee learned about the plight of a pregnant mother of\u00a0three\u00a0from Honduras whose husband had been deported, they\u00a0took action, working\u00a0to\u00a0identify\u00a0organizations and resources that could help.\u00a0 Doina Lavoie-Gonci (middle) with Mark Staves (left) and Jo-Ann Staves (right) posing for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Immigration"","block_context":{"text":"Immigration","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/immigration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-REF-SUPPORT-Heqimi-001.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":685,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-order-14163-realigning-the-united-states-refugee-admissions-program\/","url_meta":{"origin":263,"position":1},"title":"Executive Order 14163: \u201cRealigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program\u201d ","author":"Karla Perez","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A guide for new immigrants in the United States to help them settle into American life and provide American civics information. Photo courtesy of DHS. This order suspended the Refugee Admissions Program, barring any other refugees from entering the U.S.,\u00a0except\u00a0those who can \u201cfully and appropriately assimilate into the United States.\u201d\u00a0It\u00a0claimed\u00a0that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "executive orders"","block_context":{"text":"executive orders","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/executive-orders\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-EXEC-ORDER14163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-EXEC-ORDER14163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-EXEC-ORDER14163.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1980,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/08\/big-oil-and-energy-emergency\/","url_meta":{"origin":263,"position":2},"title":"Big Oil and Energy Emergency","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: Attorney General Tong Challenges Trump Fake Energy Emergency Preceding Event: On Jan. 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump declared a \"national energy emergency\" with\u00a0Executive Order 14156. With the emergency declaration as justification, permits and other necessary approvals were being expedited and granted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":577,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/06\/executive-orders-further-trumps-immigration-agenda\/","url_meta":{"origin":263,"position":3},"title":"Executive orders further Trump\u2019s immigration agenda","author":"Karla Perez","date":"January 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Karla PerezUConn Journalism A guide for new immigrants in the United States to help them settle into American life and provide American civics information. Photo courtesy of DHS. President Donald Trump signed\u00a0more than two\u00a0dozen\u00a0executive orders on\u00a0Jan. 20, 2025,\u00a0his first day back in the White House. 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