Hias Pennsylvania is shrinking when the immigrant agency turns from huge cuts in federal financing under the rule of President Donald Trump.
By the end of June, his employees will fall from 88 to 49, when the layoffs appear, and by the end of October his annual budget will drop from around $ 11 million to about $ 5 million.
This happens when the Trump administration stops programs that bring refugees to a recent life in the United States and support them for time after they are reached.
“I am obviously devastated,” said Cathryn Miller-Wilson, executive director of the Philadelphia agency, “but I am unwavering in faith in my staff and the work we do.”
Similar exemptions and financing losses take place in resettlement agencies throughout the country, some of which joined the conference with business leaders and selected democratic officials on Monday to demand re -opening of the resettlement program.
The mayor of Pittsburgh Ed Gainy said that refugees and other immigrants are of key importance for the ability of his city to develop, earn and develop, and he talked directly with them, saying: “We want you to come here.”
“We have to launch a resettlement program,” said the mayor. “In this way you develop a state of how you develop the city.”
Brandon MendozaThe president and general director of Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership told reporters about calling that government support for resettlement of refugees is crucial. In Erie he said that refugees founded companies, bought houses and completed job offers – “Life of life to the Erie Ferrings”.
Confirmation of losses in HIAS Pennsylvania takes place after high financing and staff cuts at the National Services Center, the largest resettlement agency in Philadelphia. The NSC budget will fall until mid -May, and has already dropped one -third of its employees.
These organizations and others were shocked by the Trump’s order of January 27, which stopped recent refugees’ parties and by The second directive that cut off financing For agencies that support newcomers during the reconstruction of life in this country.
Hias Pennsylvania was to reset 100 refugees before issuing the order and resettled hundreds of others in recent years. It offers many services that will assist you find the foundations from around the world in the Philadelphia region.
The US Court of Appeal for the ninth region allowed Trump’s administration to continue blocking the refugee entry when the claim is forward, but claims that refugees who have been approved – according to supporters – must still be processed for acceptance.
Federal Refugee resettlement program Just as the United States bring some of the most vulnerable people in the world to a recent life, and agencies such as NSC and HIAS Pennsylvania serve on the front line.
The system is a form of legal immigration, and refugees have a specific status authorized by the government, which covers a clear path to citizenship. Economically over time, They put billions of dollars more than they costStudies show.
. The US has resettled 100,034 refugees In the tax year 2024, the largest number in 30 years, when President Joe Biden rebuilt the shrunken system that inherited from the first presidency of Trump.
Trump reduced the historical numbers of the minima during the first term.
Over the past three months of 2024, Pennsylvania received 1043 refugees, and over 700 come from only three countries, Syria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, According to government statistics. At that time, he resettled 216 refugees in New Jersey.
Although refugees belong to the most proven people in the world, proven and re -checked, before they were allowed to come here, the president cited concerns about security and terrorism around his entrance.
He claimed that the US is not able to absorb these newcomers in a way “which does not violate the availability of resources for Americans, which protects their safety and security, and which ensures adequate assimilation.”
HIAS Pennsylvania supports low -income immigrants from all environments in the area of ​​Philadelphia, providing not only the resettlement of refugees, but also legal assistance and social services. He says that he tries to “satisfy their needs, defend their rights and advocate for a fair inclusion in American society.”
This year, said Miller-Wilson, in many respects it is the equivalent of 1924, a dim time for immigrants and their supporters. The transition of the Johnson-Reed Act established a national system of amounts based on national origin and blocked all immigration from Asia.
But in a series of history, she said, comparable years from 1945 and 1965. There must be ahead of us – the times in which the United States adopted legal provisions to assist resettled people, promote the unification of the family and enable greater immigration from Asia and Latin America.
Hias Pennsylvania is different and separate from HIA, an international organization based in Maryland.
The roots of Hias Pennsylvania date back to 1882, when members of the Jewish community in Philadelphia formed the Association for the Protection of Jewish immigrants who tried to assist to arrive Jews from Eastern Europe. A wave of pogroms and excretions in the Russian Empire left hundreds of thousands of homeless, and in the years 1880–1924 almost two million Jews were looking for shelter in the USA
Hias Pennsylvania has completed his resettlement program and will end his social services department on June 30.
Miller-Wilson said that about $ 7.4 million for federal financing was or expected from the local budget. She said that the agency was not paid for its basic programs and expected that the financing would disappear for some programs that still work.
Miller-Wilson said that federal cuts were terrible to the agency, but above all for recent arrivals who need assist and support to settle.
“It came completely in January and February and suddenly:” I’m sorry, we can’t assist you anymore. “
Hias Pennsylvania hopes that it will develop from all federal financial needs until June 30, taking into account the variability of Trump’s immigration policy. The changed mission will focus on the provision of legal services, although this division will lose 17 dismissal employees at the end of June.
“I am aware of people who do not agree with our work,” said Miller-Wilson, but “the shrinking of our services does not apply to us, it is about our country. [immigrant] Employees, we lose employers, we lose attractive diversity from around the world. Cures for us, it’s not about our agency, it is about our country, which is destructive and tragic. “
