Refugee resettlement agencies are among numerous non-profits across Central New York with grave concerns over the Trump administration’s efforts to temporarily freeze all federal assistance funds. The Office of Management and Budget issued the order in a memo Tuesday, but the Trump administration rescinded it the next day. Interfaith Works President and CEO Beth Broadway said federal funding supports many of its refugee programs.
"So you can imagine for an agency like ours that provide food to our food pantries across 51 food pantries through the emergency food and shelter. That's a federal program," Broadway said. "Our refugee resettlement program..that's a federal program. And we're told no decisions will be made about whether you will get funding. What do I do?"
Even though the memo was rescinded, the Trump administration it's still directing federal agencies to review each program. Broadway said the money helps cover the cost of clothes, rent, and heat for refugees trying to make ends meet.
“This is diabolical that we would say we welcomed them as a country, we invited them, we got them vetted, they got documented, they’re here. And now we're not going to help them," Broadway said. "We can't do this to people.”
Broadway said these are the same people stocking shelves at large retailers or supermarkets, working in manufacturing plants, and opening restaurants at the Salt City Market downtown. She said Interfaith Works and others are moving quickly to address the crisis, including turning to the community to help backfill any lost federal funds.
