Refugees just getting settled in Syracuse and Central New York no longer have access to federal food assistance under a provision in the big spending bill signed earlier this month. Individuals receiving benefits will not be eligible for renewal.
The provision tightens eligibility to include only U.S. Citizens and lawful permanent residents. President and CEO of Interfaith Works Beth Broadway said it amounts to targeting about five thousand newer refugees in Syracuse who are already scraping by.
“These are people who are still getting enough English to get a better job. I mean, everybody starts something," Broadway said. "They're making sandwiches at Subway. They're being a greeter at Walmart. They're doing something quickly. But to get a job that actually supports their family, they need some extra supports, like the food stamps program. And to take that away from people is actually cruelty.”
It's the latest move from the Trump administration to tightly limit refugee access and slash spending on support programs. Broadway said no new refugees have come to Syracuse in the past six months, so their funding was slashed by $4 million, or about 40 percent. Now she said, they’re helping the current population become more self-sufficient.
“So it's jobs, it's English. It's making sure that their housing situation is working for them and if not, what can we do to mitigate problems with landlords or with the housing itself," Broadway said "It's making sure the kids get registered for school. It's making sure that they have access to their doctors, that they get their vaccinations.”
Broadway said it takes a year or two for refugees to fully integrate into their new community. After five years, she said they're ready to help refugees when they become eligible for the citizenship process. But Interfaith Works is privately funding that program because of federal funding cuts.
