JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For nearly a decade, First 90 and Beyond 90 has been a lifeline for refugee families starting new lives in Jacksonville. But a recent executive order signed by President Trump puts the organization’s future—and the future of the families they serve—hanging in the balance.
At First 90 and Beyond 90, what was once a bustling hub for resettlement and support has come to a standstill. The executive order has paused new refugee arrivals to the U.S., leaving the organization without federal funding to support their work.
“It’s a punch in the gut a little bit, and it’s hard because we know the stories of these people and the tragedies they’ve been through,” said Barton Chelf, co-founder of the organization.
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Chelf stresses that refugees are not the same as immigrants. They are forced to leave their country whereas immigrants choose to leave. The United States allows 125,000 refugees to be admitted each year and they must go through an extensive application and vetting process. Refugees do not choose where they will be relocated.
Chelf’s organization received a directive from the State Department last week ordering them to stop providing services to families in their care.
“On Friday, we got an email from the State Department that was a stop order saying we weren’t allowed to serve our families any longer,” Chelf explained.
The First 90 program focuses on helping refugees adjust during their first 90 days in the U.S. During this time, the organization uses federal funds to pay for their rent, utilities, and food as they work toward self-sufficiency.
“I think we looked at 16 different families at various stages in their 90 days,” Chelf said. “They all have anywhere from one to three months' worth of rent still to be paid.”
Despite the federal directive, the organization is continuing to serve the families already in Jacksonville.
“Even though we have no obligation to do that legally, we have every obligation to do it right here,” Chelf added.
As part of the First 90 program, Chelf and his team rely on detailed information about incoming families to prepare for their arrival—details like names, country of origin, family size, and travel dates. However, with new arrivals paused, their once-full arrival board now sits empty.
“If you’d have walked in here in the middle of December, that board had all but the bottom two spaces filled with names of new arrivals, their family size, and when they were going to come,” Chelf said. “That being empty right now is kind of hard for us to look at.”
The halt in refugee resettlement has created uncertainty about the future of the First 90 program. However, the Beyond 90 program, which supports refugees after their initial 90 days, is still operating. This program offers mental health support, walk-in services, and community events. Unlike the federally funded First 90, Beyond 90 is entirely reliant on donations.
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Chelf emphasized the importance of public understanding and support for the organization’s mission.
“These families want to work hard. They want a safe place to raise their family. They want the same thing you want. If they could go back home, they would, because that’d be their first choice,” Chelf said.
“They really add a lot of color and flavor to our communities. The things we’ve learned from them have been amazing. I mean, our country is founded as a melting pot from all these different countries. To not be that country anymore would be very sad.”
The First 90 program is now relying on donations from the community to continue its work. Chelf said the immediate needs include covering rent, utilities, and food costs for families who have already arrived in Jacksonville.
For more information on how you can support First 90 and Beyond 90, visit their website.