JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After a recent executive order halted federal funding for refugee programs, Catholic Charities Jacksonville said on Monday it is seeking new ways to get funding to continue its mission of helping families in the area.
Catholic Charities Jacksonville announced Wednesday it laid off 26 employees from its refugee program, leaving the organization with a “skeleton crew” to help refugees who arrived in the country prior to Jan. 20.
“We just had to let them go without severance, and it was, it’s something about human strength that people would come and hug and thank us, and I expected a negative reaction, but everybody knew it has nothing to do with our decision-making,” Chief Executive Officer at Catholic Charities Anita Hassel.
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Hassel said that the executive order also resulted in their office not getting reimbursed for already-rendered services back in November. The amount that is owed to the organization exceeds $600,000.
For that reason, Hassell said the organization had “no choice” but to lay off the staff in the refugee program due to a lack of funds to support their salaries.
Before the executive order, the U.S. would typically allow 125,000 refugees to be admitted each year. They are people forced out of their countries, usually because of violence. They must go through an extensive application and vetting process and do not get to choose where they are ultimately relocated.
“They come here documented, and they come here because they escape their war, prosecution, fear of life, that’s why they come to America. So it was a shock for us,” Hassel said.
Trump, whose first administration sharply cut refugee admissions, immediately suspended the decades-old program upon taking office again in January. He and his proxies have criticized refugee resettlement and other avenues of immigration.
Catholic Charities had 90 days since that executive order was signed to find out if they’ll get those funds back and bring back these employees. With 55 days away to find out exactly where Catholic Charities stands, the CEO told News4JAX they remain hopeful.
“What we have done for each of the programs that we have we have left someone who will be able to pick the loose ends, and we have been appealing to our donors and talking to foundations to see if we can receive money for direct assistance so we can continue providing them with what they need,” Hassel said.
Catholic Charities offers several resources, including emergency financial assistance, disaster relief, refugee resettlement programs, legalization and immigration services, according to its website.