Greetings Friends of Refugee Resettlement,
Newsletter #8
A newsletter to reflect our ongoing conversation regarding topics and actions that are impacting our collective efforts.
March 6th White House Executive Order
Summary of Refugee Impact
- A four-month halt (120 days) in refugee arrivals from all countries
- Refugee arrivals cut in half for fiscal year 2017 (reduced from 110,000 to 50,000 refugees)
- Suspends most overseas refugee processing activities
- Promotes that state and local municipalities have role in determining placement of refugees in their jurisdictions.
- A halt in arrivals (travel ban) for any persons originating from: Syria, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen for three months (90 days)
Significant Changes from Previous EO
- Syrian refugees no longer indefinitely halted
- Removal of the clause that indicated the refugee program would prioritize religious minorities
- Those who currently hold valid visas, are Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) or have other currently valid legal status, including those from the six banned countries, will not be blocked from arrival
- Iraq is no longer included in the travel ban list
- Which Refugees can Still Travel in the 120 Day “Halt” Period?
- SIV entrants are not subject to the 120 day refugee halt
- The EO allows for refugee cases to be admitted on a case-by-case basis if it is in the national interest to do so.
Rochester Resettlement Impact
- Refugee arrivals to Rochester will fall precipitously in the next 4 months over the course of the ban. We expect to resettle less than 35 refugees (including SIVs) in period March 4 through July 16, 2017.
- After the refugee suspension period, we expect a very slow resumption of refugee admissions due to lack of travel ready cases and the implementation of whatever new processing protocols are mandated by the White House
- On-going annual refugee arrivals numbers in Rochester are projected be half that experienced in 2016
- CFC will lose significant funding support and capacity to both assist refugees already in Rochester and deliver on-going resettlement core services
In gratitude,
