Hello all: here is an update on the cut in funding for refugee programs related to the refugee crisis on the Mexican border.  It is written by Jan Reeves, who is the Director of the Idaho Office for Refugees.  It is only by the circumstance that there are fewer numbers of children crossing into the country from Central America that some of the funding is being restored.  As Jan notes here, it looks hopeful that the remainder of funding will be restored.  Wanted to let you all know who may wonder onto my blog site.  

Subject: Latest News on Refugee Funding Issues

Hello all,

Please forgive the multiple emails, but I want to be sure to get this information out as widely as possible.

Thanks so much to all of you who have advocated for restored refugee funding and who have supported refugees in our community and state for so many years. It is so encouraging to know that so many friends and colleagues can stand together in difficult times.  

The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement has announced that because of reduced numbers of children crossing the border in July and increased efficiencies in processing them out of Federal care facilities, HHS has moved to restore $22.5 million of the $94 million that was reprogrammed and will continue to assess the situation in hopes of incrementally restoring the rest of the funding for this year (FY 2014). ORR is “very hopeful” that the full $94 million will be restored by the end of September.

Again, thank you all for your steadfast support and for the energy you have put into speaking up for the refugees in our community. We will continue to update you as the situation evolves. At this point, Congress has recessed for five weeks without completing work on the President’s supplemental request, but legislative action could resume in September.

Best regards,

Jan

Jan A. Reeves | Director

Idaho Office for Refugees | www.idahorefugees.org

Office  208-336-4222 | jreeves@idahorefugees.org