Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday introduced that $20 million has been awarded to 17 community-based organizations that assist Caribbean and different refugees turn into employed whereas adjusting to their new properties in New York.
Most of the migrants arriving in New York, after crossing the southern border of the US, are nationals from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Hochul mentioned the Refugee Assist Companies Program, which is funded by the federal Workplace of Refugee Resettlement, continues to be “a basic a part of the state’s profitable efforts to resettle refugees in communities throughout New York.
“New York State has a proud historical past of welcoming these displaced by violence or fleeing persecution with open arms,” she mentioned. “These investments will elevate up refugee communities, and characterize our unwavering dedication to the likelihood and promise they convey to our state.”
Hochul mentioned the Refugee Assist Companies Program supplies companies together with addressing obstacles to employment, akin to social and cultural adjustment, job search expertise, work expertise and English proficiency.
She mentioned transitional companies are additionally offered to make sure continued employment and to boost alternatives for development.
The governor mentioned the Workplace of Non permanent and Incapacity Help’s Refugee Companies bureau is liable for the implementation of packages and companies to help refugees in New York State.
She mentioned federal sources are directed to native entities that assist refugees and their households, in addition to others in an analogous immigration standing, to realize financial and social self-sufficiency.
Workplace of Non permanent and Incapacity Help Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn mentioned, “New York’s heritage is closely influenced by our willingness to simply accept and assist individuals fleeing persecution, violence, and intolerance overseas. As we acknowledged World Refugee Day this week, we proceed that proud custom by offering a protected haven for these people and households, together with the help they should begin life anew in our state.”
Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley mentioned, “New York has all the time been a protected haven for people fleeing violence and persecution. We acknowledge the numerous contributions of our refugee and immigrant populations, and thru the Division of State’s Workplace for New People, we work to help and uplift these people as they transition to a brand new life right here in our State. This $20 million award builds on these efforts and can assist present refugees with the instruments they should succeed and thrive in at this time’s job market.”
Hochul mentioned 17 not-for-profit refugee companies suppliers throughout the state had been awarded funding to supply employment and transitional help companies to assist just lately resettled refugees and their households adapt to life within the U.S.
Recipients embrace: New York Metropolis: Catholic Charities Neighborhood Companies, Archdiocese of New York – NYC, $802,400; Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Seashore Inc., $1,469,300; CAMBA Inc., $400,000; Middle for Household Life in Sundown Park Inc., $548,679; and El Barrio’s Operation Battle Again Inc., $410,000.
Lengthy Island: Catholic Charities of Lengthy Island, $288,500; Mid-Hudson: Catholic Charities Neighborhood Companies, Archdiocese of New York – Metro, $333,500; and Capital Area: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Inc., $1,784,700.
Hochul mentioned New York State welcomed practically 4,200 refugees or people on Particular Immigrant Visas between October 2022 via September 2023, with most of those people resettling in communities upstate.
The governor mentioned refugees are essentially the most scrutinized and vetted people to journey to the US. Previous to resettling, they endure quite a few safety checks by intelligence businesses, together with bio-metric assessments, medical screenings, and in-person interviews with US Division of Homeland Safety officers.
“Refugees dwelling in New York make vital contributions to the state’s economic system as earners, taxpayers, and customers, in line with a examine by the New American Economic system,” Hochul mentioned. “Refugee households earned an estimated $6.2 billion yearly and contribute roughly $2 billion in federal, state and native taxes.”
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York Government Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan mentioned, “Catholic Charities is happy to proceed its partnership with New York State to supply employment and social help companies to newcomers to New York – refugees, these granted asylum, victims of human trafficking, and humanitarian parolees. Those that have arrived to New York Metropolis and the Decrease Hudson Valley are in want of help to combine and rebuild their lives of their new dwelling. New immigrants and refugees revitalize and strengthen our communities.”
Middle for Household Life In Sundown Park Co-Government Director Julia Jean-Francois mentioned, “Middle for Household Life in Sundown Park is deeply honored to take part within the New York State Refugee Assist Companies Program, which is being carried out by the New York State Workplace of Non permanent Incapacity Help. We’re dedicated to offering employment helps in addition to wrap round social companies helps to refugees and their households in Brooklyn, and we’re delighted to welcome a few of our latest New Yorkers to our vibrant group. Refugees convey their willpower, drive, hopes and desires for vivid futures to our Metropolis and we see the significant contribution that refugees and their relations make daily to a robust and resilient New York.”
CAMBA, Inc. President and CEO Valerie Barton-Richardson mentioned, “As a nonprofit receiving this funding, CAMBA is devoted to serving refugees, and we’re proud to be among the many 17 suppliers throughout the state to obtain funding to help this susceptible inhabitants. Refugees convey immense worth to New York State, each culturally and economically, and we’re dedicated to serving to them adapt to life within the U.S. With this funding, we will proceed offering important companies akin to direct job placement and retention help resulting in self-sufficiency. These companies assist refugees construct profitable lives of their new communities.”
Final week, New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday welcomed President Joe Biden’s govt order increasing work authorization for longtime undocumented Caribbean and different immigrants.
On Tuesday, Biden introduced new actions that might help the power of undocumented Caribbean and different immigrants to work and stay in the US with their households with out worry of deportation, whereas they pursue a pathway to authorized standing.
Final month, Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson led a coalition of 40 Cities for Motion mayors in calling for expanded work authorization for long-term undocumented immigrants.
The letter argued that extending work authorization could be an financial profit to your entire nation.
On Tuesday, Adams thanked and congratulated Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration as a complete for the “daring, compassionate management they’ve proven over the previous few weeks.”
“New York Metropolis is a metropolis of immigrants, and, over the previous two centuries, tens of millions have come to our metropolis, and our nation, in pursuit of the American Dream. They didn’t count on it to be handed to them — they got here to work for it,” mentioned Adams, stating that Biden has “introduced that dream a step nearer to actuality for thus many as soon as once more.
“The manager orders the president has issued over the previous few weeks will convey order to the border, reduction to cities throughout the nation, and alternative to tens of millions who’ve needed to work under-the-table, far too typically in harmful jobs that don’t pay dwelling wages as a result of the workers weren’t capable of work legally,” he added.
Adams mentioned immigrants helped by Biden’s govt order on Tuesday are “our neighbors, our group leaders and our mother and father.
“They’ve been in the US for years, paying taxes and enriching the material of our nation,” he mentioned.
However the mayor mentioned, whereas President Biden’s govt orders over the previous weeks will probably be “an incredible assist, the actual fact stays that excessive Republicans in Congress have refused to go any type of complete immigration reform or applicable the funding that cities like New York want.
“The time for Congress to place politics apart and reform our immigration system is now,” he mentioned. “Thousands and thousands of immigrants, 1000’s of companies, and a nation constructed by those that got here to our shores able to work for a greater life demand it.”
In making the announcement on Tuesday, Biden mentioned this new course of will assist sure noncitizen spouses and kids apply for lawful everlasting residence – “standing that they’re already eligible for – with out leaving the nation.”
“These actions will promote household unity and strengthen our economic system, offering a big profit to the nation and serving to US residents and their noncitizen relations keep collectively,” he mentioned.
As a way to be eligible, Biden mentioned noncitizens should – as of Jun. 17, 2024 – have resided in the US for 10 or extra years and be legally married to a US citizen, whereas satisfying all relevant authorized necessities.
On common, he mentioned those that are eligible for this course of have resided within the US for 23 years.
The president mentioned those that are authorised after Division of Homeland Safety’s (DHS) case-by-case evaluation of their software will probably be afforded a three-year interval to use for everlasting residency.
“They are going to be allowed to stay with their households in the US and be eligible for work authorization for as much as three years,” Biden mentioned. “This can apply to all married {couples} who’re eligible.”
He mentioned this motion will defend about half one million spouses of US residents, and about 50,000 noncitizen kids beneath the age of 21 whose mum or dad is married to a US citizen.
Biden mentioned the brand new coverage will permit immigrants, together with DACA recipients and different Dreamers, younger individuals who had been dropped at America as kids, who’ve earned a level at an accredited US establishment of upper training, and who’ve acquired a suggestion of employment from a US employer in a subject associated to their diploma, to extra shortly obtain work visas.
“Recognizing that it’s in our nationwide curiosity to make sure that people who’re educated within the US are in a position to make use of their expertise and training to profit our nation, the administration is taking motion to facilitate the employment visa course of for many who have graduated from faculty and have a high-skilled job supply, together with DACA recipients and different Dreamers,” he mentioned.
Biden famous that, 12 years in the past, he, as vice chairman, and President Barack Obama introduced the DACA program “to permit our younger individuals to dwell and work in the one nation they’ve referred to as dwelling.”
Since then, he mentioned DACA has offered greater than 800,000 Dreamers with the power to “work lawfully, pursue an training, open companies, and contribute their monumental skills to make our communities higher and stronger.”
“On Day Considered one of my administration, I despatched a complete immigration reform plan to Congress to guard Dreamers and their households,” Biden mentioned. “Whereas Vice President (Kamala) Harris and I’ll proceed combating for our Dreamers, solely Congress can present everlasting and lasting stability for them and their households. Congress should nonetheless act.”
