The Trump administration is cutting the number of refugees allowed into the country by nearly half. This comes as the offices supporting refugees are closing across the country.
The Trump administration announced that 18,000 refugees are allowed to enter the country this coming year. That’s down from 85,000 in 2016.
Jen Smyers is the director of policy and advocacy at Church World Service. This month, their Richmond resettlement office closed.
“With each office you lose the case managers, the expertise, the language abilities the knowledge of the program the relationships with volunteers with businesses,” said Smyers.
Advocates are preparing for more office closures in 2020.
Trump also issued an executive order that requires both states and localities to agree to resettle refugees. Smyers said the areas already resettling refugees have strong community support.
In a written statement to VPM, Governor Northam’s office said Virginia is quote “welcoming to all including those seeking refuge from violence and persecution.”
