Refugee assistance agencies rally to maintain federal program

[WNYresident]

Refugee assistance agencies rally to maintain federal program

Refugee assistance agencies and elected officials are sounding the alarm about a federal plan under consideration to cut all refugee admissions into the country next year, and the potential impact on the Buffalo region.
The Western New York Refugee and Asylee Consortium (WNYRAC) disucssed the matter on Friday at the offices of Catholic Charities of Buffalo.

https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/..._news_headline

[WNYresident]

Jewish Family Services sent an email to supporters Friday morning urging people to speak out. The agency pointed to the impact of refugees on the Western New York region, which it says is home to 150,000 refugees whose talents and diversity make the city a stronger community.

I thought I read that ~14,000 refugees have been imported into Erie County over the last 10 or so years. Where is this 150,000 figure coming from?

“We see refugees rolling up their sleeves and contributing to this community. It’s a cost-positive program, especially to an area like this,” she said.

How so? What is spent by the USA per year for each refugee family that is brought into Buffalo?

What skill sets do the refugees have that we don't already have in Erie County?

The financial impact is significant: Refugees and immigrants contributed $3.1 billion to the Buffalo metropolitan area’s GDP in 2014 – making up 5.7 percent of the area's total GDP of $54.5 billion that year, according to a report by International Institute and the New American Economy.

I read there were about 14000 refugees in Buffalo. If we take 3,100,000,000 / 14000 = $221,428 per refugee. How can this be?

[4248]

Funding boondoggles - this is part of what their fighting over :


New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance selected Catholic Charities for a New York State Refugee Social Services Program (RSSP) award of up to $2,721,950,00

Temporary and Disability Assistance, Office : The FY 2019 Executive Budget recommends $5.7 billion for the agency. This is an increase of approximately $81 million from the FY 2018 budget. The increase primarily reflects increased authority to accommodate updated public assistance caseload projections.