RICHMOND, Va. — A recent executive order cutting federal funding for refugee resettlement programs has left dozens of families in Virginia facing uncertainty.
The order has not only impacted refugee families but also resulted in job losses for those working with them.
Commonwealth Catholic Charities has supported hundreds of refugee families in their journeys to build new lives in the United States over the past 15 years.
Currently, the organization is assisting 376 people from 14 different countries across Richmond, Roanoke, and Hampton Roads.
As part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Commonwealth Catholic Charities received federal funding to help cover essential services, including housing, food, and transportation.
However, an executive order from the Trump administration in January halted the admissions program, citing concerns that its continuation would be "detrimental to the interests of the U.S."
Jay Brown, CEO of Commonwealth Catholic Charities, expressed the gravity of the situation.
"People have gone from persecution to now, chaos here," he said.
Following the announcement of the funding changes, the organization received a letter suspending its federal contracts, which resulted in the furlough of 26 employees.
Brown said that the future remains uncertain for newly arrived families waiting for work clearance.
"We’re providing for rent, we’re providing for food, we’re providing transportation, we’re providing connections to local offices," Brown explained. "Absent the ability for us to do that, these families have no recourse and they can’t do anything."
"Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, every policy we pursue, must be justified by the answer of one of three questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?" Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations Confirmation Hearing in January 2025.
On a recent Face The Nation, Vice President JD Vance responded to questions about this issue.
"My primary concern as the vice president, Margaret [Brennan], is to look after the American people. And now that we know that we have vetting problems with a lot of these refugee programs, we absolutely cannot unleash thousands of unvetted people into our country. It's not good," he said.
"These people are vetted," Brennan replied.
"Just like the guy who planned a terrorist attack in Oklahoma. He was allegedly properly vetted and many people in the media and the Democratic Party said that he was properly vetted. Clearly he wasn't. I don't want my children to share a neighborhood with people who are not properly vetted, and because I don't want it for my kids, I'm not going to force any other American citizen's kids to do that either," Vance said.
"No, and that was a very particular case. It wasn't clear if he was radicalized when he got here or while he was living... " Brennan said.
"I don't really care, Margaret," Vance said. "I don't want that person in my country, and I think most Americans agree with me."
Katie Dillon, also from Commonwealth Catholic Charities, highlighted safety concerns that prevented impacted families from speaking out about their situation.
"Our clients often feel like they can't have their names out there, that it is dangerous for them and for their family members back home, especially clients or individuals who've come from Afghanistan," Dillon said.
Approximately 20 percent of the refugees the organization assists are from Afghanistan, having arrived under special immigrant visas for working with the U.S. government.
While the visa program remains active, Dillon pointed out that the lack of funding is having severe repercussions on newly arrived Afghans and those still waiting to leave.
"They’ve been working with the U.S. for the last four years to get all of their background screenings, working with different federal agencies, and they finally, finally, just received their visas and their approval to come to the U.S. as refugees. And then in January when all of this started, when the government paused the refugee resettlement program, they were told they couldn’t come," she said.
On February 25, a judge blocked the executive order that stopped the refugee admissions program, requesting federal officials to report on their efforts to resume processing by March 10.
In the meantime, Commonwealth Catholic Charities is appealing for private funding on its website, emphasizing the urgent need for support.
"They arrive here with a promise of building a better life, a brighter future, not just for themselves, but for all of us, and they're in a situation where they don't know where their next meal is coming from. It's desperate... it's heartbreaking, and we're doing everything that we can, but we need help so that we can do more," Brown said.
Commonwealth Catholic Charities partners with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, one of the largest refugee resettlement agencies in the world.
This organization has recently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the suspension of its contracts.
When contacted, the State Department said it could not comment on pending litigation.
The governor's office has also been approached for a statement, with no reply at this time.
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