The nonprofit Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services operates several different programs. However, its refugee program, which helps refugees resettle in the United States, was told to "stop work" after the federal government pulled funding.
The refugees are not undocumented and are legally allowed to be in the United States under the refugee program. Many come from war-torn countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, and other parts of the world where their lives are in danger. Last year, ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska profiled a man from the Congo who was recently helped by Gulf Coast JFCS and recently became an American citizen.
On Jan. 28, Gulf Coast JFCS received a "notice of stop work order" from HIAS, the agency Gulf Coast JFCS subcontracts under to receive federal funds. The notice follows Mr. Trump's executive order calling for a Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
The letter from HIAS stated, "the U.S. government has notified HIAS that all programmatic and financial activities related to the cooperative agreements that fund the subject subaward with your organization are suspended immediately and until further notice. The U.S. Government is conducting a review of all programs funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, to determine the next steps regarding the continuation, modification, or termination of all active cooperative agreements."
ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska interviewed Dr. Sandra Braham, the President and CEO of Gulf Coast JFCS.
"It's very disturbing. It's inhumane, and we can't walk away and leave them stranded," Dr. Braham said. "Because the hotels will obviously put them out on the street. And where would they go? Where would they go? Homeless shelters? Good luck finding space."
As a nonprofit, Dr. Braham said they do not have the resources to continue their work helping refugees. She is urging anyone who can help to donate to Gulf Coast JFCS. This link provides several ways people can donate.
Dr. Braham fought back tears, pausing to collect herself and continue the interview.
On Jan. 17, Dr. Braham said 179 refugees arrived in Tampa to be resettled in the Bay Area with help from Gulf Coast JFCS.
"We are required to support them, initially for 90 days. We receive $1,325 per individual; not monthly, one time, to help them to resettle in the United States in a 90-day period. And so with that, we are helping them to find housing. We are trying to pay their first and last month's rent to get them started."
However, when the money runs out, the services will likely stop.
"Of course, we are going to go in the hole unless there is someone who can help us not go in the hole to do this, but it is not indefinite. We can't bankrupt the whole agency to do this," Dr. Braham said. "It's based on the resources that we have that we are able to do it; we cannot bankrupt the agency. If it is 30 days, that's all we can do then, then we humanely have done what we can, but we didn't stop today. And what many people don't understand is when you are contracting and subcontracting with the federal government and the state, we are expected to fork out all of this money, millions of dollars in advance, provide the services and then be reimbursed. And so we have already fronted millions of dollars, in some cases, for federal programs that we are awaiting a return on our investment, and we have provided the services. In the case of refugees, we provide those services. But again, we have families that have just arrived, and our order basically said, any services that you provide after the 24th you will likely not be reimbursed, and we can't guarantee that."
The letter from HIAS told the nonprofit to "operate at their own risk."
Stating, "Your organization must immediately stop all activities funded under the subject subaward agreements and may not incur or charge any new costs related to said agreements after Jan. 24, 2025. All programmatic and financial activities under these agreements must be paused until further notice, and your organization must cancel as many outstanding financial and contractual obligations related to this agreement as possible. No activities can be implemented, and no funds can be spent pursuant to these agreements until HIAS explicitly authorizes implementing activities and incurring expenses in writing."
Dr. Braham said nearly 50 employees who work as case managers for refugees could potentially lose their jobs. The nonprofit needs help from public and private partnerships to continue operating. Over the past two years, Gulf Coast JFCS resettled 3,000 refugees.
The money, now on pause, from the federal government is around $550,000. The nonprofit has other programs that help the community, not related to refugees, but it can't take money from one program to fund the other.
They also have to raise money for wrap around services for refugees that the $1325 the government gives them per person isn't enough to cover.
That is why they haveRefugee Assistance THRIVE Fund.
"How much would you need to keep going, stay afloat, and not have this hinder your services?" Paluska asked.
"I would say about $700,000," Dr. Braham said. "We have a whole host of other refugee services that are funded directly from the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Those are not on a cease work order yet. And I want to be clear: those funds are for different programs and different services, so they can't be co-mingled and take the place of these other funds. And so those programs are still operating. But, we're on pins and needles about that."
"What is the most important thing for the viewer watching that you want to relate to them right now?" Paluska asked.
"I think the most important thing is to remember who we are as Americans, that we are supposed to be humane, and people are in need, and we come together as Americans in that time of need, and we need their help," Dr. Braham said. "We can be America first without turning our back on the people that we've invited to be Americans."
According to the Migration Policy Institute, under the Biden Administration, "a record 100,034 refugees resettled in the United States in fiscal year (FY) 2024 represent the largest resettlement number in 30 years and a remarkable rebound from the approximately 11,400 admissions three years earlier(under the Trump administration)—the lowest in the U.S. refugee program's history."
