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The U.S. State Department suspended funding to a number of groups that assist refugees with housing, job placement, legal services and more as part of a broad crackdown based on Trump's Executive Order, Realigning The United States Refugee Admissions Program.

The order says, "The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees."

The U.S. State Department ​“stop work order” took effect on Friday, Jan 24, at 5pm.

According to the New Haven Independent, a total of $4M in federal funding to IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, has been frozen, including a $3M contract to resettle refugee families and a separate $1M contract under the Welcome Corps to help 15-20 organizations sponsor refugee families.

The decision to halt funding took effect immediately, so IRIS is now trying to fundraise from the community to cover the budget "shortfall".

About IRIS

IRIS is a non-profit agency whose mission is to help refugees and displaced people establish new lives by forming an "equitable community" in partnership with the federal government. The organization says it "empowers refugees and immigrants to become self-sufficient and integrated into their new communities" in Connecticut. It maintains offices in New Haven and Hartford, and partners with over 50 community groups in the state.

IRIS provides six services for refugees and immigrants, including illegals, who are settling in Connecticut:

• Housing - furniture, groceries, household goods, toys, books
• Employment - career counseling, job skills training, help to find jobs
• Health care - help with medical appointments, physical and mental health programs, community programs and social groups (e.g., sports, sewing groups)
• Immigration legal services - reuniting with family, applying for green cards, deportation defense
• Education - English classes, public school, summer school, college, and educational daycare for infants and toddlers
• Case management services - help to navigate complicated community resources, apply for public benefits and other resoures, etc.

Illegal immigrants are assisted through IRIS's SUN (Services for Undocumented Neighbors) Program.

The SUN program aims to help illegal immigrants "become strong self-advocates with an awareness of how to access what they need."

“Our mission for this program is to connect clients to the resources they need to meet their basic needs and thrive in their communities. We aim for our clients to be able to advocate for themselves and their families. Our services are universal and focus on undocumented low-income people of color,” the IRIS website states.

The SUN program is available to illegal immigrants who live in the city of New Haven or surrounding towns – including West Haven, East Haven, Hamden, and North Haven.

The only difference between legal and illegal immigrants, says IRIS, is that illegal immigrants "enter the United States without official authorization to live and work here" for a "variety of reasons, including fear of persecution, economic necessity, or to be close to family members." 

IRIS’s budget grew from approximately $4M in 2021 to approximately $8M in 2022 and was approximately $12M in 2023.

Now the budget is $4M smaller.

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