Latest news with #CatholicCommunityServicesofUtah
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Catholic Community Services will keep Utah refugee resettlement program alive
Earlier this month, Catholic Community Services of Utah announced plans to end its longstanding refugee resettlement program after the Trump administration cut off its annual $2.5 million in federal funding. But on Monday the relief organization found a way to operate independently thanks to private donors and community partners who provided $1.5 million to help continue the work on a smaller scale over the next four years. CCS Utah is seeking an additional $1 million in donations to keep the program going through 2029 and beyond. 'We're grateful our community is stepping up and helping us,' said Aden Batar, the charitable organization's director of Migration and Refugee Services. The donations allow CCS Utah, which helps incoming refugees adapt to life in America, to maintain its commitment to refugee families in Utah while adapting to a changing national landscape. He said there are currently more than 300 families that it will provide services for over the next four years. Refugees can still come and 'their needs will be taken care of without any worries. We'll make sure that refugees are successfully integrated into our community. We'll also make sure they become self-sufficient,' Batar said. With federal funding suspended, including money that was allocated but was withdrawn, CCS Utah spent about $1 million the government no longer has clear plans to reimburse. The program incurs about $75,000 in monthly housing-related costs alone. CCS Utah had already let go 25 employees and those who remained have increased case loads but few resources available to help the refugees resettle. Its other programs, including Immigration Services, Refugee Foster Care, and Basic Needs in Salt Lake City and Ogden, remain active and fully staffed. If federal support is reinstated, CCS hopes to restore the program to its previous capacity. At the same time, it would maintain aspects of the new community-supported model to create a sustainable public-private partnership, said Kearstin Fernandez, CCS communications director. President Donald Trump paused refugee arrivals to the United States for three months on Jan. 20th, the day he took office. The 90 days came and went on April 20, but people working in the field of refugee resettlement still don't know what to expect as the ban remains indefinitely suspended. A federal appeals court ruled in March that the Trump administration can stop approving new refugees for entry into the U.S. but must allow in more than 10,000 people who were conditionally accepted before the president suspended the nation's refugee admissions system. The abrupt pause left Utah families expecting to be reunited with relatives this year heartbroken, including Farhiyo Ahmed and Ali Aden, and their four young soon-to-be-five children. The Somali family was expecting Ahmed's parents and her brother to arrive in Los Angeles on Jan. 16 but the devastating Southern California wildfires canceled their flight. Four days later, Trump issued the refugee ban executive order. They sold or gave away everything they owned, including their goats, in anticipation of coming to America. They bought winter clothes that they can't wear in the heat of Kenya. 'I miss all the happiness,' Ahmed told the Deseret News in February. They weren't the only refugee family in Utah that had their hopes for reuniting with their loved ones dashed because of Trump's order. Others Catholic Community Services was expecting to resettle were put on indefinite hold as well. Between Oct. 1, 2024 and Jan. 22, 2025, 300 refugees were welcomed by the agency to Utah, part of the 125,000 approved nationally to come to the U.S in fiscal 2025. Last year, 700 refugees were resettled in Utah with help from CCS. CCS Utah doesn't know if it will see new arrivals this year or if the federal government will restore its funding. Fernandez said the Utah program is not enrolling new clients because of the pause. 'Should refugee admissions resume, we hope to resettle additional clients,' she said. Catholic Community Services also represents unaccompanied minors — youths without parents, a close relative who can care for them or someone here with a provable claim to custody. There are about 126 unaccompanied minors who are already in Utah, but whose cases are not yet completed and CCS Utah has the contract to represent them in immigration court. Without funding, those children's immigration court representation status is in limbo.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Utah community joins the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis
SALT LAKE CITY () — After months of dealing with pneumonia, the Vatican announced that on Monday at the age of 88, and the Utah community is among those mourning his passing. The Catholic Community Services of Utah, a non-profit assisting those in need, told that Pope Francis' unwavering commitment to people experiencing poverty, those who have been displaced and are facing hardship reflects the very heart of their mission. Pope Francis dies at 88 'Pope Francis reminded us, through word and action, that to serve others is to serve Christ himself,' Catholic Community Services of Utah said in a statement. 'As we grieve this profound loss, we are inspired to continue his legacy by building a more just, merciful, and loving world.' The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it too was joining the world in mourning Pope Francis' passing, calling his leadership courageous and compassionate. 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to all who looked to him for inspiration and counsel. As the world pauses to remember his example of forgiveness and service, we feel deep gratitude for the goodness of a life well lived and rejoice in the hope of a glorious resurrection made possible through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ,' said the Church of Jesus Christ. President Russell M. Nelson met with Pope Francis in the Vatican in 2019. Nelson called the 33-minute meeting the 'most cordial, unforgettable experience' and praised Francis for his gracious and warm welcome. Utah's political leaders shared their condolences with Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-District 3), saying his thoughts and prayers went out to all those in mourning with Francis' passing. Sen. John Curtis (R) added his condolences saying Francis lived an exemplary life marked by humility and compassion. 'As we mourn his loss, Sue and I pray for those who turned to him for guidance and encouragement, including those in Utah's Catholic community,' said Curtis. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said her and her husband, Gabe, said they were joining the world in mourning in a statement saying, 'He cared about people on the margins, the most needy and vulnerable among us, and reminded us all that our first duty is to love and serve others. May we follow his example.' Pope Francis was the first Latin American pontiff in the religion's history and served for 12 years. According to the Associated Press, he made his last appearance in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday the day before he died. ABC4 has reached out to others within the community for reaction and will update this story as we hear back. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Utah Catholic Community Services suspends refugee resettlement
Catholic Community Services of Utah is winding down its Refugees Resettlement program amid uncertainty about its future and a funding deficit created by new federal policy. While the agency plans to continue serving refugees already in its care, no new refugees will be served. The agency is asking Utahns for gifts of both time and other resources to see that those who have been recently resettled in Utah can get the help they need to adapt and thrive. Between Oct. 1, 2024 and January 22, 2025, 300 refugees were welcomed by the agency to Utah, part of the 125,000 approved nationally to come to the U.S. in 2025, said Aden Batar, the charitable organization's director of Migration and Refugee Services. Last year, 700 refugees were resettled in Utah with help from CCS, which is tasked with helping incoming refugees adapt to life in America. The agency arranges housing, utilities, helps refugees find jobs and navigate enrolling children in school and aids in other tasks during the initial period of resettlement. Now, with funding suspended, including money that was allocated but has been withdrawn, CCS Utah has already spent about $1 million the federal government no longer has clear plans to reimburse. And every month, CCS Utah incurs about $75,000 in housing-related costs alone, with no idea where the money will come from now, said Batar. He's hoping the community of caring Utahns will step up. The agency expects to provide some support to the new arrivals through mid 2026. 'Our goal is to keep people in their homes so they don't become homeless,' Batar said. 'We are desperately looking to the community to cover the gap.' He added that in the 30 years he's worked in this program, 'for the first time, I am worried.' Volunteers, especially the Refugee Family Mentors, are also an important piece in helping newly arrived refugees do well in their new country and community. The immigration program at Catholic Community Services represents unaccompanied minors — youths without parents, a close relative who can care for them or someone here with a provable claim to custody. There are now about 126 unaccompanied minors who are already in Utah, but whose cases are not yet completed in the courts and CCS Utah has the contract to represent them in immigration court. Without funding, those children's immigration court representation status is in limbo. Some of the children are 5 or 6 years old, said Batar, who noted he can't imagine how they could go to court and represent themselves. Last week the federal government terminated the contract that would help them, including by providing immigration attorneys to help complete their cases so they can be placed into the appropriate social service-type programs. The refugees who recently arrived and need help, including the unaccompanied minors, are the agency's two big needs at the moment, said Batar, adding the United States approved their arrivals and should be obligated to help them. When Donald Trump took office in January, he said he would pause refugee arrivals and within 90 days see how refugee resettlement aligned with U.S. interests. That 90 days is up April 20, but people working in the field of refugee resettlement don't know what to expect. The Refugee Act of 1980, approved by Congress, prevents 'zeroing out' the program entirely. The number of allowed arrivals and the categories are set each year. The Biden administration set the target number for last year at 125,000. Advocates for refugees have hoped that while there might be some changes as the program is reviewed and possibly scaled back or beefed up, as Batar put it — but no one knows what the future holds. Initially, refugee arrivals were canceled until an appeals court allowed those already at a certain stage in the process and were approved to enter the country. Meanwhile, CCS Utah has already let go of 25 employees and those who remain have big caseloads but few resources available to help the refugees resettle. While the resettlement program is winding down, other Catholic Community Service programs, including the Immigration and Refugee Foster Care will continue. So will the six Basic Needs programs in Salt Lake City and Ogden. In a news release, CCS Utah said it 'continues to adapt its services to meet the needs of Utah's most vulnerable populations.' For more information or to help, visit
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Utah agency rented apartments, bought food for refugee families. Now they're on hold
Farhiyo Ahmed looked forward to going for a walk. The pregnant Somali refugee would let her parents watch her four kids, under age 8, while she took a little time for herself. But now they're not coming from a refugee camp in Kenya where they have spent much of their lives and where the 24-year-old Ahmed and her 26-year-old husband, Ali Aden, were both born. On his first day in office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump suspended all refugee resettlements within the U.S. for at least 90 days. Ahmed's parents and brother were scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles on Jan. 16 but the devastating Southern California wildfires canceled their flight. Four days later, Trump issued his executive order. They sold or gave away everything they owned, including their goats, in anticipation of coming to America. They bought winter clothes that they can't wear in the heat of Kenya. They're back at the refugee camp trying to make do. Through her Catholic Community Services of Utah case manager Abdifatah Wanow, a Somali refugee himself, Ahmed said the bad news left her stressed and with a headache. She's still feeling that way now. Ahmed and Aden and their four children, ages 7, 6, 5 and 2, resettled in Utah last June. The kids were excited to see their grandparents again. Ahmed hoped they could live in the same apartment complex. She made a traditional Somali meat dish that takes weeks to prepare that she wasn't able to share with them. 'I miss all the happiness,' Ahmed said in Somali, with translation from Wanow. They weren't the only refugee family in Utah that had their hopes for reuniting with their loved ones dashed because of Trump's order. Catholic Community Services, one of the two refugee resettlement agencies in the state, had rented an apartment and notified family members of their relatives' arrival only to learn their flight was abruptly canceled the day after Trump took office. 'We had to break that heartbreaking news to their loved ones who were waiting. We even bought some of the family food for that evening they were going to come,' said Aden Batar, director of immigration and refugee services for Catholic Community Services of Utah. Batar said Community Catholic Services lost 'several thousand dollars' paying first and last month's rent and buying furniture for a family that didn't come. The resettlement pause has created 'a lot of chaos,' he said. 'We don't know at this point when the refugee arrivals will resume. Many of the families that are here are so scared. A lot of them don't want to talk to the media because they're afraid ICE will come and knock on their doors,' Batar said. One of the program's clients was recently stopped by ICE and didn't have his identification documents, he said. Agents let him go but told him to keep his papers with him from now on. 'There's a lot of fear the people are facing,' Batar said of refugees. 'The ICE agents that are going out in the community, they don't know the difference. Anyone who looks different they're stopping and asking for their legal status.' During his first term, Trump cut annual refugee admittance caps to a historic low of about 15,000. That led to funding cuts that crippled or closed some U.S. resettlement organizations. Former President Joe Biden restored the program that resettled more than 100,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024, reaching a 30-year high, USA Today reported. Last September, Biden signed the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2025, with a goal to admit 125,000 resettled refugees to the United States starting Oct. 1. About 44,000 entered the country before the executive order, according to HIAS, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees, per USA Today. From last October until January, Utah had resettled about 250 refugees and was expecting another 300 to 400 through the end of September, Batar said. 'The program is well-coordinated and well-organized. We've been doing this for many years. It's not overwhelming the system. It's not overwhelming the community,' he said. 'But now the (Trump) administration is saying the refugee resettlement is not aligning with American interests. I don't know where that is coming from because we've been doing this program since the '80s.' This week, several individuals and refugee resettlement organizations, including Church World Service, HIAS and Lutheran Community Services Northwest asked a federal judge in Washington state to restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, per USA Today. They allege the indefinite suspension is unlawful and is causing irreparable harm. Batar said Catholic Community Services intends to care for refugees, which includes transportation, housing, food, health care and job training, even if the federal government doesn't reimburse the organization. 'This is going to be creating a lot of disruption of our services but we'll continue serving people because the refugees don't know where else to go,' he said. Ahmed and Aden and their four — soon to be five — children arrived in Utah after a seven-year wait. Trump's first-term caps on refugees kept them from moving in 2017 and it was another three years into the Biden administration before they resettled in 2024. The family lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Millcreek. Worn leather sofas covered in blankets and a large screen TV on a table are the only living room furniture. A bicycle rests in a corner. The kitchen table only has a couple of chairs. The white walls are bare. Aden works at a refugee center where he is also learning a trade. He called Utah 'nice' and doesn't mind the snow. The three oldest children attend the local elementary school. They're learning English and practicing writing the alphabet. During our visit, Ahmed called her younger brother, Shuri Ahmed, who lives in Logan, on a video chat. 'I'm so sad because I miss all my family,' he said, through the fractured screen on his sister's cellphone. Ahmed said through Wanow that she's new in the country and doesn't understand how things work when it comes to refugee resettlement. She doesn't know if her parents will ever make it to Utah. Maybe she'll find out in 90 days.
