10-03-2025
A refugee welcome center will open in Des Moines despite federal actions
Polk County is continuing with a $3.7 million immigrant welcome center despite the federal government's suspended refugee program, Sarah Boese, the county's deputy administrator, tells Axios.
Driving the news: Lutheran Services in Iowa will lay off about 30 staff members and cease immigrant and refugee resettlement services next month, we exclusively reported yesterday.
State of play: Supervisors approved the Global Neighbors immigrant and refugee welcome center project in December.
It will include a computer lab, classrooms, and office space for nonprofits that assist people in employment, housing, and education.
What they're saying: The center was always intended to help people after their initial 90-day services ended at resettlement agencies like LSI, Boese said.
"We know that there are thousands of individuals and families that are already here legally and will continue to have unmet needs," Boese said.
What's next: The center is expected to open late this year.
