Staff cuts and shifting priorities hit refugee philanthropy after Trump administration's orders

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MIAMI (AP) — The Trump administration's 180-degree turn on refugee policy has forced the philanthropic sector to refocus its resettlement services.

The nonprofits tasked with identifying American sponsors and connecting recent arrivals with on-the-ground necessities say they are making the most of limited resources. But the suspension of their federal funding has brought whiplash after a four-year period of increased arrivals gave new wind to their missions.

“The State Department’s stop-work order has had a sweeping impact across our sector, leaving many employees furloughed or without a job altogether,” Community Sponsorship Hub Executive Director Annie Nolte-Henning said.

New pathways — including a Biden-era program empowering ordinary Americans to personally welcome refugees — increased U.S. resettlement capacity. But new foreign aid restrictions and the State Department’s stop-work order have brought staff cuts at the nonprofits responsible for their implementation.

The Community Sponsorship Hub laid off “a significant portion” of staff after the stop-work order, according to Nolte-Henning. Church World Services furloughed more than half its U.S.-based staff. An International Rescue Committee spokesperson confirmed that the global aid organization cut thousands of personnel through layoffs and furloughs.

Philanthropists had hoped to rally supporters in anticipation of some reversals. Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash encouraged sponsors to submit applications as soon as possible after the election, especially for refugees who had already completed processing.

Ed Shapiro, a leading Welcome Corps funder, launched a campaign in November to cover all necessary costs for sponsors interested in matching with refugees. He said the push yielded 90 new group applications.

While The Shapiro Foundation — where he is a trustee — was reshaping domestic resettlement programs, he said, they were also developing likeminded projects globally. He plans to continue fostering refugee services in countries including Canada, Germany and Japan.

In the meantime, he said, the foundation is funding dozens of local resettlement offices that have had to reduce services.

“That’s critically important, but it’s short-term” Shapiro said in an email. “We need to wait and see what the administration does after its 90-day review.”

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