Senator Sean Ryan Announces Major Increase To Refugee Funding Included In State Senate One-House Budget

SENATOR SEAN RYAN ANNOUNCES MAJOR INCREASE TO REFUGEE FUNDING INCLUDED IN STATE SENATE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET

Ryan Rallied with Colleagues for Historic Increase in Funds to Resettlement Agencies in Wake of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

ALBANY – Today, March 14, 2022, New York State Senator Sean Ryan announced details of the Senate Democratic Majority FY 2022-2023 one-house budget resolution, which includes a total of $10 million for New York’s Refugee Resettlement Program, $8 million more than was included in the Executive Budget Proposal. The full resolution can be found here.

In Western New York, agencies such as Journey’s End Refugee Services, Jewish Family Services, Catholic Charities, and the International Institute of Buffalo have served refugees fleeing danger in their home countries for decades. Their work was especially critical in the last year, as they resettled more than 500 Afghan refugees in the Western New York region alone.

More than 90% of refugees coming into New York settle in Upstate communities. Since 2002, more than 16,000 refugees have come to the City of Buffalo, with thousands more settling in places such as Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester. Refugees have helped to stem population losses in Upstate New York communities, and have contributed to economic growth by opening small businesses and employing local workers.

State support has also been essential to the refugee resettlement progress Buffalo has made. Senator Ryan worked to establish New York’s Enhanced Services to Refugees Program in 2017, and last year fought to secure a record $3 million for the program. Since 2017, the program has provided $10 million to support the work done by New York’s refugee resettlement agencies – helping provide essential services such as housing, job training, and childcare – and speed up refugees’ economic integration and progression to self-sustainability. With New York having the largest Ukrainian-American population in the United States, the state is likely to see an influx of Ukrainian refugees in the wake of the Russian war on Ukraine.

Senator Sean Ryan said, “Our region has benefited greatly from its vibrant refugee and immigrant communities, and it’s imperative that we maintain our role as a leading community for displaced people in New York State. With our refugee system still working to recover from the previous administration, and many Ukrainians expected to seek refuge in the United States in the coming months, we must continue to support our local refugee resettlement agencies with robust state investment to ensure that our communities are ready to welcome refugees who need our help.”

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