Senator Eldridge and Representative Howard Request $12 Million in FY21 Supplemental Budget to Aid with Afghan Refugee Resettlement in MA
The funding would be divided between direct individual assistance, legal services, and supporting refugee resettlement agencies
Boston, MA - On October 14, Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and Representative Vanna Howard (D-Lowell) co-authored a letter to the Senate and House Ways and Means Committees requesting the funding of $12 million in a FY21 Supplemental Budget to aid the resettlement of Afghan refugees in the Commonwealth. The state will welcome at least 1,000 Afghan refugees over the next year, and funding would go towards facilitating a smooth entrance into the state. Both Representative Howard and Senator Eldridge have been actively working with resettlement agencies, faith groups, and supportive non-profits in their local districts, to help place Afghan families in the communities that they represent.
“During the war, these Afghan refugees risked their lives, and their families' lives, in working with the U.S. government, our American military servicemen and women, and diplomatic corps in Afghanistan,” said Senator Eldridge. “Now, it is our responsibility and commitment to help them and their loved ones secure a safe resettlement in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I hope that state assistance can be provided to the resettlement agencies that are providing on the ground support to help these Afghan families find a new home in Massachusetts.”
"The matter of refugees is very personal to me - from experiencing the struggle firsthand to working on this matter for almost two decades," said Representative Howard. "This funding is crucial to providing the six resettlement agencies with the support they need to help our new Afghan refugees coming to our Commonwealth. Support of this funding would send a strong message on our Commonwealth's welcoming of incoming refugees and continued embracement of diversity."
The requested $12 million comes from a proposed cost of $5,000 per individual entering the state. Of this $5,000, up to 75% would go towards direct support (clothing, food, and housing), while 25% would support the resettlement agencies providing wraparound services. In addition, $4.5 million would be allocated for legal assistance, dedicated to assisting these individuals in obtaining secure immigration status in the United States with an eventual pathway to citizenship, an arduous and complex process that will take many years.
Read the full letter here.
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