Massachusetts Needs a Resettlement Floor

1/3 of Resettlement Offices Ending Services

At least three of Massachusetts’s eleven resettlement agencies will be ending their resettlement programs by the end of this year, decreasing the state’s resettlement capacity by almost one-third.

South Boston, Worcester, and Springfield will be directly impacted, with consequences rippling across the Bay State—particularly Western Massachusetts, which only hosts three resettlement offices.

Catholic Charities of Springfield has already closed their doors to newly-arriving refugees. After eight years of building resettlement infrastructure—“having started in 2017 with 13 arrivals…reaching 318 in the past year” and supporting over 1,500 newcomers total—the Diocese is transitioning away from refugee and immigrant services.

Catholic Charities of Boston and the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success—an affiliate of the Episcopal Church’s nation-wide refugee program ending in October—will also be concluding their resettlement services.

Layoffs of Local Staff

Even those offices that plan to continue providing resettlement services are struggling. Ascentria Care Alliance, which operates offices in West Springfield and Worcester, has “been forced to make layoffs within our programs that assist refugees and immigrants.”

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They continue, “The staff affected by these cuts are deeply dedicated individuals who have spent their careers walking alongside refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives. Losing them is not just a loss for Ascentria—it is a loss for the communities we serve.”

“Never Been More Nervous and Concerned”

The Director of Jewish Family Services MetroWest—located in Framingham—summed up the concerning state of resettlement in Massachusetts:

“Right now, we are facing some of the most challenging times I’ve seen in my 17 years with JFS. I have never been more nervous and concerned. Across our community, we see the impact of shrinking protections and harsh public policies. Families concerned for their safety regardless of their documentation status. Older adults aging alone. Children caught in the crosshairs of uncertainty. . .

The stakes have never been higher. Federal support is shrinking. The Common Wealth’s [sic] cannot cover all the gaps. Needs are growing. And every day, more families, immigrants, and older adults come to our doors looking for help, for safety, for a lifeline.”

The Solution: A Resettlement Floor

Massachusetts needs a resettlement floor.

Without one, the state’s welcoming infrastructure—decades in the making—will continue to shrink. Bay Staters will lose their jobs, refugees will lose their opportunity for safety, and Massachusetts will lose their talents.

Ascentria called on Massachusettsans to speak up to save resettlement: “Now, more than ever, we need your voice. If you are able, please consider advocating for policy change or reaching out to your networks to spread awareness about what is happening.”

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