We Need Your Help to Fill the Gaps
By Jessie Mabry, CEO
March 2025
On January 20, the Trump administration issued an executive order indefinitely suspending the US Refugee Admissions Program.
Though the order was meant to go into effect on January 27, the impact was felt almost immediately when 83 individuals we anticipated welcoming had their flights canceled.
Given Sacramento’s Afghan population, every one of these 83 people has loved ones here in Sacramento. Our staff took on the heart wrenching task of calling these family members to share that their loved ones – who had spent years being screened, are at great risk of harm, and had plane tickets in hand – would not make it to Sacramento.
Now, as the executive order is challenged in court, these families are left in limbo while critical travel authorizations expire.
On January 24, the State Department issued stop work orders on all foreign assistance programs, including the Refugee Admissions Program.
This order called for a stop to all work related to refugee resettlement, leaving refugees stranded without access to housing support or basic services. At the time of the order, we were providing resettlement services to 521 refugees – including a young woman we picked up at the airport on the night of January 23.
Making matters worse, we have not been reimbursed by the federal government for work performed under this program since December. Together, the delayed payments and stop work orders leave a critical funding gap of $1.5 million.
Like resettlement agencies nationwide, we had to cut expenses. While we were able to move some individuals into other roles, we had to lay off 15% of our staff. However, we are committed to maintaining services for existing clients and ensuring their integration into their new communities.
Afghans, Ukrainians, and Venezuelans are at risk – including here in Northern California.
Initial guidance on the executive order impacting the Refugee Admissions Program suggested special immigrant visa holders – who had put their lives at risk to support our efforts in Afghanistan – would be exempted. However, on February 28, the US government canceled contracts for the Refugee Admissions Program.
In addition to the 83 canceled flights in January, Opening Doors had already begun planning to welcome an additional 500 individuals in early 2025. Like our other clients, these 500 have US ties in Sacramento – family members they are waiting to be reunified with. These individuals are stranded, either in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Qatar, unable to escape the dangers that continue to threaten their lives. The delay in their resettlement underscores the broken promises made to those who risked everything to support the US.
The US welcomed over 200,000 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion on what is called “humanitarian parole” status, a form of temporary immigration status issued for urgent humanitarian reasons. Reports suggest the potential termination of humanitarian parole for those that entered the US through Uniting for Ukraine. This will leave these humanitarian parolees – including 50 individuals receiving our services – vulnerable to deportation and at risk of losing their work authorization.
Beyond our Afghan and Ukrainian neighbors, Venezuelans are also at risk. We anticipate an upcoming end to Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans on April 7. This will revoke their legal protections, and the work permits associated with them. This will leave these individuals without the means to support their families and at risk of deportation to the dangerous conditions they escaped from.