The arrival of the first family under a refugee resettlement program in the Poughkeepsie area is imminent. This comes as President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order halting the nation’s refugee resettlement program for 120 days.
Church World Service has an office set up at the Family Partnership Center in Poughkeepsie and is ready to help refugees resettle within 50 miles of the city. Sarah Krause is senior director for programs at Church World Service’s Immigration and Refugee Program.
“We are anticipating a Congolese family to be resettled to Poughkeepsie.”
Asked whether it is possible the family could arrive amid or before President Trump’s signing an executive order suspending the program, Krause replies:
“It is indeed.”
She says other families are in line to be resettled to the Poughkeepsie area. Krause says that for Poughkeepsie, a priority is being placed on Congolese and Syrian refugees as well as Iraqis with special immigrant visas.
