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July 08. 2012 10:47PM
Agency hopes to settle more refugees in Manchester
MANCHESTER — The International Institute of New Hampshire hopes to resettle another 200 refugees in the city through next year, even as city officials say their sometimes strained relationship with the organization is improving.
The revelation last year that IINH would seek to bring 200 refugees to the city this year prompted Mayor Ted Gatsas to issue a harsh letter to the U.S. State Department, which oversees the refugee program, faulting its “complete and utter lack of consideration for the local resettlement community.”
Pointing to challenges many of the thousands of refugees already in the city face, Gatsas has sought a moratorium on new arrivals, and he called on the Executive Council to withhold federal contracts to IINH and other resettlement agencies.
Gatsas has said IINH, which is part of the Boston-based International Institute of New England, has not been open about its plans or responsive to the city’s concerns.
Gatsas acknowledged that things have improved in recent weeks since a new director, Nasir Arush, took charge of the local office two months ago.
“Communication has picked up,” he said.
Arush said in addition to meeting with the mayor, he’s met with the city’s refugee task force, the police chief and the heads of the health and welfare departments.
“People here are really welcoming, and we really look forward to working with the mayor and for them to be a part of this process,” Arush said.
While the State Department approved the International Institute’s request to settle 200 refugees in Manchester in its 2012 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 31, so far only 84 refugees have arrived.
Arush said the lower arrival rate is part of a national trend.
The majority of the refugees that have come this year and that IINH wants to resettle next year are from members of a persecuted ethnic group in Bhutan and have spent years in camps in Nepal. Nearly all of the refugees have immediate family in the city and are being settled under a reunification program, Arush said.
Still, Gatsas said he was concerned that IINH wanted to resettle another 200 refugees in the city.
“My question is whether the 75 refugees they’ve resettled (as of May 31) all have jobs,” he said.
He also said while communication has improved with IINH, he couldn’t say the same for the state office in charge of refugee matters, the Office of Minority Health and Refugee Affairs.
“The city is supposed to have some input, as we discussed last year,” Gatsas said, referring to local agencies’ resettlement applications to the State Department. “The state office last time reported that our refugees were 86 percent employed — I don’t think that number’s even close.”
While the State Department is responsible for approving the number of refugees sought by a local agency, officials coordinate with the state office on the application. The state office is also responsible for disbursing the millions of dollars in federal funding that go to resettlement agencies.
The comment period for the resettlement requests begins July 20 and ends Aug. 8. During that time the state office will seek input from a number of stakeholders, including the Refugee Advisory Council, according to state refugee coordinator Barbara Seebart. Manchester Alderman Pat Long, who has been closely involved in refugee issues, is a member of the panel.
“We’re happy to work with the mayor in whatever way we’re able to help refugees settle successfully in Manchester,” Seebart said.
Manchester has been the primary destination for refugees in New Hampshire over the past decade. More than 2,200 had come to Manchester as of 2010, according to city figures.
The target of 200 refugees a year is a reduction from the average of 300 that have come to the city in recent years.
Arush, IINH’s new director, said the recent arrivals, particularly the Bhutanese, are doing well. “It’s amazing how they establish themselves in employment. Some are thinking about opening businesses,” he said.
The International Institute of New England recently sent out fundraising letters in New Hampshire, asking for donations to support its work. Arush said fundraising is coordinated by the Boston office, and that the recent mailings were part of its regular campaign.
tsiefer@unionleader.com
What’s next: The comment period for the 2013 resettlement applications opens July 20 and ends Aug. 8.
The revelation last year that IINH would seek to bring 200 refugees to the city this year prompted Mayor Ted Gatsas to issue a harsh letter to the U.S. State Department, which oversees the refugee program, faulting its “complete and utter lack of consideration for the local resettlement community.”
Pointing to challenges many of the thousands of refugees already in the city face, Gatsas has sought a moratorium on new arrivals, and he called on the Executive Council to withhold federal contracts to IINH and other resettlement agencies.
Gatsas has said IINH, which is part of the Boston-based International Institute of New England, has not been open about its plans or responsive to the city’s concerns.
Gatsas acknowledged that things have improved in recent weeks since a new director, Nasir Arush, took charge of the local office two months ago.
“Communication has picked up,” he said.
Arush said in addition to meeting with the mayor, he’s met with the city’s refugee task force, the police chief and the heads of the health and welfare departments.
“People here are really welcoming, and we really look forward to working with the mayor and for them to be a part of this process,” Arush said.
While the State Department approved the International Institute’s request to settle 200 refugees in Manchester in its 2012 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 31, so far only 84 refugees have arrived.
Arush said the lower arrival rate is part of a national trend.
The majority of the refugees that have come this year and that IINH wants to resettle next year are from members of a persecuted ethnic group in Bhutan and have spent years in camps in Nepal. Nearly all of the refugees have immediate family in the city and are being settled under a reunification program, Arush said.
Still, Gatsas said he was concerned that IINH wanted to resettle another 200 refugees in the city.
“My question is whether the 75 refugees they’ve resettled (as of May 31) all have jobs,” he said.
He also said while communication has improved with IINH, he couldn’t say the same for the state office in charge of refugee matters, the Office of Minority Health and Refugee Affairs.
“The city is supposed to have some input, as we discussed last year,” Gatsas said, referring to local agencies’ resettlement applications to the State Department. “The state office last time reported that our refugees were 86 percent employed — I don’t think that number’s even close.”
While the State Department is responsible for approving the number of refugees sought by a local agency, officials coordinate with the state office on the application. The state office is also responsible for disbursing the millions of dollars in federal funding that go to resettlement agencies.
The comment period for the resettlement requests begins July 20 and ends Aug. 8. During that time the state office will seek input from a number of stakeholders, including the Refugee Advisory Council, according to state refugee coordinator Barbara Seebart. Manchester Alderman Pat Long, who has been closely involved in refugee issues, is a member of the panel.
“We’re happy to work with the mayor in whatever way we’re able to help refugees settle successfully in Manchester,” Seebart said.
Manchester has been the primary destination for refugees in New Hampshire over the past decade. More than 2,200 had come to Manchester as of 2010, according to city figures.
The target of 200 refugees a year is a reduction from the average of 300 that have come to the city in recent years.
Arush, IINH’s new director, said the recent arrivals, particularly the Bhutanese, are doing well. “It’s amazing how they establish themselves in employment. Some are thinking about opening businesses,” he said.
The International Institute of New England recently sent out fundraising letters in New Hampshire, asking for donations to support its work. Arush said fundraising is coordinated by the Boston office, and that the recent mailings were part of its regular campaign.
tsiefer@unionleader.com
What’s next: The comment period for the 2013 resettlement applications opens July 20 and ends Aug. 8.