Refugee and Asylum Seekers Direct Client Assistance

Immigrant and refugee support

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

In January, President Trump signed an Executive Order halting the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Secretary of State Rubio followed with a Stop Work Order, cutting off funds for 2,700 recently arrived refugees in California. Refugee and asylum assistance programs are now facing severe threats. Of 32 refugee programs in California, only 15 remain after losing most federal support. With remaining federal funds running out by September, the safety net for newly arrived immigrants is in jeopardy. The State of California has stepped in, granting $608,000 to JFCS for case management and health navigation to support refugee families. However, these state funds do not cover basic needs like rent, utilities, transportation, food, or prescriptions—critical services previously funded by the federal government.

JFCS supports the immediate needs of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers across LA County. Although recent federal actions have temporarily slowed arrivals, pending litigation may soon allow 12,000 already-approved individuals to enter the U.S. Meanwhile, JFCS continues to serve over 325 newly arrived Afghan, Ukrainian, Iranian, and Central American immigrants—and stands ready to welcome more.
Our multilingual staff assist with health, housing, employment, transportation, work permits, government benefits, and school enrollment. However, funds for basic needs—rent, utilities, food, beds, home goods, prescriptions—are critically lacking unless we raise additional support. Without these essentials, refugees and asylum seekers cannot focus on learning English, finding work, securing driver's licenses, enrolling children in school, or integrating into their new communities.
As other agencies have closed, demand for JFCS’s services has surged and created a waitlist for our services. Our team regularly receives calls from families who have nowhere else to turn, creating waitlists for help. With LA’s high cost of housing and food, our resources are stretched to the limit. JFCS remains committed to serving every refugee and asylum seeker who comes to us—but we cannot meet this urgent and growing need without increased support from the broader LA County community.

LA County is one of the most ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse regions in the country, home to vibrant communities from around the world and JFCS is the only program that is open to all refugees and asylum seekers in central and southern Los Angeles County. To preserve and strengthen this multicultural asset, it is essential that we continue to invest in newly-arrived refugees and asylum seekers with compassion and commitment.
With $608,000 committed by the State, JFCS is now partnering with foundations and philanthropic families to raise the remaining $125,000 to ensure that all refugees and asylum seekers receive the direct assistance they need to build stable, successful lives in LA County. By meeting their needs early on, we help reduce strain on governments, schools, and nonprofits, allowing these individuals to become self-sufficient, contributing members of our community.