Florida House Committee Moves to Withdraw from Refugee Resettlement Program Coordination

On February 16, the House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee passed HB 427 by Representative David Santiago (R-Deltona). The measure requires the state to withdraw from the federally-funded refugee program by December 31, 2017. This would require the federal government to transfer program coordination to a private agency or agencies. Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, gave testimony before the committee explaining that the bill would require the establishment of structures, databases and systems that already exist within the Department of Children and Families and are functioning very well. "It's not a good use of our resources," said Sheedy.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FCCB president, outlined concerns with the proposed legislation in a January 25 letter to Governor Rick Scott and Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran.