'There has to be a systemic way': Effects of federal grant pause felt by local nonprofit
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the legal fight continues over the Trump Administration efforts to pause federal funding, local nonprofit Global Impact Initiative (GII) said it feels the impact.
GII is an organization that helps assist refugees who arrived legally acclimate to the United States. Such efforts include assisting refugees with language acquisition and helping them find jobs.
Organizers at GII said the pause in funding has led them to cease operations. Anjum Malik, the executive director of GII, said the impact of the pause has been “devastating.”
“I’m all for trimming the budget, cutting the fat, making everything effective and efficient,” Malik said. “But in my opinion, there has to be a systematic way to do it slowly, and letting people be aware of what’s going on because suddenly these refugees were left without a case worker.
On Thursday, GII invited hundreds of refugees to provide them with gift cards to help. One of those refugees was Aliannet Sante, who moved to the U.S. last August. She said she depended on the organization to pay for rent and groceries.
John Merizalde Ortiz, a case manager who deals with refugees at GII, said he’s stressed to see the impact for refugees.
“We also role model to the clients because this is a self sustainable program that assists clients to get them a job,” Merizalde Ortiz said. “Since we [can’t] be the role model now, what does that predict for them.”
As of now, the Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts ordered to hold on a district court ruling that had lifted the Trump Administration’s pause on distributing certain grants. The pause will remain in effect until further notice.
