President Donald Trump has signed a slew of executive orders since taking office for his second term, many of which have prompted changes to federal immigration and refugee services. Following this wave of activity, some local organizations, whose missions are to help immigrants and refugees build lives for themselves in the community, have announced the suspension or reductions of their programs.

Taking effect on Jan. 27, the executive order “Realigning The United States Refugee Admissions Program” paused the program for 90 days. Another order, “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid” began on Jan. 24 and mandated that any resettlement agencies halt any programs operating through federal funding.

Then, a little more than week ago, Binghamton’s American Civic Association posted to its Instagram account that the federal funding needed to support clients had been frozen.

“Refugees are one of our greatest assets to our economy,” Hussein Adams, the executive director and CEO of the ACA, wrote to Pipe Dream. “The American workforce relies heavily on the labor of immigrants in almost every sector. The long-term effects of funding cuts from the Federal Department, only causes disruption in American livelihood and is counterproductive.”

Another organization with local ties, Journey’s End Refugee Services, also announced its decision to reduce their workforce by 17 percent in their Buffalo and Jamestown offices, citing the “financial impacts of the indefinite suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.” Their Binghamton office — located on Court Street — is not undergoing any cuts at this point.

Section One of the Refugee Admissions Program realignment executive order cites “record levels of migration” as a reason for pausing the program, stating that some states like New York and Massachusetts have declared states of emergency due to the rise.

“The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,” it reads.

In 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the “large-scale humanitarian crisis” of asylum seekers entering the state. The order provided the state with the ability to provide humanitarian aid and purchase resources like food and equipment. In the same year, Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts declared a similar state of emergency and called for the federal government to speed up work authorization processes and provide funding for adequate shelter.

Section Two of the refugee-focused executive order says that U.S. policy must consider public safety and national security, admitting only refugees that can “fully and appropriately assimilate into the United States.”

Section Four says that within 90 days of the order’s signing, after consulting with the secretary of state, the secretary of homeland security will submit a report to the president determining whether it would be in the country’s “interests” for refugees to be admitted through the program. Every 90 days following, reports will be submitted until Trump decides it would be in the nation’s best interest to resume the program.

The executive order reevaluating foreign aid says that the U.S. “foreign aid industry” is unaligned with American values, upsetting world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that oppose “harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.” It maintains that foreign assistance should not be given in ways diverging from the president’s foreign policy.

“President Trump stated clearly that the United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people,” a State Department press statement reads. “Reviewing and realigning foreign assistance on behalf of hardworking taxpayers is not just the right thing to do, it is a moral imperative.”

Iris DeFino, a senior majoring in political science who interned for Journey’s End, said she was disheartened by the program’s indefinite suspension.

“I have had the utmost privilege of working with Journey’s End as a legal intern and working with dozens of families and individuals from all backgrounds who have come to the U.S. to flee horrendous conditions, violence, and war,” DeFino wrote. “It was an honor to take part in some of their journeys in seeking political asylum status, and to hear that resources like these are being eroded by the current administration is both heartbreaking and infuriating.”

In an email to the campus community, University President Harvey Stenger shared a message from SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., acknowledging the recent flurry of executive orders targeting issues from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to immigration enforcement.

He mentioned the recent reversal of the “sensitive areas” policy, barring immigration enforcement from happening on college campuses or hospitals, while highlighting a New York executive order, continued by Gov. Hochul, requiring a judicial warrant or order for any arrests by federal immigration officials to take place in state facilities like SUNY campuses.

“I continue to wake up every morning believing deeply in the unique power of public higher education to strengthen the lives of our students and the health of our democracy,” King wrote. “And I go to sleep each night proud of the work we are doing together at SUNY to tangibly deliver on these aspirations for the students we are privileged to serve.”