“The Trump administration has released $47 million dollars meant to help more than 100,000 refugees in Texas adapt to life in America.

The aid group running Texas refugee programs had sued the Trump administration earlier this month, accusing the federal government of illegally freezing millions meant to help immigrants seeking refuge from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Cuba and other nations.

Anjum Malik, founder and director of the Global Impact Initiative, an Austin-based refugee aid group that had to halt some of its work because of the federal freeze, said Thursday that the release in funding would help in the short-term.”

“After a six-week federal funding freeze that decimated refugee services in Texas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday released $47 million to the state’s refugee services designee. 

The health department, which includes the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, stopped sending such reimbursements to states across the country in early February. For reasons that remain unclear, the pause continued in Texas even after all other states started receiving reimbursements again.”

“A mysterious six-week freeze on Texas refugee service funds might have reached its end. 

In a Friday afternoon hearing in federal District Court, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said reimbursements to the Texas Office for Refugees, a nonprofit that distributes payments to local service providers, are on track to resume. The Office for Refugee Resettlement, which reviews refugee service reimbursements, is under the Administration for Children and Families in the health department.”

“Texas congressional Democrats are calling on the federal government to release the money it has withheld from the organization that is in charge of distributing reimbursements to the state’s refugee service providers.”

“After a freeze in United States Department of Health and Human Services funding, some Central Texas organizations have been forced to suspend long-standing refugee programs.”

“As [Anjum] Malik and the leaders of other refugee programs try to figure out what's going on, they've been all but forced to shut down. Malik said her organization furloughed all 14 of its staff members Feb. 3 after going about two weeks without federal reimbursements.”

“A lawsuit filed on Monday by Texas’s refugee services coordinating agency alleges that the federal government has ‘unlawfully’ deprived the state’s service providers of more than $36 million in reimbursements since late January.”

Some furloughed staff continue their work…as volunteers.

“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.’”

“A non-profit is hosting another opportunity on Saturday for refugees in the Austin area to sell handcrafted goods to help their community.

The Global Impact Initiative and the Greater Austin YMCA said it will host the Refugee Valentine’s Arts and Crafts Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the North Austin YMCA on West Rundberg Lane in north Austin.

The bazaar features goods made by people from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Congo, Rwanda and Burundi who have recently settled in Austin.”

“Refugees from countries like Ukraine, Burundi and Afghanistan gathered at the North Austin YMCA Saturday morning to sell items at a bazaar. It’s a way to help refugees earn some money by selling items from their culture.

The bazaar was put together by the Austin Y and Global Impact Initiative. Central Texas has seen more than 2,000 refugees settle around the area in the past two years, according to event organizers. Many of them leaving their career behind in their home country and trying to start a new life in the United States.”

“Refugees from countries like Ukraine, Burundi and Afghanistan gathered at the North Austin YMCA Saturday morning to sell items at a bazaar. It’s a way to help refugees earn some money by selling items from their culture.

The bazaar was put together by the Austin Y and Global Impact Initiative. Central Texas has seen more than 2,000 refugees settle around the area in the past two years, according to event organizers. Many of them leaving their career behind in their home country and trying to start a new life in the United States.”

“The North Austin YMCA and Global Impact Initiative are set to host a Refugee Valentine’s Arts and Crafts Bazaar. The event features refugee artisans from Afghanistan, Burundi, Congo, and other parts of the world. Cultural goods for sale will be available for purchase, such as homemade food, fresh-baked pastries and gift items.

All proceeds from the event directly support the refugee vendors.

‘These incredibly talented men and women are trying to rebuild their lives through entrepreneurship, drawing from their unique cultural heritage,’ Global Impact Initiative CEO Anjum Malik said in a news release.”

“Rising Beyond The Ceiling (RBTC) is a global initiative to shine a spotlight on achievements and contributions of Muslim women of India, both in the country and in countries around the world. The vision of RBTC is 3 Cs- Celebrating Achievements, Changing Stereotypes and Creating Leadership Opportunities.

The United States RBTC 100 Global Inspirations List seeks to spotlight Muslim women from India who have made their mark in different professions in the USA. The 100 stories capture the resilience, challenges and their immigrant experience in building a career in a new environment and country. “

“The Town Lake YMCA transformed into an arts & crafts bazaar Saturday morning to highlight handmade goods made by refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan that have settled in Austin.

The YMCA partnered with Global Impact Initiative (GII) to host the Refugee Holiday Arts & Crafts Bazaar, where various handmade goods made by the refugees were showcased.

The Global Impact Initiative is a non-profit organization that helps those in at-risk communities by helping them find education, mentoring, and job skills training."

“On Saturday morning, the TownLake YMCA turned their lobby into an international bazaar.

‘The Y has a long history of supporting refugee and immigrant communities both in America and worldwide,’ said Sean Doles of Greater Austin YMCA. ‘And so, we want to create welcoming spaces where we can bring people of diverse backgrounds together and, you know, embrace our newest neighbors.’ Vendors of all ages were able to show off their crafts, including jewelry, baked goods and art.

And all the proceeds went directly to them."