This bill modifies the eligibility criteria for the statewide welcome, reception, and integration grant program.
Key Changes:
Eligibility for Grants:
Previously, the program provided grants to community-based organizations that assist migrants who have arrived in the United States within the past year and do not qualify for federal support services or refugee resettlement assistance benefits.
The bill removes the 1-year requirement and instead prioritizes assisting migrants who have arrived within the past 3 years. This means that community-based organizations will now focus on supporting a broader group of migrants, allowing those who have been in the country for up to 3 years to receive assistance.
Purpose:
The program still aims to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate navigation of services to migrants who need help but are ineligible for federal assistance, with the change expanding the support to individuals who may need it after the first year of arrival, up to 3 years.
In short, this bill extends the timeframe during which migrants can receive assistance under the program, potentially helping more people integrate into their new communities.
Summary
The statewide welcome, reception, and integration grant program
provides grants to community-based organizations that provide culturally and linguistically appropriate navigation of services to migrants who have arrived in the United States within the past year and do not qualify for federal support services or refugee resettlement assistance benefits. The bill removes the requirement that a migrant must have arrived in the United States within the past year and instead requires community-based organizations to prioritize assisting migrants who have arrived in the United States within the past 3 years.
