HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2024 (15)
Resolution No. 15 (2024)
RESOLUTION REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE PAUSE ON REFUGEE
RESETTLEMENT IN ST. CROIX COUNTY
COVER MEMO
TO: County Board of Supervisors
FROM: Ken Witt, County Administrator
DATE: March 12, 2024
AGENDA ITEM: Resolution Requesting an Immediate Pause on Refugee Resettlement in
St. Croix County
______________________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 5, 2024, the County Board voted to have a resolution drafted to address an
immediate pause on refugee resettlement in St. Croix County
Resolution No. 15 (2024)
RESOLUTION REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE PAUSE ON REFUGEE
RESETTLEMENT IN ST. CROIX COUNTY
1 WHEREAS, The Refugee Act of 1980, located at Title VI, Chapter 2 of the
2 Immigration and Nationality Act, created The Federal Refugee Resettlement Program to
3 provide for the effective resettlement of refugees; and
4
5 WHEREAS, within the United States, the U.S. Department of State operates the U.S.
6 Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which
7 assists refugees with access to various services in coordination with the states; and
8
9 WHEREAS, within Wisconsin, the Bureau of Refugee Programs (BRP) receives grants
10 from the ORR and funds local statewide organizations to provide critical services to refugees;
11 and
12
13 WHEREAS, voluntary agencies, referred to as VOLAGs, in Wisconsin that contract
14 with state and/or federal governments to assist refugees with resettlement include World Relief
15 Wisconsin with locations in the Fox Valley and the Chippewa Valley; and
16
17 WHEREAS, the nearest voluntary agency to St. Croix County, Wisconsin is World
18 Relief Chippewa Valley with an office located at 221 W. Madison Street in Eau Claire,
19 Wisconsin; and
20
21 WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of State requires that refugees be resettled within 100
22 miles of a voluntary agency’s physical office location; and
23
24 WHEREAS, St. Croix County is located within 100 miles of World Relief Chippewa
25 Valley; and
26
27 WHEREAS, approximately 75 refugees are planned to be resettled in the Chippewa
28 Valley by September 30, 2024; and
29
30 WHEREAS, the resettlement of refugees in the United States requires significant
31 financial resources to ensure their successful integration into society, including but not limited
32 to, housing, healthcare, education, employment assistance, language training, and social services;
33 and
34
35 WHEREAS, the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors are concerned about refugees
36 being resettled within St. Croix County without the necessary long-term funding sources to
37 sustain their integration without reliance upon the taxpayers of the county; and
38
39 WHEREAS, St. Croix County is already stretched to its levy capacity without the ability
40 to adequately fund state-mandated programs; and
41
42 WHEREAS, the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors are disappointed by the lack of
43 transparency and communication by World Relief Chippewa Valley regarding the anticipated
44 resettlement of refugees within 100 miles of St. Croix County; and
45
46 WHEREAS, as refugees may be resettled within 100 miles of World Relief Chippewa
47 Valley, collaboration and consultation with local government units within 100 miles of that
48 location is imperative in order to inform the public of the resettlement of refugees, and for
49 necessary studies to be conducted to ascertain the impact on the local communities.
50
51 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the St. Croix County Board of
52 Supervisors that there be an immediate pause on the placement of any refugees within St. Croix
53 County.
54
55 FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors will
56 review this resolution at the May 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting
57
58 FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors that,
59 prior to the resettlement of refugees within St. Croix County, that all federal, state, local, or
60 voluntary agencies involved with resettlement engage in collaboration and consultation with
61 local government units within the county to inform the public of the resettlement, that adequate
62 time be allocated to conduct studies necessary to ascertain the impact on local communities, and
63 that the county be provided with a detailed description of the short and long-term funding
64 resources available to the refugees.
65
66 FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors directs
67 the County Clerk to send copies of this resolution to World Relief Chippewa Valley, the Bureau
68 of Refugee Programs, U.S. Department of State, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Legal – Fiscal – Administrative Approvals:
Legal Note:
Fiscal Impact: Advisory resolution has no fiscal impact.
Vote Confirmation.
St. Croix County Board of Supervisors Action:
Roll Call - Vote Requirement – Majority of Supervisors Present
RESULT: ADOPTED AS AMENDED \[15 TO 4\]
MOVER: Mike Barcalow, Supervisor
SECONDER: Mark Carlson, Supervisor
AYES: Lind, Anderson, Long, Adams, Berning, Ottino, Feidler, Ostness, Counter, Hansen,
Sherley, Carlson, Barcalow, VanSomeren, Ramberg
NAYS: Cathy Leaf, Carah Koch, Greg Tellijohn, Bob Swanepoel
This Resolution was Adopted as Amended by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on March 12, 2024
Christine Hines, County Clerk