S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2516--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 21, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. GOUNARDES, BRISPORT, COMRIE, FAHY, FERNANDEZ, JACK-
SON, MAY, MYRIE, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services -- commit-
tee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
mitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to a refugee
resettlement program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds and
declares the following:
a. Under federal law 8 U.S.C. §1101 (a) (42), a refugee is a person
who is forced to flee their country of origin or last habitation due to
persecution, or a well-founded fear of persecution, based upon their
race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or
political opinion;
b. At the end of 2022, there were 108.4 million forcibly displaced
people in the world, 35.3 million of which were refugees. This is more
than double the recorded number in 2010, and the highest it has ever
been;
c. Around two-thirds of refugees live in poverty, and many are unable
to return to their home countries due to the lack of imminent solutions
to conflicts, recurrent violence, and political instability;
d. Less than 1 percent of refugees will ever be resettled to a safe
third country, enabling them to rebuild their lives in safety and
contribute to the cultural and economic fabric of a new home nation;
e. Recognizing the importance of refugee resettlement, the United
States created the Refugee Act of 1980;
f. Since 1980, the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)
has saved more than 3.7 million refugees, and resettled them across the
country;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02698-02-5
S. 2516--A 2
g. As of 2021, New York State resettled the third most refugees in the
country;
h. On September 19, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly unan-
imously adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants,
which reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and
contains a wide range of commitments to strengthen and enhance mech-
anisms to protect these individuals;
i. Research from reputable sources including the Fiscal Policy Insti-
tute, Urban Institute, Pew Research Center, and New American Economy
find a positive economic and social impact of refugees across New York
State;
j. Governor Kathy Hochul reaffirmed New York State's commitment to
helping refugees on August 19, 2021 by welcoming those fleeing Afghanis-
tan;
k. The Statue of Liberty, a national monument and icon of freedom that
has been welcoming immigrants from across the world to New York State
since 1886, states, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside
the golden door!";
l. The State of New York has been proud to partner with the United
States Citizenship and Immigration Services in assisting and resettling
refugees from USRAP through its Bureau of Refugee Services, which is
housed within the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance;
m. The legislature hereby affirms, with this act, its continued
commitment to resettle refugees through the United States Refugee Admis-
sions Program within the boundaries of this state for as long as indi-
viduals around the world are displaced from their home countries.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 358 of the social services law, as
amended by section 39 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is
amended to read as follows:
3. (A) If and for so long as the federal government provides one
hundred percent funding therefor, the department is authorized to oper-
ate a Cuban and Haitian entrant program [and a refugee resettlement
program pursuant to title IV of the federal immigration and nationality
act, including provision for refugee cash assistance, refugee medical
assistance, refugee child welfare services, and refugee social services.
The department shall submit the plan for such refugee resettlement
program to the federal department of health and human services and shall
act for the state in any negotiations relative to the submission and
approval of such plan and make any arrangement which may be necessary to
obtain and retain such approval].
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM, TO
BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BUREAU OF REFUGEE SERVICES HOUSED WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT. THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM DESCRIBED IN THIS SUBDIVI-
SION MAY BE FUNDED FROM THE FEDERAL AND/OR STATE GOVERNMENT OR GOVERN-
MENTS, OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS THEREOF.
(C) THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF
THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL HAVE THE CORE MISSION OF DIRECTING RESOURCES TO
LOCAL PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT ASSIST REFUGEES IN:
(I) ACHIEVING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY;
(II) ASSISTING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND
(III) ASSURING PROPER FOSTER CARE FOR UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEES AND
ENTRANT MINORS.
(D) SUCH REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL PARTNER WITH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ENTITIES WHICH ASSIST REFUGEES IN
S. 2516--A 3
THE PROVISION OR PROMOTION OF: CIVIC AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT; MENTORING
SERVICES FOR YOUTH; COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT; FOOD, CLOTHING, SHEL-
TER, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, OR OTHER BASIC NEEDS; EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
SERVICES; ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION; COMMUNITY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES;
TEMPORARY CASH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; PROGRAMS TO INCREASE HEALTH
LITERACY; PROGRAMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND/OR PRIVATE HEALTH
INSURANCE; INITIAL MEDICAL SCREENINGS AND IMMUNIZATIONS; PROGRAMS
DESIGNED TO EASE THE TRANSITION OF SCHOOL-AGED REFUGEE CHILDREN INTO
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS; SUPPORT SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF
HUMAN TRAFFICKING; SOCIAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR REFUGEES AGED
SIXTY OR OLDER; FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS FOR UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE MINORS;
AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS CREATED TO MEET OTHER NEEDS OF REFU-
GEES AS SUCH NEEDS ARISE.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
