Missouri resettled over 3,200 refugees during the last federal fiscal year, which ended September 30th. That’s more than in the past two fiscal years combined, according to Paul Costigan, with Missouri’s Office of Refugee Administration. He told Missourinet that the number may be higher.
“It’s not only the number of people that are resettled by the resettlement agencies that are here, it’s also people that have heard through word of mouth that Missouri is a great place for them to come to and to resettle and to live in,” he said.
Costigan said that there is a 90-day resettling period where several things take place.
“Appointments set up for health screenings for all the members of the family,” Costigan explained. “They’re required to be offered English as a second language for the adults (and) to enroll kids into local school districts. There are provisions for employment preparations.”
Refugees have contributed nearly $124 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the Biden Administration. It’s part of President Biden’s effort to help resettle over 100,000 refugees nationwide. Costigan said that their economic impact to the Show Me State is high.
“Refugee household income, according to the American Immigration Council, just for the state of Missouri, is $1.4 billion, and in excess of $1 billion in spending power just in refugee families,” he said.
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