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World Relief Boise to be phased out

Posted at 6:48 AM, Feb 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-16 20:37:17-05

World Relief is laying off more than 140 workers, nationwide, after one of President Trump's executive orders reduced the number of refugees coming into the U.S.

The World Relief Boise office is one of the locations that will be phased out. This year, the local nonprofit that's been in the Treasure Valley for the last 25 years helped resettle 71 refugees. Ten refugees with plane tickets in hand amid the executive order have since arrived in the City of Trees.

"We had families here waiting and then they had no hope of family joining them. So, with that restraining order it just was a beautiful thing to see those families who had been there [with a plane ticket in hand]... be able to come," says Renee Hage with World Relief Boise. "We've had some pretty joyous reunions in the past week."

While the World Relief agency is downsizing in some regions, they're ramping up efforts outside of the U.S. to serve the most vulnerable refugee populations. Offices that closed in the U.S. were in cities where other transition services for refugees already exist.

Despite what the future holds for World Relief Boise, their work will continue on through their Christian partners/churches in the valley.