Missouri government spends a little, but the federal government shoulders most of the financial burden when it comes to refugee resettlement in the state, lawmakers were told Monday.
The legislative budget-writing committees took four hours of testimony from state officials, and from the heads of two agencies involved in placing refugees in the state.
"This hearing was for informational purposes," House Budget Chairman Tom Flanigan, R-Joplin, said as he closed the meeting. "I hope you got the information you were looking for."
Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, opened the hearing by outlining what lawmakers wanted to accomplish.
"In light of recent events, what we're looking at here is, number one, what resources are being provided to refugees - both from the federal and the state level - and what is the relationship between those two?" he explained.
"On top of that, not only what services are being offered but, if there are gaps in certain areas - particularly public safety - are there areas that money should be appropriated, to make sure that Missourians are being kept safe?"
State Social Services Director Brian Kinkade told the lawmakers Missouri's involvement with refugees is "pretty straight-forward" once the federal government notifies the voluntary agencies that refugees are coming.
Missouri has three agencies that contract to help refugees get resettled in the state: the Jefferson City-based Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, the International Institute of St. Louis and Jewish Vocational Service of Kansas City.
"There's support that comes through a couple of different streams to support these families," Kinkade said. "One comes through the State Department, which has primary responsibility for identifying and clearing refugees who come into our country.
"That is very short-term support.
"The federal Department of Health and Human Services offers a longer-term support through the Refugee Resettlement Program."
He said all the federal financial aid programs have time limits, and can't be used indefinitely.
During the 2014-15 federal business year that ended Sept. 30, Missouri's Social Services department received nearly $3.87 million in federal funds, including:
• Social Services and Targeted Assistance, $1.4 million.
• "Other" assistance, $97,200.
• Refugee Health Connection, $120,000, administered by the International Institute of St. Louis.
• Health Screening, $110,000, administered by the state Health and Senior Services department.
• School Impact, $240,690, administered by the state Elementary and Secondary Education department.
• Cash and Medical Assistance, $1.9 million.
State funds are involved only if the refugees receive Medicaid or TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds.
"Refugees who would apply," Kinkade said, "would have to meet the same standards that any other person would meet."
Anna Crosslin, the International Institute's president and CEO, told lawmakers she's been involved with refugee issues since 1978, including helping Congress write the 1980 Refugee Act.
She agreed the numbers of refugees have increased exponentially worldwide. "We're in the worst crisis since World War II," she said.
Crosslin provided a detailed explanation of refugee resettlement procedures, noting that moving refugees to a new country is the third option for officials. First is creation of "temporary safe havens" in camps or in surrounding countries, until there's enough safety for people to return to their homes. The second option is resettlement to countries where the refugees already have fled.
She noted the FBI and the federal Defense and Homeland Security departments are involved in a program that checks on people and verifies their stories and backgrounds for an 18- to 24-month period before refugees are allowed to come to the U.S.
Some have called the committees' investigation an attempt to block refugees from coming to Missouri, but Schaefer and Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, defended their right to see how taxpayers' money is being spent.
State Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town and Country, argued Missouri should be spending more on veterans, not immigrants.
But Sen. Jamillah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, countered: "You have innocent people who are trying to escape oppression - children and women. How can we help them, not how can we keep them out?"
New Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, attended Monday's hearing, and said it was important for lawmakers to ask questions.
"The whole thing goes back to the governor, and us as a legislature," he said. "Our first priority should be ... to ensure that no matter what we participate in, or what the federal government wants us to do, we make sure Missourians' safety is first and foremost."