WKRN | World Relief closes Nashville office due to Trump’s order on refugees

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – An international organization that helps resettle refugees has closed five offices across the United States, including one here in Nashville.

World Relief made the announcement Wednesday saying the decision comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order on refugees and immigration.

The organization says the order will dramatically reduce the number of refugees settled across the country for the 2017 fiscal year.

Five offices are closing in Boise, Idaho; Columbus, Ohio; Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Glen Burnie, Maryland.

More than 140 people are also being laid off across the country.

“It has been our great privilege to serve both local churches and resilient refugee and immigrant families in each of these communities,” says World Relief President Scott Arbeiter.

“Our staff at each of these locations have served diligently and sacrificially—some of them for many years—and we are deeply saddened to have to make this difficult decision. These staff members are also experts whose vast experience has brought an effectiveness and professionalism to their work. This represents a loss of more than 140 jobs—which by itself is deeply troubling—but also decades of organizational expertise and invaluable capacity to serve the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief, is making it clear that World Relief’s organizational mandate and ministry will continue on.

“We fully intend to continue the critical work of resettling refugees and serving other immigrants in the communities where we serve throughout the United States,” says Breene.

“The unfortunate truth is that given the unprecedented nature of the global refugee crisis, there are simply more people than ever that need our support and our compassion. We are redoubling our efforts to find solutions to serve displaced peoples in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere around the globe. We urge the Trump Administration to renew and reinvigorate efforts to work together with the global humanitarian community to meet this urgent crisis head on.”

Read more about World Relief and find out how to volunteer or donate at their website.

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