The National Refugee Service today announced that refugees here on permanent visas, having five or more years residence, will become the full responsibility of local family agencies. Cases involving refugees here on permanent visas who have resided in New York for at least four years will also be transferred to local agencies, but the NRS will continue to defray the expense of their maintenance until the families concerned have resided here a total of five years.
The new arrangement came as result of extended negotiations between the National Refugee Service and local agencies affiliated with the New York Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies. The transfer of the cases will start immediately.
“Many of the refugees are rapidly becoming Americans,” explained Joseph E. Beck, executive director of the NRS, “and are identifying themselves with the aspirations of the American people. This step begins to make available as needed those welfare and counseling facilities available to the general community. Those who are in need of some form of welfare service will thus be able to take advantage of the same community resources as other Americans. In addition, as a larger proportion of the present refugee group reaches five-year residence in the United States, there will be a financial saving to NRS.”
The National Refugee Service will continue to provide relief and other family services for persons here on temporary visas and for special cases which cannot be considered local New York City residents. Pending further arrangements, the NRS will extend these same services to families and individuals who have been in the United States on permanent visas less than four years. National activities of NRS that will engage its continuing attention include resettlement, migration services, physician’s committee work, research and statistics, community relations with government agencies and with communities throughout the country, and work with its European Jewish Children’s Aid.
“Determination of the place of future residence of new immigrants and their resettlement in communities throughout the country will remain a major national responsibility of NRS,” the announcement said. “This activity involves collaboration with communities and family agencies in every part of the country. During the past several years approximately 15,000 people have been selected for residence in these communities. The resettlement process represented the joint undertaking of local communities and the NRS. Alien status and other matters involving close cooperation with departments and agencies of the Federal government will also continue to be a major national responsibility of NRS.”
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