Kansas charities brace for federal funding cuts affecting immigrants

Key Takeaways

• Federal funding for Kansas charities froze under a 2025 Trump executive order, risking crucial immigrant services.
• Catholic Charities and Kansas City agencies may reduce legal clinics, housing aid, and job training programs immediately.
• Organizations urge urgent local donations as hundreds of immigrants face loss of shelter, legal aid, and integration support.

Several Kansas charities are now facing some of their toughest days after finding out that major federal support is being cut or put on hold. These charities focus on helping legal immigrants settle in the United States 🇺🇸, often assisting some of the state’s most vulnerable newcomers. These groups, such as Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas, and local organizations in the Kansas City area, have seen sudden changes to their funding as part of a larger national shift.

This move is sparking concern not only in Kansas 🇺🇸 but across the United States 🇺🇸, as these funding cuts and freezes can have deep effects on immigrants, charity workers, and entire communities relying on these organizations. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the recent actions are tied to executive orders led by President Trump in early 2025. These orders pause federal support for many programs that assist legal immigrants—especially those coming as refugees—for a period of 90 days. For many Kansas charities, this means an immediate halt to federal funds, creating urgent financial strain and possible reductions in services.

Why Are These Cuts Happening and Who Is Affected?

The federal funding cuts come from a change in national immigration and aid policy. Under President Trump, the administration started a broad review of federal funds tied to foreign aid and refugee resettlement programs. This included a halt on payments and contracts that had been promised to charities working directly with immigrants. The pause is set for 90 days but could be extended or changed depending on what the review finds.

Many legal immigrants, especially new arrivals fleeing dangerous situations in countries like Afghanistan 🇦🇫 or Ukraine 🇺🇦, depend on these charities for basic needs and guidance. In Kansas 🇺🇸, these groups support hundreds of people each year, helping them find shelter, start jobs, enroll in school, and learn English. Now, with federal money on hold, the ability for Kansas charities to provide these services is being tested.

The Work of Kansas Charities

Kansas charities have a long history of serving immigrants. Their work is wide-ranging and often life-changing. Here are some key organizations and their roles:

• Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas runs one of the largest refugee resettlement programs in the state. They help people apply for legal status, guide families through paperwork for citizenship, and represent survivors of crime or domestic violence who qualify for protection under special visa programs. They also offer job search help, language classes, and connections to social services. Their La Luz Immigration Clinic, open every Wednesday, provides affordable or free answers to legal questions.

• Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas is accredited by the Department of Justice and gives low-cost legal advice. They walk alongside legal immigrants from their first days in the state through to citizenship. Their help covers everything from finding a place to live to securing a job and even teaching people about American 🇺🇸 life and laws.

• Organizations in Kansas City—like Jewish Vocational Services and Della Lamb Community Services—focus on the first months of a refugee’s life in the United States 🇺🇸. They arrange for temporary housing, enroll children in school, and work hard to get adults into jobs as soon as possible.

Without steady federal funds, these charities can’t plan for the future. Programs may be halted or shrunk. Staff may lose their jobs, and already-limited resources are stretched even thinner.

How Funding Cuts Affect Services

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas reports that hundreds of refugees and other legal immigrants depend on their help each year. When federal funds are frozen:

• Legal advice clinics may have to shorten hours or shut down
• Emergency relief funds for food, rent, and medicine can dry up quickly
• Staff layoffs can slow down or stop much-needed support
• Families may lose guidance during their first weeks, which is when they are most likely to need it

A staff member at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas said they have been forced to make “urgent appeals for community donations.” Unless the funding freeze is lifted, the La Luz Immigration Clinic and related services may have to cut hours or even close. This could leave many legal immigrants in the dark about how to handle important matters like citizenship applications or family reunification.

Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas faces a similar crisis. With federal payments blocked by the government, their leaders issued an “urgent call for support.” Unless donations from the community fill the gap, programs for housing, language help, and job training are at risk.

In Kansas City, Jewish Vocational Services and Della Lamb Community Services lost their “Reception & Placement” funds. These are the funds charities use to help refugees with their most basic needs when they arrive—like shelter, food, and help with paperwork. Without this support, new arrivals could face homelessness or hunger.

What Services Are At Risk?

Direct services at risk in Kansas charities include:

• Legal clinics for immigration questions and paperwork
• Help finding shelter and emergency housing
• Food assistance and clothing donations
• Job placement and job training programs
• English classes, especially critical for those who don’t speak the language
• Medical care referrals and mental health support
• Special support for crime or abuse victims (U visas, VAWA petitions)
• Staff who work one-on-one to make sure immigrants understand their rights and responsibilities

Without federal funding, each of these may shrink or disappear, making it harder for legal immigrants to settle and thrive.

Immediate and Long-Term Effects

The immediate effect is clear: programs have less money and may need to slow down or pause important services. For some, like legal clinics or job training, the change may mean fewer appointments or no new intakes. For others, such as emergency shelter and food, it might mean the difference between having help and being alone in a strange country.

Long-term, if alternative funding isn’t found, entire programs could be shut down. Skilled staff may move away or find other jobs, leaving gaps in knowledge and support for immigrants. Over time, this would likely lower the chances for successful integration—keeping new Americans caught up in poverty, unable to learn English well, or at risk of abuse and hardship.

If these changes spread beyond Kansas 🇺🇸, thousands or even tens of thousands of legal immigrants across the United States 🇺🇸 could face similar challenges.

How Are These Kansas Charities Responding?

Leaders at every affected charity stress that community support is their only hope as federal money dries up. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas both launched fundraising drives to reach local donors. They have been open and honest about the impact of the funding freeze, saying that only a strong show of community backing can keep services running until federal support returns.

Kansas City agencies are also seeking out new partners, from local churches and businesses to private donors ready to step up. Some organizations are looking at state or city funding as a short-term fix.

Charities have shared that while private donations can cover some of the gap, it’s very hard to match the scale of federal support with local giving alone. The real fear is that donor fatigue—or simply running out of wealthy local supporters—could lead to cuts that hurt new arrivals and long-term immigrants alike.

The National Picture

The struggle facing Kansas charities is not unique. Catholic Charities branches in Florida 🇺🇸 and Texas 🇺🇸 report similar staff layoffs and program cuts. Across the United States 🇺🇸, agencies are seeing contracts suspended or ended with very little warning. Many have to choose between reducing services sharply or asking their communities for emergency help.

VisaVerge.com’s investigation reveals that these abrupt changes leave legal immigrants in a tough spot, sometimes without any safety net at all. When charities can’t get paid for work they’ve done—or must let workers go—they cannot offer the same level of help as before.

Widespread service reductions threaten to unravel years of progress helping immigrants build stable, happy lives in their new country.

Examples of Programs Hit by Federal Cuts

A quick look at which organizations are seeing the most serious impact:

• Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas (La Luz Clinic): Faces reduced legal service hours, possibly closing its immigration legal clinic if it can’t get new funds.
• Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas: Warns it may be unable to offer migrant resettlement or legal immigration support without extra donations soon.
• Kansas City Jewish Vocational Services & Della Lamb Community Services: Have lost money for early refugee support, and now depend on friends and donors to provide shelter and job help.

How Can People Help?

Charities are clear: donations are needed right away. Every dollar raised locally goes straight to helping families pay for rent, food, school supplies, and other real needs. Community members can volunteer, offer jobs to immigrants, or raise awareness about the struggles these groups are facing.

People looking for more information about how legal immigrants are served or how to help can visit the Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas website, which explains available programs and ways to get involved.

What Happens Next?

The future for Kansas charities—and the legal immigrants who count on them—is uncertain. If the federal review ends and funding returns, charities may be able to rebuild. If not, they will have to rely more on local donors and creative partnerships.

Some leaders hope that the state of Kansas 🇺🇸 will step in with its own temporary funding, or that local businesses and churches can pick up some of the slack. But most agree these fixes are temporary at best.

If you want to support Kansas charities, getting involved now—as a donor, volunteer, or supporter—is one way to make sure that recent immigrants are not left out in the cold during this difficult time.

Summary Table – Agencies, Services, Crisis Level, and Response

Final Thoughts

Kansas charities have become an essential part of the immigrant journey—from helping people find safety and opportunity to guiding them toward full participation in American 🇺🇸 life. But with federal funding cuts threatening their survival, these groups are now depending more than ever on the kindness and generosity of their local communities.

If federal aid is not restored, the results could be dire: fewer legal services, closed programs, job losses, and many legal immigrants left to face tough beginnings alone. The work done by Kansas charities is vital and urgent; the broader community will play a key role in making sure no immigrant is forgotten during these challenging times.

For more information on immigrant services and how to contribute, you can check out the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) page. This resource offers details about eligibility, official forms, and links to more aid organizations serving immigrants across the country.

Learn Today

Refugee Resettlement → Process or programs that help people fleeing persecution settle and integrate into a new country, such as the United States.
Executive Order → A directive issued by the U.S. President that manages operations of the federal government, impacting funding and policy.
Legal Immigrant → A person who has been officially permitted by the government to live and work in a country other than their own.
U Visa → A U.S. visa for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and assist law enforcement.
Reception & Placement Funds → Federal funds for immediate housing, food, and basic support to help refugees during their first months in the U.S.

This Article in a Nutshell

Kansas charities face an urgent crisis after a sudden federal funding freeze in early 2025 halted refugee and legal immigrant support services. Organizations like Catholic Charities urgently appeal for local help to keep clinics, housing, and job assistance running for the state’s most vulnerable newcomers amidst national immigration policy shifts.
— By VisaVerge.com

Read more:

• States move to ban driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants
• East Stroudsburg students rally with Immigrants Empower Poconos
• US military granted power to detain illegal immigrants at southern border
• GOP states move to reject driver’s licenses for immigrants illegally in US
• A-Number and USCIS Number: What Sets Them Apart for Immigrants