Resolution Supporting Compliance with the Refugee Act of 1980, Requesting and Recommending an Immediate Pause on Refugee Resettlement Under the Refugee Act of 1980 (8 U.S.C. 1522) Within the State of Wisconsin

The Refugee Act of 1980 states in 8 U.S.C. 1522(1)(B)(iii) that “local voluntary agency activities should be conducted in close cooperation and advance consultation with State and local governments.” The Refugee Act of 1980 states in 8 U.S.C. 1522(2)(A) that “The Director and the Federal agency administering subsection (b)(1), shall consult regularly (not less often than quarterly) with State and local governments and private nonprofit voluntary agencies concerning the sponsorship process and the intended distribution of refugees among the States and localities before their placement in those States and localities”. The Refugee Act of 1980 states in 8 U.SC. 1522(2)(B) states that “The Director shall develop and implement, in consultation with representatives of voluntary agencies and State and local governments, policies and strategies for the placement and resettlement of refugees within the United States”. The Refugee Act of 1980 states in 8 U.S.C. 1522(2)(C)(ii) that the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement will “provide for a mechanism whereby representatives of local affiliates of voluntary agencies regularly (not less often than quarterly) meet with representatives of State and local governments to plan and coordinate in advance of their arrival the appropriate placement of refugees among the various State and localities.”

Coordination is critical to the success of any such mission to relocate refugees to help determine if the area of relocation is capable of supporting such relocation and necessary services, whether performed by offices of the federal government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or Voluntary Agencies (VOLAGs). 2023 Senate Bill 916 was introduced to provide a procedure for providing notice and compliance with the Refugee Act of 1980 but was vetoed by the governor.

Sauk County is located within 100 miles of Madison, WI, which has an NGO located there, and may settle refugees/asylees within 100 miles of their office location(s). The state of Wisconsin, through the Wisconsin Department of Children & Families, is projecting that 1775 refugees from resettlement agencies (NGOs and/or VOLAGs) and 3846 refugees from the Department of State by the end of fiscal year 2024. An unknown number of refugees are to be resettled by the Madison based agencies. The resettlement of refugees requires extremely significant expenditures of financial resources, by both the United States Government, and the state of Wisconsin, in order to facilitate their relocation to the state of Wisconsin, including costs for housing, healthcare, food assistance, education, social services, translation services, language instruction, modification, additions, or new construction to primary and secondary educational institutions, increased costs to school districts with the addition of the children of asylees and refugees.

Sauk County Board of Supervisors have the authority to act in this matter pursuant to Wisconsin Statute §59.03, such that: (a) the Wisconsin State Legislature has not spoken on the matter, and (b) the effects of such legislation would not uniformly affect every county.  As such, the county may act on resettlement issues as they affect Sauk County.  The Sauk County Board of Supervisors have a duty to act in the best interest of the County populace and to be fiscally responsible to that population. Resettling of refugees/asylees has significant long-term financial resource demands associated with it. The United States Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, published a report in February of 2024 written by Robin Ghertner, Suzanne Macartney, and Meredith Dost, proving that states and local government lose billions of dollars funding these refugee resettlements as shown in Table 2 of their brief.  Sauk County has already increased tax levies to cover necessary expenses and to fund state mandated programs. The Baraboo School District is further seeking to raise tens of millions of dollars for ongoing operations, which do not include the potential consequences of adding numerous children to school district, or the financial burden that would be incurred from such additional demands placed on the school system.

The Sauk County Board of Supervisors has not been contacted by the relevant non-governmental resettlement agencies, and no agency has provided an actual cost (expenditure) for each refugee/asylee and a source of long-term funding to cover such costs.