Jewish Family Services of San Diego announces potential layoffs of migrant shelter workers
SAN DIEGO (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Since taking office, President Donald Trump has announced sweeping changes in federal funding and policies.
As a result, Jewish Family Services of San Diego (JFS) announced potential layoffs of its migrant shelter workers. A number of staffers were given a 60-day notice on Monday.
Migrants requesting asylum were bussed to shelters run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), like Catholic Charities and JFS, under the Biden administration.
According to JFS' CEO Michael Hopkins, since October 2018, Migrant Shelter Services helped nearly a quarter million people seeking asylum.
The organization provided them temporary shelter, food, case management, medical and legal services among other things.
JFS says no clients means potential layoffs and redirecting its resources.
In part of a statement released Monday, Hopkins wrote, "Due to recent changes in federal funding and policy, the San Diego Rapid Response Network (SDRRN) Migrant Shelter Services will be paused until there is better understanding of future community needs."
Staffers did not seem to know much about it.
The statement didn't mention how many shelter workers would be affected, only that they were given 60 days' notice.
"We are working to identify any potential opportunities for re-engagement with our valued shelter services staff in other departments in the future," Hopkins wrote.
JFS also blamed federal funding not just policy changes. Although the CEO did not speak specifically to the amount of money or where exactly it was coming from.
JFS was last allocated $22 million in federal funding for SDRRN Migrant Shelter Services in October 2024. To date, the agency has received 0% of the funding.
