'This puts their future and our shared future at risk:' YWCA reacts to cuts to refugee programs

The YWCA says it's looking at cutting programs after losing $6.5 million because of cuts to federally funded refugee programs.

The YWCA in Tulsa says that those cuts could result in 4,000 people losing services in the next year.

Helping refugees

The YWCA has been in Tulsa for more than a hundred years, helping women get healthcare and helping refugees.

"That includes everything from legal immigration services to case management services, employment services, English language classes, interpretation and translation," said CEO Julie Davis.

An uncertain future

She was concerned when she heard the federal government was cutting the YWCA's funding.

"We currently receive the majority of our funding through federal grants, and then we also are able to leverage local, private foundation dollars to help provide the services that we provide," she said.

The Trump administration has moved to limit refugee resettlement programs like the YWCA, stating in an internal memo obtained by CBS News in January:

"All refugee case processing and pre-departure activities are suspended," moving to "halt all pre-departure activities for refugee cases."

Without that money, the group says it won't be able to continue with its current workload.

"That's loss of services to people who have arrived as immigrants and refugees who are working on building their lives here," she said.

Davis says the work the YWCA does is vital, so these cuts are devastating.

"I would just say that refugees and immigrants contribute to our economic health as a community, and they enrich our city," she said. "This puts their future and our shared future at risk."

Looking ahead

Davis hopes the community will support their efforts, asking anyone who can to sign up on the group's website.

There are several other groups in Green Country that help refugees, including Catholic Charities and Rising Village.