The U.S. Department of State has lifted its funding suspension for Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) USA programs in Colombia and South Sudan. This decision comes after uncertainty for the organisation, which had its funding suspended due to the Trump administration’s 90-day foreign aid freeze.
According to JRS USA representative Bridget Cusick, the organization received notice from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) that the funding suspensions for their programs in Colombia and South Sudan have been lifted. The program in South Sudan is valued at $1.9 million, while the one in Colombia is valued at $5 million.
Although the funding suspension has been lifted, JRS USA has yet to receive any funding. The organization is still waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions to take effect. Meanwhile, JRS USA continues to operate in nine countries, providing essential services such as food, medicine, transportation, and financial assistance to refugees.
The organization had initially faced a complete halt to work on its programs due to the funding suspension. However, with limited funding from its board, JRS USA has managed to continue some of its critical operations at a reduced level. Prior to the funding suspension, the organization was set to receive over $18 million in aid from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migrants for fiscal year 2025.