Archdiocese of Newark to begin resettling refugees in 2017
NEWARK -- Despite objections from Gov. Chris Christie and president-elect Donald Trump, the Archdiocese of Newark will begin resettling refugees from Syria and other warring nations in January.
The Record reports the archdiocese is prepared to accept roughly 50 refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2017.
Archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness says the decision is not political, rather just what the church does. The refugees will be settled in Essex and Hudson counties once they begin arriving in late January.
The retiring Archbishop John Myers has openly supported the resettlement and his successor, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis, is expected to back the plan as well.
Christie withdrew New Jersey from the federal settlement program in April, a move advocates say will have little impact.
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