The executive director of the Manhattan Area Resettlement Team is resigning amid federal funding freezes affecting refugee assistance.
Ana Mendonca said her last day as leader of the nonprofit organization will be Feb. 7. Virginia Rodriguez, the agency’s program manager, will serve as interim executive director until the position can be filled permanently. Mendonca said she will continue to volunteer her time helping refugees resettle.
Mendonca told The Mercury she decided to resign after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January halting new refugee arrivals and suspending grant funding used to offset those arrivals. The Associated Press reported the order could affect more than 26,000 refugees and recipients of special immigrant visas.
