Upstate United: Amid Migrant Crisis Asylum Seekers Deserve Opportunity to Join Workforce Legally

August 9th, 2023

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United

“As more asylees arrive in our Upstate communities, we reiterate our call to expedite the process in which these individuals are able to obtain legal, gainful employment – particularly given the thousands of open positions throughout the region. Any change to the current barriers due to Federal law would be mutually beneficial to employers and asylum seekers alike.

“We applaud Monroe County Executive Bello not only for his efforts to ensuring smooth transitions for these individuals and families seeking asylum, but also for his advocacy to help them become active participants in the community. We join him, as well as other local, statewide representatives and business partners, in the call to reduce the 180-day wait period to a more reasonable timeframe given the current influx of migrants.”