While the county does not have an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Services, the Health and Human Service Agency provides a wide array of services and support for nearly 10,000 refugees in the county, according to Nick Macchione, the director of the county’s Health and Human Service Agency.

“Our hearts go out to the families that were talked about but the Health and Human Service Agency has no jurisdiction for women or children that cross the border to seek asylum and enter into the U.S.,” Macchione said. “The families are detained on federal property by the Office of Refugee Resettlement and provided care by federal government. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t provide the services as it is managed by the federal government.”

Macchione said he is proud of the services the county provides which includes a community action partnership that works with many refugee organizations throughout the county, a county refugee coordinator who serves on the state’s refugee advisory committee, refugee employment programs and an office of refugee health.

“In this budget, there’s $7.5 million to continue all of these services that we provide for our refugees,” Macchione said. “We do embrace the importance and value of working and serving all of our refugee families.”