The diocese’s Migration and Refu­gee Services in Trenton will close its doors June 30, referring the immigrant families it serves to Catholic Chari­ties’ more robust Immigration and Legal Assistance Services and ending its work with the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in resettling refugees.

The decision to end the agency’s services was based on both the exis­tence of similar resources provided by Catholic Charities to immigrants seeking assistance, and chronic dif­ficulties that have developed in the refugee resettlement program. The move culminates nearly three decades of service to immigrant and refugee families by the Church of Trenton.

“The resettlement program has been challenged by the rising cost of housing, a lack of available translators, a general shortage of economic op­portunities and a diminishing pool of supporting agencies, such as Lutheran Services, which recently had to shut down its own resettlement program,” explained Daughter of Charity Sister Joanne Dress, executive director of Catholic Social Services. She added, “The statewide resettlement agency, International Institute of New Jersey, which has provided translation and other important services, is also set to close in mid-June.”

The diocesan office, which was lo­cated at 149 North Warren Street, pro­vided assistance to refugees, including Burmese, Bhutanese and Iraqis, who sought reunification with their families. Under the leadership of Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Janet Yurkanin, the organization handled nine refugee cases in 2009, 30 in 2010 and 70 in 2011, a surge resulting from the sudden closure of the Lutheran Services resettlement program.

Sister Joanne said the diocese has received assurances from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Resettlement Services that it will continue to resettle refugees in need, though it would likely be done outside the Trenton area.

“Sister Janet and her staff have worked tirelessly and have dedicated many years to the reunification of families. It is with regret that we end this program,” Sister Joanne stated.

The diocesan agency also provided immigration services – advocacy, counseling and education – to the local immigrant population, serving between 300 and 350 cases per year, many of them ongoing from year to year. Those clients can now seek sup­port from Catholic Charities.

“We are eager and excited about expanding our existing immigration services to meet the needs of the immi­grant community in the four counties of our diocese,” said Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities.

“Catholic Charities has a long history of serving immigrants going back to 1881 when we first served predominantly the Irish community,” she added. “El Centro in Trenton (327 S. Broad St.) and Ocean Emergency Community Services in Lakewood (200 Monmouth Ave.) are perfectly suited to provide a warm and welcom­ing environment to all immigrants seeking counseling, legal assistance and other services.”

The offices are staffed with multi-lingual immigration counselors and attorneys trained to counsel on immi­gration and citizenship matters and to advise and assist with preparing family petitions, labor or employment-based applications, visa applications, citizen­ship applications, family reunification, refugee travel documents, green card renewals, translation and notarization of documents, immigration court hear­ings and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. The offices also provide Eng­lish as Second Language services and parenting and GED classes.

For further information, contact Catholic Charities at “The Ac­cess Center” 1-800-360-7711.