WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Officials in Ottawa County voted 11-0 Tuesday to continue allowing refugees to resettle there in compliance with a recent executive order.
President Trump signed the order last fall, which tasks local municipalities with announcing whether they will place refugees in their communities. Later clarification by the federal government places the responsibility with counties.
At an Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting two weeks ago, dozens of people, including a county employee, spoke in favor of the resolution. Tuesday, people spoke for and against continuing refugee resettlement during a three-hour public comment. Others asked for the vote to be tabled for more deliberation.
Doug Zylstra, one of the commissioners, said he voted yes because there was overwhelming supporting in the city of Holland.
"One hundred percent of the refugees that come into Ottawa County come into the city of Holland," said Zylstra who represents the city.
Since 2015, Bethany Christian Services has resettled 28 cases and more than 75 people in the Holland area, mainly from Afghanistan and the Congo. More than 80 churches supported the endeavor with 38 cosponsoring families.
"Ottawa County has been so welcoming to refugees, and we will be able to continue to place refugee clients here with churches and individuals very supportive and assisting them through the process," said Kristine Van Noord a program director at Bethany Christian Services.
Van Noord said refugees are the most vetted visitors to the United States.
"They bring so much to our community and they add a lot to Ottawa County," she said. "We look forward for them continuing to make a difference here in Ottawa County."
The refugee resettlement program is federally funded, and the county says continuing this process won't require increase local taxes. Any of the refugees now coming to Ottawa County will be a part of the historically low bar of 18,000 approved refugees that president Trump set last year.
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