Millions of people and hundreds of staff impacted by US aid cuts, UN migration agency says

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Millions of people and hundreds of staff impacted by US aid cuts, UN migration agency says

2025-03-19 02:39 Last Updated At：02:41

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The United Nations migration agency said Tuesday it is scaling back and suspending lifesaving projects around the world and firing staff following an “unprecedented” 30% funding cut led mainly by the United States.

“The reduction in funding has severe impacts on vulnerable migrant communities, exacerbating humanitarian crises and undermining vital support systems for displaced populations," the International Organization for Migration, based in Geneva, said in a statement.

The roughly $1.1 billion funding cut will halt dozens of projects including food and health care for Rohingya refugees in Thailand, a program that reunited trafficking victims with their families in the U.S. and emergency aid to more than 40,000 people affected by conflict and cyclones in Mozambique, according to an IOM spokesperson.

Cholera prevention, distribution of emergency shelters and medical care in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where millions of people have been displaced by conflict and famine, would also be cut.

“The world is witnessing historic displacement levels, yet funding to address the root causes of displacement is shrinking,” IOM said.

The agency, led by American Amy Pope, got more than 40% of its $3.4 billion budget in 2023 from the U.S.

To minimize the impact of budget cuts on migrants and displaced persons IOM said it will restructure, relocating staff to cheaper locations and reducing its headquarters personnel by more than 20%. Over 6,000 employees worldwide will be affected.

“We recognize the necessary impact these decisions will have on colleagues who have dedicated years to IOM's mission, many of whom will lose their jobs," the statement said.

The IOM measures announced Tuesday are just the latest in a series of funding cuts upending the humanitarian sector and impacting some of the most fragile regions of the world after the Trump administration vowed to eliminate more than 90% of foreign aid contracts and cut some $60 billion in funding.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.