BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) "I'm starting to think, more and more, that we may be seeing refugees here, in the next year," said Jennifer Rizzo-Choi of the International Institute of Buffalo on WBEN Tuesday morning.
"At the beginning of the conflict, I was hopeful that the war could be resolved through diplomacy, and refugees from Ukraine would be able to return home. But the images that we're all seeing on the news appear to show entire cities devastated with more and more people leaving."
Roughly three and a half million Ukrainians have fled their country
since Russia began its invasion on February 24.
"This is a tragedy on all levels," said Rizzo-Choi, who serves as interim Executive Director of the International Institute. "Everyone is taking on different stressors. The hope is that the international community will be willing to step up and help resettle folks who cannot go back to their homeland."
Talks have started on what to do about permanent resettlement if people are not able to go home. "I think the U.S. might step up and get involved and take in some refugees, which probably means Buffalo would host some" she said.
Waves of refugees have been pouring into Poland, which is a member of NATO and the European Union. Estimates say as many as 10 million refugees could come which would overwhelm countries like Poland, Hungary and Moldova.
The mayor of Warsaw, Poland has warned that his city is nearing the breaking point with housing, hospitals, education and volunteers.
Rizzo-Choi, was asked if there's a tipping point when refugees decide that they want to return home, versus, decide to get as far away as possible?
"It's a personal choice. Some people want to go back home. They have reasons for that, such as other family members who were not able to flee. They may decide that they're only comfortable staying in a neighboring country, close to their homeland. For others, the tragedy has personally
devastated their entire family and they just want to start fresh."
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Everything is evaluated when the refugees are interviewed when they sign up for United Nations refugee assistance. If they want to resettle in the U.S., they have to go through a more extensive process.
"What this crisis is calling attention to, is that people are finally seeing what it's like when a war erupts and creates a refugee population. This has happened for decades with many different nations. We just haven't see it unfold on live TV."
While the focus today is on three million Ukrainian refugees, Rizzo-Choi said there are 26 million refugees worldwide from conflicts across the globe. "All of them have to start over and often live in temporary places for years. Many refugees who resettle in Buffalo will tell you that they had to wait seven or eight years to get a permanent home and start their life again."
In 2021, the International Institute helped resettle refugees from Afghanistan. Buffalo received about 600 evacuees. "We were one of the larger receiving cities," said Rizzo-Choi. The Institute resettled 131 people plus three babies that were born in the U.S.
"They are still adjusting," she said. They have had some mental health issues. We're working to get them into job training programs. Housing is still a struggle. We don't have everyone in permanent housing but we're working on it. We still have about 30 people left to find housing."
The International Institute looks to the public for help with donations, support and volunteering as refugees begin new lives here.
