The U.S. is expected to reach its target this week of taking in 10,000 Syrian war refugees as part of a resettlement program.
Since January of last year, 61 individuals comprising 14 families have found a home in Rochester after fleeing their war-torn country.
"It wasn't their choice,” said Lisa Hoyt, director of the refugee resettlement program at the Catholic Family Center. “They didn't want to leave their homes, their families, their relatives, friends and neighbors. They are the first to arrive. They'll develop a community just like our other clients have."
Hoyt says many Syrian refugees who have come to Rochester are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and fear what the future holds for them because of recent political rhetoric.
"We're seeing some severe medical and emotional problems. We have a lot of people with medical conditions that were not addressed at the time when they were fleeing, and they are requiring some immediate medical care. They're not just coming here to have a layover; they're coming here to start a new life and right now there is fear that they're not going to be able to do that even though they are here legally."
The Catholic Family Center is expecting more Syrian and Congolese refugees to arrive in Rochester in 2017.
Hoyt said she has heard from numerous people throughout the community who want to help the refugees in any way they can. "We know that there is always going to be people who are not terribly happy with having a refugee population, but I would say the percentage of them is very, very small."