Athens mayor concerned with refugee resettlement

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- The director of a program that helps refugees resettle in the Athens area says he's optimistic about the program's future despite concerns from local leaders.<br /> <br /> The Athens Banner-Herald reports ( http://bit.ly/VJDqNW ) Mayor Nancy Denson asked state officials who control refugee resettlement in Georgia to put a plan on hold by the International Rescue Committee to bring refugees to the Athens area.<br /> <br /> Denson said she was concerned with the potential strain on the city's social services and school system, and said Athens could offer very little outside of low-wage work for the refugees.<br /> <br /> Director of the International Rescue Committee's Atlanta's office J.D. McCrary says nearly all refugees are self-sufficient after about six months and get assistance from the federal government and not local or state governments during the transition.