Catholic Charities dodgy when asked who's OK'd at affordable housing complex

ROCHESTER - A series of opaque, evasive and elusive statements from a spokesperson for Catholic Charities New Hampshire belies the charity's claim that an affordable housing complex in Rochester will house only U.S. citizens.
In November the nonprofit's Executive Director of Real Estate Services, Jeff Lefkovich, visited Rochester's City Council to make a presentation regarding the Residences at Riverside Park, a proposed affordable housing complex located at the site of the city's former DPW garage on Old Dover Road.
After a couple of Rochester residents expressed their concerns about illegal immigrants living at the complex during public input, Lefkovich began his presentation by saying his mission at the meeting was to educate the public and "explain truth about this project."
Just moments after he made the statement, Mayor Paul Callaghan interrupted him to ask if Catholic Charities NH was affiliated with the national Catholic Charities, which received billions of taxpayer dollars from the former administration yearly to advocate and provide assistance for those who enter the country illegally.
Lefkovich replied, "No, not at all. I represent Catholic Charities NH, which has no official affiliation with any of the other Catholic Charities in any of the other states."
Why didn't he just say, "No, we have no affiliation with Catholic Charities USA." He appeared to have answered a question he was not asked.
On the Catholic Charities NH website under services, it reads, "We provide high-quality, affordable legal services for individuals who are eligible under federal law to apply for immigration benefits."
Under the Biden administration millions of migrants crossed illegally, were processed by ICE and released into the country while they waited for their asylum or other claims to be adjudicated, often given court dates years into the future.
Illegals would often use their court paperwork to apply successfully for benefits.
Rather than take Lefkovich's claim that the Old Dover Road complex would only be for American citizens, The Rochester Voice called his office and left a voice mail asking him to give the digital daily a call regarding the housing requirements.
He never returned the call, so The Voice called him several more times then gave up.
But on Feb. 5, due to following due diligence, The Voice emailed Lefkovich this question: "asking if you could assure my readers that there will only be United States citizens allowed at your affordable housing project on Old Dover Road in Rochester ... please send me a return email on whether or not applicants must be citizens of the U.S.
Below is his verbatim reply.
I(We) have made numerous public statements regarding the eligibility criteria for The Residences at Riverside Park, and I want to once again provide clarity. This housing community will follow all applicable federal and state housing laws, including those governing tenant eligibility. Applicants must meet the requirements established under these regulations, which do not include any special arrangements with Catholic Charities or any organization for housing undocumented individuals.
Lefkovich also added that "This development is a significant step forward for the community, providing much-needed housing for local families, essential workers, seniors, and others who are legally eligible and in need of stable housing."
One would have to agree that "legally eligible" is a far cry from U.S. citizen.
There are likely 15 million people in the country who are here illegally, yet under the Biden administration, received a myriad of benefits and cash.
According to the Economic Policy Innovation Center's website, "Aliens - even those otherwise inadmissible - are provided a reprieve from removal by being granted: parole, asylum, work authorization after applying for asylum, status as Afghan parolees, Ukrainian parolees, Cuban, Nicaraguan, Haitian, and Venezuelan (CNHV) parolees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, noncitizens granted conditional entry, Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant status, refugee status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or withholding of removal by the Administration. All of these categories can become eligible for taxpayer-provided benefits."

It should be noted that most of the above exceptions have been rescinded under the Trump administration, which also froze all additional disbursal of federal dollars to Catholic Charities USA.

Meanwhile, Catholic Charities NH on their website openly state that they provide immigration services to anyone eligible to be in the country under federal law.
Here is their statement verbatim. "We provide high-quality, affordable legal services for individuals who are eligible under federal law to apply for immigration benefits."
Remember the question we asked in our email to Lefkovich was a straight-up yes or no answer: "(Can you) assure my readers that there will only be United States citizens allowed at your affordable housing project on Old Dover Road in Rochester."
Sadly instead of one word we got a word salad.
To watch the Nov. 19 presentation from Lefkovich click here and go to the 29-minute mark..