GGIC Announces Termination of Refugee Resettlement Program due to Presidential Order, Poe Continues Partnership with Ignite Life Center
Update March 9: The GGIC website has the address of Ignite Life Center at the bottom of the page near other contact information. This may only be viewable on desktop browsers.
On February 25, the Alachua Chronicle republished a newsletter by the Greater Gainesville International Center (GGIC) announcing the termination of their refugee resettlement program due to an order by President Donald Trump.
Trump’s executive order states the United States Refugee Admissions Program is required to halt all entry of refugees. Judge Jamal Whitehead blocked Trump’s order; however, GGIC Director Lauren Poe told the Alachua Chronicle that it wouldn’t change GGIC halting refugee resettlement.
Poe said the order was to stop “all new cases,” indicating GGIC would continue to work with refugees who’ve already arrived.
In May 2024, Poe discussed his plans to work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on a refugee resettlement program in Gainesville. Poe stated that GGIC is doing business as (DBA) the Sister Cities of Gainesville nonprofit, meaning GGIC is a trade name for Sister Cities of Gainesville.
In June 2024, Ignite Life Center (ILC) head pastor Mark Vega said he met with a “former mayor” from “greater Gainesville” about working together to house immigrants. Vega said, “We're expecting our first family of four from Afghanistan and they’ll be staying.”
In July 2024, TV20 reported that GGIC was housing a family of four from Afghanistan who were fleeing violence from the Taliban.
In September 2024, GnvInfo asked Poe for an interview about ILC and he declined.
In October 2024, Poe officially moved the Sister Cities of Gainesville principal and mailing address to 404 NW 14th Ave, the location of ILC.
In November 2024, Poe said in an interview with IRC that GGIC houses five immigrant families.
ILC has worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their previous immigration programs.
A 2015 TracImmigration report states “three detainees were recorded as transferred by ICE from the Urban Strategies Ignite Life Center-Gainesville…. a total of 21 detainees housed at the Urban Strategies Ignite Life Center-Gainesville left that facility because they were deported, were released under supervision while their cases were being decided, or left ICE detention for one of a variety of other reasons. This is a special facility for housing juveniles.”
In December 2019, the Alachua County Human Rights coalition made a Facebook post stating that ILC was working with ICE again.
Sometime between 2019 and 2021, Urban Strategies implemented their Refugio program at ILC to house unaccompanied immigrant minors. ILC disbanded from the program in the summer of 2024, with Vega stating that the contract was "finishing."
GnvInfo attempted to contact three GGIC board members to ask questions, Vice-Chair Eli Newman, Sister Cities of Gainesville founder Steven Kalishman, and Refugee Resettlement Treasurer Terrence Ho, but they haven’t responded.
Ho’s Instagram account further proves ILC’s partnership with the Sister Cities of Gainesville/GGIC.
On July 2, 2024, Ho published a drawing of ILC pastor Esther Omeben. The photo's caption indicates that she met with GGIC board members Mona Ashour and Grasshopper Illangkoon at ILC. On the same day, Ho published another drawing indicating that Omeben also met with Poe and a few others at ILC. Omeben’s official Instagram account is tagged in both of these photos.
Omeben was named in a Gainesville Police Department supplemental report for attending a private meeting about a child sexual abuse case. The meeting included Vega, several other ILC pastors, the victim, and the perpetrators—Vega’s son Christian Vargas and then-associate pastor Jose Cruz’s son Noel Cruz. Vega reportedly stated “Jail will not resolve the issue,” despite Noel Cruz being 20 when the victim was 15.
On August 13, 2024, Ho published a drawing indicating that Poe met with GGIC board members Sonia Klein and Ashour at ILC. The same day, Ho published another drawing indicating that GGIC board members Newman and Aqueela Khuddus joined Poe and other board members for a meeting at ILC.
On September 22, 2024, Ho published a drawing indicating that ILC pastor and public relations manager Nicole Gomez met with Poe and three other people at “GGIC Offices.”
GGIC Offices may refer to ILC, as Vega stated the “former mayor” from “greater Gainesville” wanted to “move [his] office” to ILC.
Last month, Poe filed the Sister Cities of Gainesville registration for 2025, and the nonprofit is still located at ILC.
