? Numbers: Forcibly displaced people worldwide: 38,688,186 WORLD REFUGEES: 15, 300,000 A refugee is someone who owing to a wellfounded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country The 1951 Refugee Convention
Life in Refugee Camps Hospitals Homes Schools
80% of refugees are women and children In 1993 the average wait time in a refugee camp was 9 years. Now it is 17 years.
Which countries resettle refugees? Argentina Australia Brazil Canada Chile Denmark Finland Iceland Ireland Netherlands New Zealand Norway Sweden United Kingdom United States
Presidential Determination Each year, the President submits the Proposed Refugee Admissions Report to the Congress, in compliance with Sections 207(d)(1) and (e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Refugee groups proposed to be resettled are categorized in three priority groups: Priority 1: Individual cases Priority 2: Key designated groups Priority 3: Family reunification for designated nationalities (reinstituted in FY2013)
Refugee Processing UNHCR Refugee Registration Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Resettlement Assessment/Referral USRP* Pre-Screening by Resettlement Support Center On-site interview by DHS/USCIS (Circuit Rides) Fingerprinting and security checks US Resettlement Referrals for medical screening; allocations by Volags** Travel facilitated by the Int l Organization on Migration (IOM) Final document checks and departure *US Resettlement Program **Ten resettlement agencies participating in the Reception & Placement (R&P) Program under a cooperative agreement with the Department of State
Refugee Resettlement Sites in NY
US Resettlement Activity Reception & Placement (R&P) phase for overseas arrivals Programs to all eligible persons Funder/Manager of Funds Department of State HHS/ACF/ORR Services Funded The sponsoring agency places refugees with one of its affiliated offices to provide initial services: housing, furniture,food, clothing, community orientation, and access to services for the first 30-90 days Medical Assistance, and other social services Refugee Assistance Programs States manage federal grants to Volag affiliates and other CBOs. The State Refugee Coordinator s office oversees services and refugee benefits Eligible clients are usually referred to State programs by voluntary agencies (Volags). Self-sufficiency within eight months is the goal. Access to mainstream services is one indicator of this self-sufficiency
Eligible or ACF/ORR Funding Refugees Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Cuban/Haitian Entrants U.S. Repatriates Survivors of Torture Asylees Certified Victims of Human Trafficking Unaccompanied Alien Children Special Immigrant Visa holders Special Immigrant Juveniles
Where UST Refugees Come from? Bhutanese Nepali Former Soviet Union Iraq Iran Burma Eritrea Burundi Rwanda Ethiopia Sudan Somalia Vietnam Democratic Republic of Congo
UST services within 30 to 90 days after arrival Pre-Arrival Processing & Reception Airport pick-up Housing Culturally appropriate meals Case Management Interpretation Referral to Public Benefit Programs School enrollment Employment/ESL services Cultural Orientation Referrals to Social Services Documentation/Advocacy Referral to Health Screening UST services beyond 90 days after arrival Employment Services Interpreter Services Health Access Program Family Strengthening Parent School Liaison Citizenship and Integration ESL Classes and Tutoring Community Consultations Empowering Refugee women, especially single mothers Life Skills and Financial Literacy Education
UST Photo Album