Bureau of
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
Population, Refugees, and Migration
and Migration
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
U.S. Refugee
Resettlement & Integration
Susan Kyle, Program Officer for Domestic Resettlement
Office of Admissions,
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and
Migration
U.S. Department of State
Bureau
Bureau
ofof
Population,
Population,Refugees,
Refugees,
and
and
Migration
Migration
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Overview
One component of large legal immigration program
• In 2010, total legal immigration was ~1,000,000 persons
• Most (900,000) were relatives of persons in the U.S. or had job
offers from U.S. employers
• 10% were granted asylum (25,000) or admitted to the U.S. as
refugees (75,000)
Refugee Admission numbers rise and fall depending on need, volume of
referrals, and capacity to process.
• Since 1975, nearly 3 million refugees have been admitted to the
U.S.;
• Highest level – 207,000 in 1980 and 159,000 in 1981
• Lowest level – 20,000 in 1977 and 27,000 in 2002
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
U.S. Refugee Admissions
FY 2006 – FY2012
Region of
Origin
FY 2007 FY2008
Arrivals Arrivals
FY2009
Arrivals
FY2010
Arrivals
FY2011
Arrivals
FY 2012
Ceiling
Africa
17,482
8,935
9,670
13,305
7,685
12,000
East Asia
15,643
19,489
19,850
17,716
17,367
18,000
Europe
4,561
2,343
1,997
1,526
1,228
2,000
L. America/
Caribbean
2,976
4,277
4,857
4,982
2,976
5,500
Near East/
South Asia
7,619
25,148
38,280
35,782
27,168
35,500
Total
48,281
60,192
74,654
73,311
56,424
73,000 +
unallocated
Bureau
Bureau
ofof
Population,
Population,Refugees,
Refugees,
and
and
Migration
Migration
Basic Approach to
Resettlement & Integration
• Public – Private partnership
– Government, NGOs, local communities
• Integrate refugees through early employment
– Time-limited public assistance
• Diverse placement and programs
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
U.S. Government Partners
DOS/PRM:
• Develops policy and overall manager of the USRAP.
• Responsible for resettlement and initial support to refugees post-arrival
through NGOs (arrival to 3 months).
DHS/USCIS:
• Officers determine eligibility for admission, adjustment to legal
permanent residence (after 1 year), and citizenship (after 5 years)
HHS/ORR:
• Administers cash, medical, and social service programs through state
governments and NGOs (arrival to 5 years)
Congress:
• Consulted on annual refugee admissions and appropriator
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
NGOs and Local Partners
Domestic NGOs:
• For DOS provide initial reception and placement services
• For HHS provide on-going resettlement and integration
services
State and Local Governments:
• Provide cash, medical, employment services, ESL, education
and training, transportation, and other services
Local Communities:
• Provide resources that assist with resettlement and integration
• Welcome and learn from refugees
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
Elements & Programs of Integration
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Legal status
Employment
Housing
Education
Health
Language and cultural acquisition
Civic engagement
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
Research and Workgroups
U.S. Government:
• HHS: Integration Working Group & Study on Social
Services Programs
• DHS: Task Force for New Americans
• NSS: Domestic Resettlement Reform
State Government:
• Minnesota: Performance outcomes and research
• Idaho: Strategic community plan
NGOs:
• Church World Service: Research
• International Rescue Committee: Framework
Bureau of
Population, Refugees,
and Migration
Challenges
• Diverse and limited resources
• Limited research on long-term outcomes and
integration
• No single definition of integration
• No standard outcomes for all refugee programs
Successes
• Diverse creative multi-sector programs and services
• Welcoming communities
• Refugees become active community members