In 2022 the UNHCR reported that 35.3 million refugees were uprooted from their homes by conflict and persecution. 114,300 refugees were resettled around world. That’s fewer than 0.5% of refugees worldwide who get the opportunity to resettle. Most spend the rest of their lives in refugee camps.

What is a refugee exactly? A refugee is a person who has fled or is forced from their country because of war, natural disaster or persecution due to their race, ethnicity, or religious or political beliefs. Most refugees begin their journey literally running for their lives in whatever way they can travel. Those fortunate enough end up in neighborhoods near you usually without you knowing they arrived could use your help to find a way to start their life over in the U.S.

Once refugees flee their homes they gather in refugee camps in neighboring countries and wait… anywhere from 2 years to the rest of their lives, to return home or be resettled. The camps are impoverished, crude and often overpopulated, but attempt to provide rationed food, basic shelter, healthcare and youth education. Refugees are unable to work or earn any wages during this time. They remain in these harsh living conditions until the conflict in their home nation resolves and they can return, or when another country grants permission for them to legally resettle there and become citizens.

Refugees have very little choice in the resettlement system. Refugees usually cannot proactively apply for resettlement. Even refugees selected for resettlement cannot choose to which country they will be resettled. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) interviews and selects all refugees that get the opportunity to resettle. Only those who can prove they are escaping persecution and pass multiple security screenings after generally a 2-3 year process are eligible for resettlement into a receiving country. 

Since 1975, The United States has held a tradition of offering refuge to those fleeing persecution and war. In 1980, Congress passed the Refugee Act which incorporated the United Nations definition of 'refugee' and standardized the resettlement services for all refugees admitted into the U.S. The President, in consultation with Congress, annually determines how many and which refugees will be given sanctuary in the U.S. The UNHCR selects refugees who match U.S. specific selection criteria and the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) further interviews them. The Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Department of Defense and multiple intelligence agencies work together to screen biometric and biographic data, photographs, and other background information. Any refugee who is deemed to pose a threat to our national security is denied.

Refugees that make it through this intensive process travel from across the globe with few belongings, a difficult past, and high hopes for a new future. Incoming, refugees are assigned to a refugee resettlement agency by the Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration (PRM). As a refugee walks off the plane, they begin a very difficult journey of cross-cultural adaptation. Resettlement agencies are given government finances to help resettle a refugee by providing initial housing, furniture, clothing, work opportunities, healthcare, education and immigration services. However, time is essential to try and help refugees be self-sufficient because their financial aid stops after 90 days and the U.S. requires their travel loan to be fully repaid, including their airfare. It is up to the community, local church and charities to step into the gap!

For the last 40 years the U.S. has been a humanitarian world leader in accepting about 70-90,000 refugees per year. The US had an all-time low resettling only 12,000 refugees in 2020 but plans to resettle 125,000 in 2024. Jacksonville, FL and Raleigh – Durham, NC are key resettlement cities resettling on average 300-500 refugees annually with plans to greatly increase in 2024.

To date, refugees have had an amazing impact on the United States culturally and economically. In 2019 the approximate US population of 2.4 million resettled refugees generated an average household income of $71.400, paid more than $25 billion in taxes, made up 13% of all entrepreneurs, and generating more than $5.1 billion in business income.

Refugees arriving to the U.S. can be of any educational background. Some are highly educated doctors, lawyers and professionals, while others are unable to read or write in their own language. Some refugees come from wealthy backgrounds, while others have lived much of their lives in poverty.  The one factor all refugees have in common is that they have all been persecuted and hope for a different future and new community to belong and contribute to.