Historical Context of Refugee Resettlement

1948: The U.S. Congress enacted the first refugee legislation in 1948 following the admission of more than 250,000 displaced Europeans from World War II.

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly with a three-year mandate to complete its work and then disband.

1951: United Nations Convention relating to the status of refugees.

By 1956 UNHCR was facing its first major emergency, the outpouring of refugees when Soviet forces crushed the Hungarian Revolution.

In the 1960s, the decolonization of Africa produced the first of that continent's numerous refugee crises needing UNHCR intervention.

1967: United Nations Protocol relating to the status of refugees.

The U.S. faced the challenge of resettling hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in April of 1975.

Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, passed on May 23, 1975

Inter-Agency Task For on Indochinese Refugee Resettlement

Nonprofit groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, CivitanInternational, and the International Rescue Committee, sponsored families, providing food, clothing, and shelter until they could support themselves.

Congress passes the United States Refugee Act of 1980

Over 3 million refugees resettle in the US since 1975

Refugee: "owing to a well-founded 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.“

Additional “refugee-eligible” populations include asylees, certified victims of trafficking (VOTs), Cuban – Haitian Entrants,Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs), Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs).

IMMIGRANT

REFUGEE

MIGRANT

DENVER AND THE WESTUp to 1,000 immigrant children to be temporarily housed in Lakewood, ColoradoThe facility at the Federal Center will be the largest of its kind in the countryBy John AguilarThe Denver PostPOSTED: 12/30/2015 10:00:00 PM

I believe it's more about the democrats wanting to overload our welfare system until collapse so they can install a socialist government.

Refugees get a lifetime welfare and entitlements US citizens do not. More immigrants get welfare then native born per gov't stats.

Jeff Sessions of AL brought this up along with others as to why we should pause this proposed settlement along with the fact they can not be properly vetted.

1951 Refugee Convention

Refugee Act of 1980

59.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide

19.5 million were refugees with 14.4 million under UNHCR’s mandate.

38.2 million internally displaced persons (IDP).

Global Perspective 2014

Repatriation

Local Integration

Resettlement

Durable solutions:

Region Regional CeilingFY 2015

Primary populations

Africa 17,000 Somalis in Kenya and Ethiopia; Eritreans in Ethiopia, Congolese

East Asia 13,000 Burmese in Thailand and Malaysia

Europe and Central Asia

1,000 Religious minorities from the former Soviet Union

LatinAmerica

4,000 Cubans (many) and Colombians (few)

N. East/ S. Asia

33,000 Iraqis, Iranian religious minorities, Bhutanese in Nepal

Unallocated Reserve

2,000 Available for use as needed for any region

Total 70,000

Region Regional CeilingFY 2016

Primary populations

Africa 25,000 Somalis in Kenya and Ethiopia; Eritreans in Ethiopia, Congolese

East Asia 13,000 Burmese in Thailand and Malaysia

Europe and Central Asia

4,000 Religious minorities from the former Soviet Union

LatinAmerica

3,000 Cubans (many) and Colombians (few)

N. East/ S. Asia

34,000 Iraqis, Iranian religious minorities, Bhutanese in Nepal

Unallocated Reserve

6,000 Available for use as needed for any region

Total 85,000

Of Presidents and Refugee Resettlement

REFUGEE ARRIVALS BY STATE FFY 2011

Between 1.5%-3% of refugees resettling in U.S. come to Colorado.

Current largest populations: Communities from Burma, Bhutanese, Iraqis, Somalis.

Refugees are resettled in Denver metropolitan area, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Ft. Morgan, Ft. Collins.

Proposed to PRM 2016Affiliate Individuals Individuals Total Approved for

with U.S. Tieswithout U.S. Ties FY 2016 (Individuals)

LIRS - Colorado Springs 80 70 150LIRS - Colorado Springs (URM) 0 10 10ECDC - Denver 420 105 525EMM - Denver 200 0 200LIRS - Denver 490 110 600LIRS - Denver (URM) 0 10 10LIRS - Greeley 165 0 165

Total - Colorado 1355 305 1660

Denver 1335Colorado Springs 160Greeley 165

2011 – 56,424 refugees resettled.

2012 – 58,000 refugees resettled.

2013 – 69,730 refugees resettled.

2014 – 69,987 refugees resettled.

2015 – 69,933 refugees resettled.

Recent trends:

2012 – 2,039 refugees (1458) refugee eligible (581)

2013 – 2,410 refugees (1789) refugee eligible (621)

2014 – 2,496 refugees (1813) refugee eligible (683)

2015 – 2,250 refugees (1735) refugee eligible (515)

Colorado

KEY COMPONENTS OF U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM

Identification of refugees who are eligible to be processed for U.S. admission

Overseas processing, including DHS adjudication,cultural orientation, medical screening and security background checks, and sponsorship assurances

Transportation to the U.S.

Initial reception and placement in the U.S.

PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

Security and Health Screening

PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENTAssuring

Cases and U.S.

Resettlement

Local Communities

Reception & Placement ProgramVoluntary Agencies

Church World Service Episcopal Migration Ministries Ethiopian Community Development Council Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society International Rescue Committee Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service United States Conference of Catholic Bishops United States Committee for Refugees and

Immigrants World Relief

~348 local affiliates

Colorado Refugee Services Program (State coordinating agency)

Colorado Alliance for Refugee Employment and Self-Sufficiency (CARES)

Primary resettlement: Volags– Lutheran Family Services– African Community Center

PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENTInitial

Reception and

Placement

Federal funding

no interest travel loan to the United States 8 months Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical

Assistance (RMA) food stamps housing assistance, furnishing, food and clothing social security card school registration for children referral for medical appointments and other support services employment services case management through community based non-profit

organizations adjustment of status from refugee to legal permanent resident

(green card)

Refugee Benefits: What services do refugees receive?

Resettlement AgencyVoluntar Agency (VOLAG)

Arrange for reception and placement of refugees

Provide refugees with basic necessities and core services during initial period of resettlement (30-90 days)

Assist refugees in achieving self-sufficiency through employment as soon as possible in coordination with publicly supported refugee service and assistance programs

PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

2010: Refugee Integration Survey & Evaluation (RISE) Survey

10 Integration Domains (Based on Ager & Strang, 2004)

1. Employment & Economic Self-Sufficiency

2. Education & Training3. Children’s Education4. Health & Physical Well-

Being5. Housing

6. Social Bonding7. Social Bridging8. Language & Cultural

Knowledge6. Safety & Stability7. Civic Engagement

Housing

Livable Wage

Affordable and quality child care