An Overview of Refugee Resettlement. Colorado Refugee Services Program Joe Wismann-Horther

Transcription

1 An Overview of Refugee Resettlement Colorado Refugee Services Program Joe Wismann-Horther

2 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."

3 History of US resettlement 1948: The Displaced Persons Act 1950 s-1960 s: Protection extended to those fleeing Communism 1970 s: US offers protection to hundreds of thousands of Indochinese. 1980: Refugee Act passes Over 3 million refugees resettle in the US since 1975

4 At Denver's New Saigon Restaurant, an all-american success story from Vietnam One year later, in October 1982, Nguyen and Pham landed at Denver's Stapleton Airport, their trip sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, an international humanitarian agency. The family landed in the Mile High City because Nguyen's aunt lived here. Denver Post 2/5/13

5 Teen's journey from terror leads to state award. Alone with four children, Lukambo sought help from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. They ended up in Colorado Springs and received resettlement help from Lutheran Family Services, Rocky Mountain Refugee and Asylee program. The agency helped with a variety of social services, including an apartment, food, medical services and enrollment in school. Lukambo received surgery for the debilitating injuries that plagued her. Colorado Springs Gazette 2/4/13

6 After deaths of Denver boys killed in hit-and-run, refugee community mourns Zumar Bee and her two young sons had made the walk countless times before.after visiting family in east Denver on Friday evening, Bee and her two sons, Zamay Khan, 8, and Azat Khan, 6, said their goodbyes and bundled up, ready to walk the six blocks back to their apartment. Family members asked them to stay the night, but Bee assured them she and her sons would be fine. The three never made it across the street. Denver Post 3/23/13

7 Global Perspective 42.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide (end of 2011) 15.2 million were refugees with 10.4 million under UNHCR s mandate million internally displaced persons (IDP).

8 Global Perspective 895,000 asylum-seekers An estimated million stateless individuals.

9 Best possible durable solution for each refugee: Repatriation Local Integration Resettlement

10 In country of first asylum, registration with UNHCR Now permitted to legally reside, access aid UNHCR prepared initial case: pre-screening referred to USG government Resettlement Support Center (RSC) USCIS/DHS must approve refugee claim persecution, security check, associations Case denied: US resettlement no longer an option

11 If approved: Health Screenings Cultural Orientation Promissory Note National Offices assign cases to local affiliates Based on: family, demographics, capacity Local affiliate: assures case, finds cosponsors

12 Resettlement is considered a durable solution or solution of last resort Only a dozen countries maintain substantial resettlement programs. The U.S. resettles more refugees than all the other countries combined.

13 PATH OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

14 Each year there is a Presidential Determination for Refugee Admissions Numbers and Authorizations of In- Country Refugee Status. For 2013, 70,000 refugee admissions were allocated. Africa ,000 East Asia ,000 Europe and Central Asia ,000 Latin America/Caribbean.... 5,000 Near East/South Asia ,000 Unallocated Reserve ,000

15 Recent trends: ,311 refugees resettled ,424 refugees resettled. * ,000 refugees resettled ,000 refugees resettled (projected).

16 PRESIDENTIAL CEILINGS AND REFUGEE ARRIVALS

17 REFUGEE ARRIVALS BY STATE FFY 2011

18 FEDERAL FUNDING FLOW

19 Between 1.5%-1.9% of refugees resettling in U.S. come to Colorado in Current largest populations: Burmese populations, Bhutanese, Iraqis, Africans (East and Central). Refugees are resettled in Denver metropolitan area as well as Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins.

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21 Colorado is also the destination for significant number of secondary migrants (refugees) originally settled in another state. Ft. Morgan and Greeley. Additional refugee-eligible populations include asylees, victims of trafficking (VOTs), Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs), Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs).

22 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 Ecumenical Refugee & Immigration Services Jewish Family Services

23 Agency Responsibilities Community Orientation Creation of resettlement & employability plan Partnerships: public/private model Fundraising/ In kind support Community Advocacy

24 Core Services Reception & Placement Meet family at airport, provide warm meal, seasonally appropriate clothing Support with basic needs Secure, decent housing Essential furnishings Navigation of eligible services/programs Food stamps/ SSN Health care/ Medicaid School registration

25 Core Services Case Management Employment Services Health Coordination Volunteer/intern assistance Referrals

26 The overwhelming focus of the U.S. Resettlement Program (USRP) is early self-sufficiency. Rapid entry into employment and nonaccess to cash benefits are the primary indicators by which resettlement agency success is measured.

27 The focus on limited financial impact by refugees on benefits and services is such that refugees must even repay the U.S. Government for travel. Only newly arriving refugees are eligible for R&P services asylees and secondary migrants are not.

28 R&P services include: Airport Reception Housing Placement & Household Furnishings Interim Food Assistance Intake and (Services) Orientation Housing, Personal Safety & Community Orientation Public Benefits / Social Security Card Applications English as a Second Language (ESL) Enrollment School Enrollment for Children Employment Assessment & Referrals Health / Mental Health Screenings & Immunizations.

29 Eligibility for services and benefits is time limited and begins on the date of U.S. arrival or asylum. It continues to pass even if benefits and services are not accessed. Due to the financial structure of the resettlement program, the average caseload of an LFS Case Manager is 160 to 1. The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program is a public private partnership and due to funding structure, community engagement is vital to success.

30 In addition to the R&P, CARES, TANF and Matching Grant programs, a number of programs intended to supplement core programs and address structural limitations are maintained: Volunteer & Co-Sponsorship Program CEDS and Colorado Welcome Back Education & Training Programs including Colorado Work Experience (CWEP), school based programming and women s programming. Limited Emergency Services Immigration Legal Services including Adjustment of Status, Family Reunification, Naturalization, etc.

31 DH BHO Counties HCPF CRSP INTEGRATION PARTNERSHIPS CAO Churches Counties MAAs RESETTLEMENT CDLE CWEP Employers DVR HEALTH CDPHE AUMHC JFS ACC ERIS LFSRM JFS ACC, ERIS JFS, EGTC LFSRM EMPLOYMENT APS DPS Counties QED EGTC JFS, RTR EDUCATION CAO, SIIL LFSRM ERIS JFS LFSRM OMC CITIZENSHIP AND LEGAL CLS OCR RMIAN USCIS CRSP CEDS FINANCIAL SERVICES CEF Banks RMMFI SBA CAO Housing Coords HOUSING COMMUNITY ORGANIZING MAAs CIRC CPIN RAP CCH Counties Mercy HH Refer to extended stakeholder partnership list for acronyms.

32 Office of Refugee Resettlement Mission Founded on the belief that newly arriving populations have inherent capabilities when given opportunities, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides people in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society.

33 Pathways to Integration Language Education Health and wellbeing Employment, economic security and mobility Civic involvement and participation Community building and cultural interaction

34 Refugee Parents/Families often face Many losses Stress of acculturation Role reversals/shifts in authority Pressures to become self-sufficient PTSD Pressures from home country and family left behind

35 Connecting with Refugee Parents/Families Parent involvement new concept for some communication across language and culture home/school cultural differences

36 Connecting with Refugee Parents/Families Community members not feeling welcomed Parents feeling intimidated Cultural differences Logistics: access/transportation, scheduling conflicts (work), childcare

37 Refugee Youth Racial and ethnic discrimination Cultural, religious, and linguistic differences between home and school Pressures from refugee community to keep traditions..pressure at school to acculturate independence vs. interdependence freedom of thought is an American educational value

38 Refugee Youth Some student behaviors viewed positively in American society viewed as negative in other cultures and vise versa (eg. Eye contact) Little to no formal education before arriving in the U.S. Over-aged, under credited (place by age, not experience) Language proficiency

39 CHALLENGES Refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo Unaccompanied Alien Children

40 CHALLENGES Funding Placement Health Care Needs most vulnerable Self-sufficiency and quick employment English language acquisition Secondary Migration Economy