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Refugees 101

The Advocates for Human Rights is pleased

to involve your class or community group in a day to learnabout refugees in the United States.

© The Advocates for Human Rights 2008



• What makes someone arefugee?

• The refugee journey• Refugees to the U.S. –

numbers and policies

• How and why we protect

refugees

Overview



Why do refugees leave

their countries?



Refugees / Asylees

Refugees and asyleesleave their countries

because of war or

persecution due totheir nationality, race,

religion, politicalopinion or membership

in a group.



What isPersecution?

While there is no universallyaccepted definition of persecution, threats to life orfreedom are always consideredpersecution when they occurbecause of a person’s:

• Race

• Religion

• Nationality

• Political opinion

• Membership in a particular

social group



Persecution

Other serious violations of humanrights also constitutepersecution, including:

• Slavery

• Prolonged detention without acharge or trial

• Torture

• Overwhelming discrimination

Note: Not all unfair or unjust treatment is considered persecution.

Assessments of persecution are made on a case by case basis.



Persecution Is Based On:

•Race – Examples include Apartheid in South Africa, theHolocaust and slavery.

•Religion – Could be forbidding membership in a religionor severe discrimination for people who practice areligion.

•Nationality – Includes citizenship or membership in anethnic or linguistic group. Examples include Kurds inIraq and ethnic groups in the former Soviet Union.

•Membership in a particular social group – Examplesinclude members of a tribe, former governmentemployees, or homosexuals.

•Political opinion – Examples include membership or

activity in an opposing political party.



What Is The DifferenceBetween a Refugee and an Asylee?

• A refugee receivespermission to come tothe U.S. from outside of the country.

• Refugees are resettledwith the help of arefugee resettlement

agency.

• An asylee is already in the U.S. when s/he

applies for protection.• Asylees have to prove

that they have reasonto fear persecution intheir home country.



World Refugee Survey (2008) 9

Finland (724)…………….1:7,300

Denmark (472)…………

1:11,700Ireland (144)……………1:30,600

Netherlands (518)……...1:31,700

United Kingdom(498)...1:122,500

Argentina (83)

Major Resettlement Countries of Refugees(by total number and ratio of refugees they accept)

Australia (10,722)…….1:2,000

Canada (11,079)

……....1:3,000Norway (1,397)………1:3,400

Sweden (1,848)……….1:4,900

New Zealand (697)…...1:6,000

United States

Total number of refugees worldwideat the end of 2007: 14,047,300





Q: What Must Threats to Life or FreedomBe Based on In Order to Be Considered

Persecution?

(Click for the answers)

• Race• Religion

• Nationality

• Membership in a particular social group



By nature of their situation,

refugees have to leave theirhomelands behind.

What would it feel like to leave YOUR homeland behind?



Understanding The Journey of the Refugee

The following section of slides are adapted from Flight to Hope: A Catholic Refugee Awareness Educational

Project , Prepared by the Catholic Consortium on

Refugee Awareness Education (1990)



War, severe discrimination orpersecution often make it toodangerous for people toremain in their homeland.

This stage is characterizedby:

•Fear of detection

•Anxiety about conditions

•Pressure about escape

•Fear of persecution

•Anticipated sadness overlosses

Pre-Escape



Fearful for their safety or lives,refugees are forced to flee.

They may leave secretly or

are chased out. Many dietrying to escape. Those lucky

enough to escape theircountry are considered

refugees.

Illustration used with permission ©PeterKuper

Escape



During their Escape, Refugees MayExperience:

•Panic

•Shock

•Fear

•Danger

•Hunger

•Fatigue

•Separation

•Fear of victimization

•Fear of beingdetected orcaught in thecrossfire



The average stay in arefugee camp is years.Many camps are heavily

guarded, surrounded bybarbed wire. Refugees are

sometimes treated cruelly byguards. Most camps are

operated by the UnitedNations and receive helpfrom donor countries. Therefugees await solutions to

the problems in their

homelands.

The Refugee Camp



The Refugee Camp Experience is Characterized By:

• Boredom

• Shock

• Depression

• Anger

•Hope mingledwithdisappointment

•Adjustment tonew livingconditions

•Hopelessness

• Fear of theunknown

• Culture shock

• Survivor’s guilt• Helplessness

•Powerlessness

•Self-doubt•Struggle tomeet survivalneeds

•Confusion



Voluntary Repatriation

If changes happen in their homeland making it safe toreturn home, refugees are repatriated. This is the firsthope for those forced to leave their homeland.Unfortunately, this seldom happens quickly, if ever. Thefeelings repatriated refugees experience include:

•Fear of reprisal

•Anticipation of reunions with friends and family

•Fear that deaths of loved ones will be confirmed

•Fear that loss of possessions will be confirmed

•Fear of government’s intentions

•Concern about re-integration



Refugees are sometimesallowed to leave the

camps and take

residency in the hostcountry. This usuallyhappens when that

country is a neighbor of their own, where the

language and cultureare somewhat similar.

Local Integration



Interview forResettlement

The United Nations officials interview people to

determine if their situation “qualifies” them asrefugees. Only those who can prove they are

escaping persecution and are unable to returnhome are eligible to ask to go to another country.

If they ask to go to the U.S., refugees are theninterviewed by the U.S. Refugee Program officials

and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

officials to determine if they meet our eligibilityrequirements. The U.S. is stricter than the U.N. Forinstance, fleeing due to famine is considered

economic migration not persecution by the U.S.



Approval and Flight

Refugees who areapproved to come to theU.S. are given a health

screening and culturalorientation.

Refugees sign a travel

loan document agreeingto pay back the cost of

the flight.



Arrival in the U.S.

As refugees come to the U.S.,

they are assigned to a RefugeeResettlement Agency wherethey receive assistance andguidance as they begin their

new lives. The Voluntary Resettlement

Agencies (VOLAGs) accreditedto resettle refugees provide

days of service through theDepartment of State and thenprovide after-care services.

Ongoing services may include

public assistance, medical



• The fact of never goinghome

•Loss of family and friends

•Loss of familiar culture•Anxiety overdiscrimination in hostcountry

•Concern over culturaladaptation

•Concern for economic

survival

When Refugees are Resettled, TheyMay Face:



Refugees to theU.S.

Each year, the federalgovernmentdetermines how many

refugees will beallowed to enter. The

recent yearly refugeecap has been 70,000.

According to the

Department of Homeland Security,

the actual number of refugees resettled in

2006 was 41,150.



World Refugee Survey (2008) 26

Iran:3,900

Guatemala:

3,400Vietnam:3,400

Ethiopia:3,200

Indonesia:3,100

Ukraine:

Refugees to the U.S. at the End of 2007

(by Country of Origin)

China:16,800

Haiti:

12,300Cuba:11,700

Somalia:11,600

Colombia:8,200

Russia:

Total number of refugees in the U.S.at the end of 2007: 151,200

India:2,800

Nicaragua:

2,400

Myanmar:2,200

Sudan:2,200

Other:42,800



QUIZ TIME!



Q: What Phases Might A Refugee GoThrough During His or Her Journey?

(Click for the answers)

• Pre-escape

• Escape• Stay in a refugee camp

• Voluntary repatriation

• Local integration

• Resettlement in anothercountry



What Do You Think? Can a Refugee to theU.S. ...

Sponsor afamily

member

to cometo theU.S?

Stay inthe U.S.forever?

Legallywork in the

U.S.?

Become a U.S.citizen?



After Refugees Have Been in the U.S.for 1 Year, They May Apply to

Become Lawful Permanent Residents

• Lawful permanentresidents havepermission to remainin the U.S. for as longas they choose.

• They must keep takeout permission for

their green card every 10 years andremain crime free.

• They can sponsortheir spouse and

unmarried children to



Employment

• Refugees in the U.S.are authorized to work.

• They may be eligible

for employmentcounseling andreferrals through theirresettlement agency.

• Often, the training andlicenses for theprofession refugees didin their home countryare not accepted in theU.S.



Lawful Permanent ResidentsMay Become U.S. Citizens

Eligible refugees maychoose to go through the

process of

to become a U.S. citizen.



To Become a Naturalized Citizen, OneMust:

• Have a green card foreither 3 or 5 years basedon your particularsituation.

• Be physically present inthe U.S. for 2.5 years.

• Pay an application fee of $675.

• Pass the citizenship test.• Pass the interview inEnglish.

• Swear to the judge youwill follow the laws of the

U.S.



Which States Resettle the Most Refugees?

Can you guess the top 10 statesof resettlement in the U.S.?

Where would YOUR state rank inresettlement?

0 S f f l i



U.S. Department of State

Top 10 States for Refugee Resettlement in2005

State Total Arrivals % of U.S. Arrivals

California 7,516 13.97%

Minnesota 6,357 11.81%

Florida 4,793 8.91%

Texas 3,245 6.03%

Washington

2,847 5.29%

New York 2,568 4.77%

Arizona 1,872 3.48%

Georgia 1,870 3.47%

Wisconsin 1,851 3.44%



U.S. Department of State

States Ranked by Refugees Resettled

1 Califor. 11 Penns. 21 Kent. 31 Louis. 41 Alab.

2 Minn. 12 Illinois 22 Maryl. 32 R. Isl. 42 N.Mex

3 Florida 13 Mass. 23 Utah 33 N. Dak. 43 Alaska

4 Texas 14 Virgin. 24 N. Jers. 34 Nebras.44 D.C.

5 Wash. 15 N.Car. 25 Idaho 35 S. Dak. 45 Haw.

6 N. York 16 Oregon

26 Conn. 36 Verm. 46 Delaw.

7 Arizona 17 Missou.

27 Indiana 37 Maine 47 Ark.

8 Georgia 18 Color. 28 Iowa 38 Kansas 48 Mont.



Why Should We Protect Refugees?



International Laws Protect Refugees

• U.N. 1951 Convention relatingto the Status of Refugees (April22, 1954)

– Defines who is a refugee

–Sets out rights of refugees– Establishes standards of treatment by receivingcountries

– Limited to pre-1951

European refugees• 1967 Protocol relating to the

Status of Refugees (October 4,1967)

– Removes geographic andtime limitations of above-



Principal of Non-Refoulement

Under the internationalhuman

rights principle of non-

refoulement, a country

cannotdeport an alien in any

manner to

a territory where his or herlife

or freedom would bethreatened

on account of his or herrace,

religion, nationality,

United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951, Article 33;

Convention Against Torture, Article 3; International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights, Article 5



What ideas do YOU have abouthow to make your world better for

refugees?



For More Information,Visit Energy of a Nation on the Web!

• Obtain accurate and up-to-date information aboutimmigrants and refugees.

• Learn about current

legislation.• Take action by contacting

leaders and lawmakers.• Participate in community

events.

• Learn about the issues.• Access reports and resources

on state and nationalimmigration.All Free and Downloadable at: www.energyofanation.org!



© The Advocates for Human Rights 2008

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