Refugees and Resettlement: Challenges and Successes

Jonathan Buechner

POLI 193-30 Prof. Donald Searing December 13, 2016

In cooperation with: The Center for New North Carolinians at UNCG

Human Relations Department - City of Greensboro

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Introduction

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as a person who “owing to a

well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a

particular social group or political opinions, is outside of the the country of his/her nationality

and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself to the protection of that

country”.1 This summer, I worked with two agencies responsible for helping and promoting

refugee integration as well as helping to advocate for their fair treatment and equitable access to

resources here in the US. In this paper I argue that research shows that once newly resettled,

employment substantially helps immigrants and refugees with becoming more integrated to the

host country - however the process of finding a job, the type of work, and the barriers that these

populations face can be substantial, lending this process to be unjust and no equitable for all, and

that the resettlement process should be adapted to focus more on language acquisition and

cultural training, in order to maximize the full potential of new refugees and immigrants.

In first part of this paper, I will present some overall general research regarding

immigration in the US over the past two decades, and how the resettlement program has

changed. I will then discuss the history and background of both of the organizations I worked

with, as well as their role in helping the refugee and immigrant community in Greensboro. After,

I will apply this research to my own experiences working with the Center for New North

Carolinians and Human Relations Department.

1"What Is a Refugee?" Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.unrefugees.org/what-is-a-refugee/.

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History and Background of the Resettlement Process in the US

The United States has been a country of safety for refugees seeking asylum from wars,

persecution, and other disasters for many years. Formal legislation for refugee resettlement

began in 1948 following the 250,000 Europeans who were seeking somewhere to live after the

horrendous aftermath of World War II. This framework included permission to accept another

400,000 Europeans in the coming years as well as the ability to accept those fleeing from

communism mostly in China, Cuba, and Eastern Europe.2 These refugees were mostly assisted

by religious and non-profit organizations, which would set a precedent for the public-private

partnership that makes up the resettlement process today. After the end of the Vietnam war in

1975 thousands of refugees came into the US and as a result the 1980 Refugee Act was passed.

This law ensured the standardization of federally funded resettlement services, provided for the

regular and emergency admission of refugees from all nationalities and provided the legal

authority to create the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Department of Health and

Human Services.3

Since then the US has received more refugees than any other country, per aggregate, and

has a strong support infrastructure to ensure integration into American society.4 In order to be

considered a “refugee” various conditions must be met. Those considered to be refugees flee

their home countries due to persecution from a variety of factors and they are processed through

the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This organization

not only grants legal status but also offers protection, assistance and legal and travel documents

2 "Refugee Admissions." Accessed December 13, 2016. https://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/. 3 Ibid. 4 "U.S Refugee Resettlement and Integration: A Guide to High Impact Investments," The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, , accessed December 13, 2016, http://sillermancenter.brandeis.edu/PDFs/Donor Guide - Refugee Resettlement and Integration v2.pdf.

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that may be necessary.5 The UNHCR then refers only about 1% of refugees for resettlement in a

third country; this is a last resort option if all efforts to help the refugee return home or establish

themselves in their country of asylum has failed. Referring to the US program specifically, one

can only be eligible for the Refugee Resettlement Program if they have been referred by the

UNHCR or by the US embassy of their asylum country.

How the Resettlement Process works

The Resettlement Program is under the authority of the State Department which develops

application criteria, admission ceilings, and presents cases to Immigration Services for

adjudication.6 Once a refugee application is processed by Immigration Services an officer

interviews them in their country of asylum and decides “whether the applicant is a refugee as

defined under US law”7 Many NGOs work to prepare refugee applicants for these interviews and

help to screen them before the process begins. If the refugee’s application is approved, then they

are matched with an American resettlement organization. Prior to travel to the US, refugees

must undergo medical and security clearances and voluntary agencies determine where in the US

the refugee will be resettled. Air travel is arranged by the International Organization for

Migration and refugees must sign a promissory note to ensure repayment of travel costs.8

Once refugees arrive in the US, various institutions and programs are in place to ensure a

smooth transition. For the first 90 days, a Reception and Placement program take effect and

refugees are automatically enrolled through resettlement agencies. Run through the Department

of State, it offers a $900 one-time grant to provide for basic necessities such as housing and

5 "How Do Refugees Come to America?" Accessed December 13, 2016. http://refugees.org/explore-the-issues/our-work-with-refugees/refugeeresettlementprocess/. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid.

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food.9 During the first 30 days a host of other services are provided such as help with finding

furniture, food stamps, clothing, social security application, school enrollment, and community

orientation. During the subsequent days, refugees may be eligible to apply to other programs

such as the Matching Grant through their resettlement agency which provides a cash stipend,

emergency rent assistance, and agree to an active employment search. There is also the Public

Cash Assistance Program through the Department of Social Services which is available up to 8

months after arrival. Additionally, the Work First program is available to families with children

to cover the basic costs during a time of job search and enrollees must provide proof of 35 hours

of employment training/volunteer work per week to still be considered eligible.10 These

initiatives are meant to be a “public-private partnership” with some funding coming from the

federal government under the State Department and Department of Social Services, but is mainly

intended to run in cooperation with community and resettlement agencies.

Since 1975, it is estimated that around 3 million refugees have been settled and processed

according to the State Department.11 In 2016, the largest groups of refugees have come from

Burma (Myanmar), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia.12 With the recent

refugee crisis in Syria, the US has only managed to accept 2,800 Syrians comprising about 7% of

the total refugee population for 2016 - which pales in comparison to the almost 1 million Syrian

refugees taken in by countries in Europe such as Germany.13 Looking at North Carolina and

Greensboro more specifically, recent research from 2014 shows that 197 (24%) refugees came

from Burma, 136 (17%) from Iraq, 87 (11%) from Bhutan, 81 (10%) from the Democratic

9 Center for New North Carolinians Training Manual, 2016. 10 Ibid. 11 Igielnik, Ruth. "Where Refugees to the U.S. Come from." Pew Research Center. June 17, 2016. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/17/where-refugees-to-the-u-s-come-from/. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid.

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Republic of the Congo, and 79 (10%) from Somalia - which is consistent with national

immigration trends.14 These refugees bring with them not only a vibrant culture and resilience,

but also new challenges that the existing resettlement process must cope with and adapt. This

makes the role of organizations such as CNNC and the Human Relations Department more

valuable in helping to ease their transition and connect them to valuable resources and

opportunities.

Center for New North Carolinians and its role

The CNNC was founded on April 12, 2000 by the Board of Governors of the University

of North Carolina system through UNC-Greensboro. The goal of the Center was to “provide

research training, and evaluation for the state of North Carolina in addressing immigrant issues;

collaboration with government and social organizations to enhance responsiveness to immigrant

needs; and community support to provide training and workshops” .15 Legislators and educators

saw an increasing need for education and research surrounding immigrant issues following the

influx of refugees in North Carolina. The main goal of the Center was to foster research for

faculty and students at UNCG as well as universities across the state to help contribute to a

greater understanding of the contentions faced by newcomers. It has played an important role in

helping to bridge the newcomer community with the one already established.

14 "Guilford County Refugee Arrivals by Country of Origin FY 2014." Accessed December 13, 2016. https://cnnc.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Refugee-Arrival-Numbers-FY-2014.pdf. 15 "History." Accessed December 13, 2016. https://cnnc.uncg.edu/about/.

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Structure of CNNC

CNNC’s current mission is to “promote access and integration for immigrants and

refugees in North Carolina by bridging newcomer populations with existing communities

through direct service provision, community-based outreach, research and evaluation, and

experiential training and leadership development.”16 While CNNC is not necessarily a

resettlement agency, it has strong partnership with agencies in Greensboro such as Church World

Services, New Arrivals Institute, and the North Carolina African Services Coalition. It helps to

fill in the gaps left by many of the resettlement agencies and provides additional support that

facilitate the continued integration of immigrants and refugees in the state.

The Center has various programs and outreach opportunities that help it to fulfill its

mission. One of the longest-running and most important services are the community centers.

These three centers are based in apartment complexes of communities with a high refugee

population and have a full time staff to help coordinate day-to-day functions. These centers

provide education programs, health programs, employment services, cultural brokering, and

advocacy. Another important program is the Immigrant Health ACCESS Project (IHAP) which

helps to reduce health disparities by providing access to primary care; the program is funded by

the Cone Health Foundation and works with contracted community health workers.17 The Center

also provides high-quality, low cost immigration services and counseling on various aspects of

the immigration process such as DACA/DAPA, naturalization and consular processing.

Combined with other programs around the community, CNNC helps to ensure newcomers have

an adequate cultural understanding and support, especially during the first few months.

16 Center for New North Carolinians Training Manual, 2016. 17 Ibid.

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Greensboro Human Relations Department and its Role

The Human Relations Department of the City of Greensboro is a local government

branch that concerns itself with the inclusion and advocacy of just policies within the Greensboro

City Council. In the organizational structure of the city, the department is under the jurisdiction

of assistant city manager Barbara Harris which includes other departments such as the Office of

Workforce Development, Planning, Neighborhood Development, and Minority, Women

Business Enterprise.18 The Department houses various Commissions including the Human

Relations Commission, the Commission on the Status of Women, and the International Advisory

Committee. The HR Department also oversees the Police Complaint Review Board, Fair

Housing and Education and Outreach.

For the purposes of this paper, I am concerned with the International Advisory

Committee and its role in the newcomer community in Greensboro. The Committee was formed

out of a resolution from the Greensboro City Council in 2005, with the goal of having a group of

individuals whose origins are from outside the US to represent Greensboro’s international

community. Their main purpose is to be a voice for the immigrant and refugee population and

provide recommendations to the Human Relations Commission and the City Council on the

types of barriers that foreign nationals face and formulate recommendations to alleviate some of

these impediments.

During my time as an intern, I sat in on various IAC meetings and learned more about

what the Committee does and its role in the larger context of local government. One of the main

functions of the IAC during the summer is to help with program administration and event

planning focused on the international community. One of the biggest events they were planning

18 "About Us." Human Relations Department. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=726.

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was World Refugee Day in August which brought together the refugee community to celebrate

their achievements and contributions to the larger Greensboro community. The Committee

meetings were also focused on planning a Housing and Refugee Conversations Series through

New Arrivals Institute. This lecture series was designed to bring professionals in the housing and

resettlement arenas to come up with solutions that are unique to the refugee experience and

housing process. Another unique outreach strategy was to target the annual Folk Festival in

downtown Greensboro. The IAC planned to provide various information booths throughout the

event, since there was a high international crowd attendance expected. This information booth

was aimed at providing information to the newcomer community regarding how to use city

resources such as the police department and 911, code compliance for housing, and personal

hygiene materials. I also had the opportunity to sit in on various Fair Housing intake interviews

with immigrant clients who had issues relating to their landlord. It is important for the

international community to have access to public resources like this to make them aware of their

rights as tenants. The Human Relations Department and IAC serve as a vital outlet for the

concerns and voice of the international community to have a direct link to the governing City

Council to promote impactful change.

Refugees and Employment

The US Resettlement program is based on financial self sufficiency, which has both

positive and negative effects. According to a 2009 study done in Chapel Hill regarding refugee

and immigrant experiences, resettlement agency directors cited that finding employers who are

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willing to work with refugees despite the language barrier is a major task.19 The emphasis on

finding a job first leads refugees to seek out positions that are temporary, often in a factory or

warehouse, and that do not have an accepting work culture.

Another big issue is the “brain waste” among high-skilled immigrants who are unable to

go into well-paying jobs early on. Data from the Migration Policy Institute shows that around

48% of immigrant adults who entered the US between 2011 and 2015 had college degrees from

their home countries.20 Due to a variety of factors including the language barrier, these

newcomers face underemployment because their degrees do not transfer forcing them to take

lower paying jobs or seek recertification. One of the clients I worked with on my first day had

this issue. He had just moved to North Carolina from New Jersey and had over 20 years of

experience teaching Islamic Studies at various elementary and high schools, and had even

founded the Islamic Studies Department at one of these schools. He needed money quickly to

help pay for basic necessities such as rent and food, and so we applied to some manufacturing

positions in a baking facility. This was disheartening for me to see because I could tell he wanted

to keep teaching, but the reality of his situation led to much different results. In addition to the

psychological trauma this causes newcomers, it also has negative economic effects. It is

estimated that one out of every four college educated immigrants experienced skill

underutilization - which meant they were working in low-skilled jobs or unemployed.21 This

translates to $394. billion in forgone wages and approximately $10.2 billion in lost tax revenues.

This is a substantial economic impact and emphasis on better degree certification and ongoing

19 Erika Walker, "Refugee Resettlement in North Carolina: Community-Based Challenges and Resources for Integration," March 25, 2011, , accessed December 13, 2016. 20 Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, and James Bachmeier, "Untapped Talent: The Costs of Brain Waste among Highly Skilled Immigrants in the United States," Migration Policy Institute, December 3, 2016, 21 Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, and James Bachmeier, "Untapped Talent: The Costs of Brain Waste among Highly Skilled Immigrants in the United States," Migration Policy Institute, December 3, 2016,

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education classes could help to fill this gap. Additionally, issues such as English language

proficiency, legal status, and racial biases have a strong effect on the underutilization of

newcomers in the labor market.22

My experience with refugee employment services at CNNC

Throughout my time as an intern at CNNC, I mostly worked with the employment

services team. There was one employment coordinator, Julia, who worked in the main office and

was my supervisor during the summer. Two of the community centers also had employment

coordinators who worked directly with the population in the the apartment complex. There was

coordination among the various employment team members within CNNC as well as with

outside organizations such as Church World Services and the Montagnard Dega Association.

The main work of the employment team includes searching for jobs, helping clients apply,

preparing them for interviews, providing transportation, and case management follow up. Julia

described her job duties as “40% direct service, 30% job finding/talking to employers, and 30%

documentation and collaboration.”23 She came in with high expectations about how the job

market would turn out and was hopeful that her clients would be able to obtain jobs. However,

this was not the case and she found that many of her clients faced barriers due to their names,

ethnicity, transportation, English levels and previous work experience. This was something on

which we both reflected on at the end of the internship and talked about ways to make the

employment process more equitable.

22 Ibid. 23 Singley, Julia. "Refugees and CNNC II." In-Person interview by author. August 2, 2016.

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A surprising aspect of the job application process that I experienced was the role that

staffing agencies play in the work of employment coordinators. Many companies outsource their

HR duties to a staffing agency who oversees the entire hiring and administrative process. On one

hand, it makes it easy for clients to apply to a single staffing company which includes various

jobs but there are detrimental side effects that impact the ability of clients to find jobs. For

example, staffing agency positions are temporary, only lasting up to 90 days. Although most

companies advertise promotion after this initial period, it rarely happens. Furthermore, these

agencies are looking to fill a quota, will not advocate for clients, and the middle entity makes it

difficult to communicate effectively with the client to stay updated on their work position. Julia

mentioned that most of the positions through staffing agencies are just to make quick cash to pay

rent and require little experience. She even mentioned that several clients have referred to

companies such as P&G, which uses a staffing agency, as a “plantation.”24 These temporary

positions are not long-term solutions and it makes the client feel less motivated to make an

impact on the company. There were however some examples of positive companies such as

Creative Snacks, which had a history of hiring refugees and treating them well; with one client

starting off as a front desk person who eventually became a manager.

Room for Growth

My time at CNNC and the Human Relations Department allowed me to reflect on the

structural barriers that immigrants and refugees face when arriving to the US and the ways in

which these could be improved. One of the main challenges with the resettlement process is that

it is focused solely on gaining a job first, whatever that job may be. This approach does not set

refugees up for long term success in the US. In speaking with CNNC Director Holly 24 Singley, Julia. "Refugees and CNNC II." In-Person interview by author. August 2, 2016.

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Sciencewiz, she mentioned that the resettlement process has not been updated since 1980 and

does not reflect the current challenges faced by refugees and immigrants coming to the US today.

In other countries such as Canada and Scandinavia, fewer refugees are accepted but the

investment is far greater and includes up to 2 years of language immersion and people are given

a living stipend so that they can “truly learn the language and culture and find a job that fits

them.”25 She went on to say that the US resettlement program should adapt this model in order to

get a greater return on investment due to the fact that refugees in Canada and Scandinavia are

more likely to use less social services after they are well adjusted and pay more into taxes, and

are also more likely to buy a house.26 This shift in resettlement policy could bring great

economic effects as refugees will settle into good paying jobs and invest back in the economy.

A strong refugee resettlement program also includes an emphasis on collaboration with

the community and understanding the needs of newcomers in order to more effectively assist

them. Obviously, more funding would help to cover not only the short-term costs of refugees but

also the long-term costs such as ESL classes, access to transportation, medical services, and

other materials. A recent 2011 study done in Chapel Hill and Carrboro found that more

flexibility is needed among refugees and ESL classes, since many arrive in the middle of

enrollment periods, and are left at a disadvantage when they have to wait until the next term to

start learning the language. The report also cited the critical need for interpreters, especially in

the case of medical services and how the lack of communication could have harmful effects.27

CNNC did offer ESL classes in the community centers, however the scheduled times were

limited, and there were some residents who could not go due to work schedules. As Julia and I

25 Siencewitz, Holly. "Refugees and CNNC." In-Person Interview by author. July 28, 2016. 26 Ibid 27 Erika Walker, "Refugee Resettlement in North Carolina: Community-Based Challenges and Resources for Integration," March 25, 2011, , accessed December 13, 2016.

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reflected over our time this summer, we came to the conclusion that more emphasis needs to be

placed on deeply listening and understanding what the community we are trying to help needs.

We mentioned this could look like hiring people from within newcomer communities who not

only have the experience in the US, but also have cultural and linguistic ties to their communities

and are able to communicate their needs. A broader re-imagining of what places such as CNNC

should look like is also needed. It should be thought of as more of a partnership with clients as

the main focus and the main question should be “how can we work with communities to change

the narrative and create alternative power structures?” This would help to overcome many of the

barriers newcomers face such as linguistic ability, transportation, access to healthcare, and

feeling welcome in their new communities.

There is no doubt that immigrants play a vital role in the economy and culture of the US.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, immigrants founded or cofounded 25% of all new

engineering and technology companies between 1995 and 2005 and made up seven of the 16

inductees to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2009.28 Low-skilled immigrants also made

up a substantial amount of the workforce. According to the same report, immigrants were

responsible for 58% of the population growth over 25 years from 1980 to 2005, which was a

period marked by stagnating employment growth and fertility levels.29 Furthermore, with the

retirement of those in the Baby Boom generation - immigrants will continue to play an important

role in fulfilling this gap of labor positions. Thus, an updated and comprehensive resettlement

and immigration policy is needed not only to support future immigrants but also to help their

contributions to be maximized, while treating them with dignity and respect.

28 Demetrios Papademetriou et al., "Harnessing the Advantages of Immigration for a 21st Century Economy: A Standing Commission on Labor Markets, Competitiveness, and Immigration," Migration Policy Institute, May 4, 2009, , accessed December 13, 2016. 29 Ibid.

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The refugees and immigrants I had a chance to meet this summer were some of the most

resilient and hard working people I have encountered. All of the staff mentioned that their clients

had some of the strongest work ethic, and that this was a valuable asset to their job applications.

Companies that have been hiring refugees for a longtime also recognized this fact and were very

grateful for the help of CNNC in helping to further promote their successful integration. With the

recent election of Donald Trump, the work of organizations such as CNNC and the Human

Relations Department will become ever more meaningful and necessary. The US must not forget

its roots as an immigrant nation and must work towards creating an inclusive society where

newcomers can excel and contribute to their piece of the American Dream, while maintaining an

acceptable quality of life.

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References "About Us." Human Relations Department. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.greensboro-

nc.gov/index.aspx?page=726. Batalova, Jeanne, Michael Fix, and James Bachmeier. "Untapped Talent: The Costs of Brain

Waste among Highly Skilled Immigrants in the United States." Migration Policy Institute, December 3, 2016. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/untapped-talent-costs-brain-waste-among-highly-skilled-immigrants-united-states.

Singley, Julia. "Refugees and CNNC II." Telephone interview by author. August 2, 2016. Siencewitz, Holly. "Refugees and CNNC." Interview by author. July 28, 2016. "Guilford County Refugee Arrivals by Country of Origin FY 2014." Accessed December 13,

2016. https://cnnc.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Refugee-Arrival-Numbers-FY-2014.pdf.

"History." Accessed December 13, 2016. https://cnnc.uncg.edu/about/. "How Do Refugees Come to America?" Accessed December 13, 2016. http://refugees.org/explore-

the-issues/our-work-with-refugees/refugeeresettlementprocess/. Igielnik, Ruth. "Where Refugees to the U.S. Come from." Pew Research Center. June 17, 2016.

Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/17/where-refugees-to-the-u-s-come-from/.

Papademetriou, Demetrios, Doris Meissner, Marc Rosenblum, and Madeline Sumption.

"Harnessing the Advantages of Immigration for a 21st Century Economy: A Standing Commission on Labor Markets, Competitiveness, and Immigration." Migration Policy Institute, May 4, 2009. Accessed December 13, 2016.

"Refugee Admissions." Accessed December 13, 2016. https://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/. "U.S Refugee Resettlement and Integration: A Guide to High Impact Investments." The

Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://sillermancenter.brandeis.edu/PDFs/Donor Guide - Refugee Resettlement and Integration v2.pdf.

Walker, Erika. "Refugee Resettlement in North Carolina: Community-Based Challenges and

Resources for Integration." March 25, 2011. Accessed December 13, 2016.

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"What Is a Refugee?" Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.unrefugees.org/what-is-a-refugee/.