Charting a Course to Rebuild and Strengthen the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP): Findings and Recommendations from the Center for Migration Studies Refugee Resettlement Survey: 2020

• Published in: Journal on migration and human security 2021-03, Vol.9 (1), p.1-30
• Main Authors: Kerwin, Donald, Nicholson, Mike
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ability; Adjustment; Basic needs; Case management; Child care; Children; Citizenship; Community organizations; Community structure; COVID-19; Diplomatic & consular services; Displaced persons; Domestic violence; Education work relationship; Educational systems; Employment; English language; Enrollments; Family school relationship; Food; Higher education; Hostility; Immigrants; Immigration; International organizations; Internet; Job training; LGBTQ people; Literacy; Literature reviews; Medicine; Mental health services; Migration; Part time employment; Physicians; Political asylum; Polls & surveys; Refugees; Religion; Religious buildings; Religious persecution; Relocation; Residents; Sociocultural factors; Teachers; Training; Transportation; Trump, Donald J; Work; Work skills; Workforce planning; Worship
• ISSN: 2331-5024; 2330-2488
• DOI: 10.1177/2331502420985043

Executive Summary 1 This report analyzes the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), leveraging data from a national survey of resettlement stakeholders conducted in 2020. 2 The survey examined USRAP from the time that refugees arrive in the United States. Its design and questionnaire were informed by three community gatherings organized by Refugee Council USA in the fall and winter of 2019, extensive input from an expert advisory group, and a literature review. This study finds that USRAP serves important purposes, enjoys extensive community support, and offers a variety of effective services. Overall, the survey finds a high degree of consensus on the US resettlement program’s strengths and objectives, and close alignment between its services and the needs of refugees at different stages of their settlement and integration. Because its infrastructure and community-based resettlement networks have been decimated in recent years, the main challenges of subsequent administrations, Congresses, and USRAP stakeholders will be to rebuild, revitalize, and regain broad and bipartisan support for the program. This article also recommends specific ways that USRAP’s programs and services can be strengthened. Among the study’s findings: 3 Most refugee respondents identified USRAP’s main purpose(s) as giving refugees new opportunities, helping them to integrate, offering hope to refugees living in difficult circumstances abroad, and saving lives. High percentages of refugees reported that the program allowed them to support themselves soon after arrival (92 percent), helped them to integrate (77 percent), and has a positive economic impact on local communities (71 percent). Refugee respondents also reported that the program encourages them to work in jobs that do not match their skills and credentials (56 percent), does not provide enough integration support after three months (54 percent), does not offer sufficient financial help during their first three months (49 percent), and reunites families too slowly (47 percent). Respondents identified the following main false ideas about the program: refugees pose a security risk (84 percent), use too many benefits and drain public finances (83 percent), and take the jobs of the native-born (74 percent). Refugee respondents reported using public benefits to meet basic needs, such as medical care, food, and housing. Non-refugee survey respondents believed at high rates that former refugees (69 percent) and refugee community ad