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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
About Refugees and Immigrants
A. A refugee is a person outside of the United States who seeks protection on the grounds that he or she fears persecution in his or her homeland. To obtain refugee status, a person must prove that he or she has a "well-founded fear of persecution" on the basis of at least one of five specifically-enumerated and internationally-recognized grounds. Those grounds include the person's race, religion, membership in a social group, political opinion, or national origin.
How Many Refugees Are There World Wide and Where Are They? A. According to recent estimates from the U.S. Committee for Refugees, there are an estimated 13.9 million refugees and asylum seekers throughout the world, and 21.3 million internally displaced persons in need of protection and assistance. The 2007 World Refugee Survey estimates are as follows:
How Many Refugees Does the United States Admit? The United States accepts a limited number of refugees each year. This number is determined by the President in consultation with Congress. In fiscal year 2008, for example, 70,000 refugees will be permitted to come to the United States. The total number of refugees admitted to the U.S. is divided among different regions of the world. In fiscal year 2006, the regions and the numbers of admissions are:
Why does the United States Have A Refugee Program? Every year millions of people
around the world are displaced by war, famine, and civil and political
unrest. Others are forced to flee their countries in order to escape the
risk of death and torture at the hands of persecutors. The United States works with other governmental, international, and private organizations
to provide food, health care, and shelter to millions of refugees throughout
the world. In addition, the United States considers persons for resettlement
to the U.S. as refugees. Those admitted must be of special humanitarian
concern and must demonstrate that they were persecuted, or have a well-founded
fear of persecution, on account of race, religion, nationality, political
opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Why do refugees come to our community? Political refugees are resettled throughout the U.S. and in many other countries around the world. In any given year, a limited number of persons designated as refugees by the United Nations are interviewed by the United States State Department and allowed to enter the U.S with refugee status. Eleven national organizations assist with this resettlement and assign these families to various communities throughout the U.S. Refugee and Immigration Services is a part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, a voluntary agency dedicated to refugee resettlement. Over twenty-five years of past experience has taught us that our community resources limit the number of refugees we can assist up to approximately 200. Currently, 50% of the arriving refugees are "family reunifications"--families joining previously arrived families.
How is a refugee different from an immigrant? There are many categories of legal immigrants. A political refugee is a subcategory of immigrants. The refugee is approved to come to the U.S. because if they returned to their homeland, they would be persecuted or killed. A political refugee is NOT an economic refugee who may cross the border to improve his economic situation. The media often puts all refugees in the same group, but the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS) only uses the definition of political refugee when it assigns this status. Congress and the President may allow 1 to 2 million immigrants to enter a year--primarily these are family reunifications--and only 60,000 to 70,000 are refugees. Our office does provide immigration counseling on a fee for service basis, but all basic resettlement services to refugees are free.
Are refugees entitled to extra welfare benefits? Upon arrival, refuges are entitled to the same benefits as any U.S. citizen. The only extra benefit they receive is an 8-month eligibility for Medicaid. This allows them to obtain any medical treatment they need before the insurance benefits at their job site may take effect. As a general rule, RIS staff assists the newly arrived family to apply for food stamps and Medicaid. As soon as they get jobs (generally within the first month), the food stamps are discontinued, although the Medicaid continues for the 8 months. Four months after arrival, the refugee family must begin paying back the travel loan which was granted to them so they could fly to the U.S.
The U.S. State Department provides minimal dollars to pay one or two months’ rent, utility bills and purchase food and supplies for the family. This was recently raised from $310 to $400 per person. This is NOT once each month. This is all there is! If a family of four arrives, RIS has $1,600 to find an apartment, pay deposit and rent, buy groceries, hook up utilities and work very hard to get them a job ASAP. That is why donations are so important. The State Office of Newcomer Services as well as the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the federal department of Health & Human Services helps fund staff positions to deliver resettlement, casework, job and English services to the families. The Catholic Diocese of Richmond assists with our facilities, emergency funding and program funding, and administrative help. We gratefully accept donor designations from United Way as well as contributions from individuals, groups and businesses.
Don't refugees take jobs away from Americans? For the most part, refugees take entry level jobs that Americans reject. Refugees, like the rest of us, are avid consumers. They need clothes, food, etc. and spend their money in our community. This demand creates jobs for other workers. The employment pie is not diminished by new hard workers in our midst. They are determined to succeed and contribute to our country's overall economic health.
Refugees pay taxes on the first dollar they earn. They are not exempt from the obligations expected of all Americans. They must register with the Selective Service, file tax returns, obey all laws and learn how to negotiate in this new environment very quickly.
Refugees come to the U.S. with very few belongings, unprepared linguistically and economically for their new life. Many come from a very different life and must learn how things work in our culture. What they bring with them is a sense of what is important in life and a deep appreciation for the opportunity to rebuild. RIS has worked with victims of torture, people who have lost everything they owned, who have inspired us with their determination to move on. Working with refugees teaches us the value of hope and the strength of the human spirit. Those who volunteer with refugees meet individuals from across the world and develop an understanding of the peoples and places we hear of fleetingly in the news. We are sensitized to geopolitical issues and the role of the United States vis-à-vis their situation. We become better-informed citizens, more sensitive to the situations of others. We see our own world with new eyes and appreciate what we have. We see and appreciate new ways and learn to slow down a bit. Volunteers often relate that they received more from the refugees than they gave. Refugees contribute to our community economically, culturally, gastronomically and socially. Contact RIS to experience firsthand their many gifts.
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