1. Refugee Resettlement Process
Carleen Miller, MA, LMHC, LMFT
Executive Director
Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc.
(317)

2. INDIANA’S REFUGEE COMMUNITY
For more than 35 years Indiana has participated in a humanitarian movement to assist refugees and facilitate resettlement.
Refugees in Indiana have come from:
Burma, Columbia, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, Russia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uzbekistan, DR of the Congo, and other countries

3. A Refugee is …
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 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"

4. Refugees vs. Displaced Persons
Forced to leave homes
Crossed the border
Internationally recognized
12-15 million estimated
Forced to leave homes
Remain in the country of origin
Not internationally recognized
25 million

5. Fleeing Their Homeland
Persecution, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations, torture, imprisonment
Lives threatened
Forced to leave without warning
Not able to bring any basic supplies
Leave with family and clothes on their backs, danger along the way

6. Life in the Refugee Camps
Strict rules
Basic Health Care
Basic Education
No citizenship
Over crowded
Under-supplied
Exposed to disease
Crime
Disabling – cooking, working
Other harsh conditions

7. Thailand Camp
Malaysia Refugee
Area

8. Refugee “Camp” in Jordan -bbc

9. Iraqi Refugee in Rented Apartment in Jordan -BBC

10. Liberian Children in a Refugee camp in Ghana

11. Possible Solutions Repatriation: Returning to their home country
Waiting
Resolve conflict
Nationalization: Citizenship of host country
Resettlement:
1% of 1% get resettled
US resettles 60% of resettled refugees
Extremely difficult choice for refugees

12. “Refugee" Status Application
Four Interviews with the UNHCR
3rd Country’s own criteria for resettlement
Long wait for an available slot

13. Assigning Countries UNHCR
Establishes legal status as refugee for applicant
United States, Australia, Canada, Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, Great Britain, Holland and others.
Affidavit of Relationship (family reunification)
Random assignments
Community grouping

14. Refugee Processing
Two international agencies work in countries of first asylum to process refugee applicants for resettlement
The Joint Voluntary Agency and the International Organization for Migration
Provide initial screening, interviews and processing of cases for immigration and naturalization
IOM also coordinates travel of refugees to resettlement countries

15. Only accept refugees from 14 countries Conduct interviews overseas
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services Part of Department of Homeland Security and US Department of Health and Human Services
Only accept refugees from 14 countries
Conduct interviews overseas
Limit on number allowed into US
Must be approved to enter the US
Determine if resettlement is only viable option
Must meet certain guidelines once living here
Identification
Health –Criminal Record

16. Material Support Patriot Act Impact on Refugees Material Support
Changed the definition of terrorism
Impact on Refugees
Before 9/ ,000 refugees
After 9/ ,000 refugees
Now- 70,000 refugees

17. Assignment to Voluntary Agencies
US Department of State, Office for Populations, Refugees and Migration (PRM) allocates refugee cases
Ten National Agencies receive refugee cases and assign to affiliates in the United States
Indiana has four affiliates. Two are associated with US Conference of Catholic Bishops. One is affiliated with Church World Service and Episcopal Migration Ministries and one is affiliated with World Relief

18. Pre-Arrival Preparation
Affiliates get assigned cases – we accept or deny
Limited paperwork is sent on client demographics such as family composition ethnicity, language, religion and any known medical issues (from medical screening).
Notice comes 1-2 weeks before arrival in the United States

19. US Refugee Funding
US State Department, PRM provides each resettlement agency with $900 per refugee. $450 must go to the refugee as cash or rent etc. $450 can be used to support the services of the agency
Office of Refugee Resettlement ORR (Part of the Department for Health and Human Services HHS) provides grants to support self-sufficiency services such as employment, language training and alternatives to welfare programs
Private Donations

20. Refugee Resettlement in the Placement City
Start with nothing
Apartment set up
Airport pick up
Apartment Orientation
Core Services and Cultural Orientation
Basic needs (furniture, clothing, food, rental assistance)
Health
Welfare (Medicaid, Food Stamps, Limited Cash Assistance)
Language and Job Training
Education
Self-sufficiency Programs
Employment Services

22. Refugees In Indiana Today
Burma
Ethnic Groups Who Speak Different Languages and Have Different Cultural Norms
Burmese
Chin
Karen
Karenni
Mon
Other (Chinese-Burmese, Kachin, Rakhine, Shan)

23. The picture represents the region mainly inhabited by the respective ethnic groups.23

24. Refugees in Indiana Today
Iraqi
Shiite
Sunni
Christian
Iranians
Eritrean
Chinese
Other African and Asian Countries

25. Challenges facing Resettled Refugees
Language
Culture
Schools
American appliances
Employment
Transportation
Bills
Budget
Banking
Prejudice
Health and Mental Health
Substance Abuse
Climate
Loss
Americans’ knowledge of refugees
Awareness
Flexibility
Cultural competency
Understanding refugees are legal United States Residents
Health concerns

26. Resettlement Shock for Iraqi Refugees in US Sunni/Shiite/Christian
Resettled into poverty
Professional credentials not recognized
Lower standard of living and status
Diversity adjustment and small Arabic community
Long transition period
Tenacious and resourceful

27. Contributions Refugees Make to Indiana
Food
Businesses
Consumers
Art
Ritual
Language
Religion
Diversity
Strong Family Ties
Industrious Workforce
Community Service
Civic Pride
Professionals in a variety of fields
Generations to come of passionate committed citizens
Hope and Courage

28. Indianapolis is Home to Thousands of Persons of Courage and Hope