Experiences Resettling Eritrean Youth Through the US Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program

Abstract

Over the past 40 years, more than 13,000 children and youth have received services through the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program. The USA is one of few countries around the globe to offer resettlement of unaccompanied minors. This paper presents the findings and experiences of Eritrean youth served by the US URM program. Based on interviews with 16 local service providers, recommendations were developed to better serve and protect the human rights of Eritrean youth both overseas and domestically. Beginning in 2013, the USA began to see a significant increase in the number of unaccompanied and separated Eritrean refugee youth referred for resettlement, specifically from the Mai Aini refugee camp in Ethiopia. The authors anticipate this trend will continue in coming years, and recognized the need for a data-informed approach to serving their specific needs. This study also addresses a gap in the literature due to a lack of research on the outcomes of children and youth enrolled in the program.