Refugee Resettlement Program Research Articles

Who Welcomes Refugees? Examining Religious and Social Influences on Refugee Service Provision in the U.S. Southeast

The United States is home to one of the world’s largest third-country refugee resettlement programs; however, resettlement services provided through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) are limited, as policies prioritize rapid economic self-sufficiency at the expense of other facets of integration and resettlement needs. Beyond the USRAP, non-governmental refugee third-sector organizations (RTSOs) offer more holistic resettlement services that extend integration support beyond the federally funded resettlement program. Drawing on publicly available information from 203 refugee service organizations in the southeastern U.S., we examine the services offered by official USRAP-funded resettlement agencies (RAs) and local refugee third-sector organizations (RTSOs) in connection to their social affiliations, such as religious and ethnic origins. This research sheds light on the complexities of refugee resettlement and contributes to a deeper understanding of refugee integration efforts in resettlement countries undergoing demographic, political, and identity shifts.

Predicting Mental Health Care Enrollment and Treatment Uptake among Newly Arrived Refugees in U.S. Resettlement Programs.

This article examines variables that predict mental health care enrollment and engagement among refugees. The authors explore a mental health care model designed to identify mental health needs early among refugee arrivals that may interfere with adjustment and overall health outcomes using data from a Midwest refugee resettlement program. Using ecological models of mental distress and theories on help-seeking behaviors, the authors used logistic and count regressions to predict enrollment in mental health care services and utilization rates. Gender, nationality, and presenting problems were significant predictors of enrollment and length of engagement in services. The findings provide guidance to practitioners and resettlement agencies on refugee mental health and opportunities to increasing access and engagement in mental health care.

Immigrant labour, rural economies, and the question of housing

AbstractThere is a renewed interest in policy initiatives that aim to ruralize and regionalize immigration in Canada. These efforts are visible through temporary foreign worker programs linked to Provincial Nominee Programs, as well as the increase in the number of refugee resettlement programs in smaller communities. Against this backdrop, cities in Canada are experiencing a housing crisis. There is a tacit assumption that immigrants in smaller and more rural settings will fare better with respect to housing. This paper examines the assumptions underpinning efforts to ruralize and regionalize immigration—namely that immigrants to smaller centres will find more affordable and available housing. By presenting two case studies of small towns that have successfully leveraged immigration to meet their labour market needs, this paper demonstrates that housing remains a critical issue for newcomers, even outside of large urban centres. Further, the paper argues that discussions about housing need to be linked to broader policy conversations about immigration and labour, especially in contexts where transnational corporations leverage immigration and temporary labour programs to secure their workforce, without parallel investments in infrastructure and housing.

Caring citizens: Refugee families, welfare, and affective equality

AbstractThe United States resettles refugees as humanitarian‐aid recipients and authorizes them to work so that they may achieve immediate self‐sufficiency. Current and former refugees, who utilize public assistance, must engage in a work activity or risk losing their benefits eligibility. Is employment the right activity for them? Workfare poses challenges for families with young children. When primary caregivers (typically mothers) transition into the formal labor force, they face constraints on their capacity to determine their child's care and on the timing of their physical separations from that child. The employment focus of both workfare and resettlement policies reflects a neoliberal ideal of citizens as workers, unencumbered by partners or dependents. I utilize the concept of affective equality from Kathleen Lynch's Care and Capitalism to consider the institutional disregard of people's relational and moral needs in refugee resettlement programs. Based on research in western New York among Karen and Karenni refugees from Myanmar, this article examines how families contend with resettlement and workfare constraints on their capacity to care. I describe how interlocutors' families manage affective inequalities by constructing and utilizing family networks who nurture a care ethic focused on familial needs like the provision of kin‐based care.

ЗМІНИ МІГРАЦІЙНОГО ЗАКОНОДАВСТВА ЗА ПРЕМ’ЄРСТВА ТОНІ БЛЕРА (2005–2006)

This article examines the aftermath of the terrorist attacks carried out by naturalized British citizens on July 7, 2005, in London. It explores the broader context of the attack, including its impact on public opinion and the political climate of the country. The article analyzes Tony Blair’s public statements following the event, identifies the key points of his response to the terrorist attack, and evaluates the political decisions made in accordance with this response. It also investigates the factors that influenced changes in migration legislation and their consequences for British society. In order to better understand the context of changes in migration legislation under the influence of the July 7, 2005, terrorist attacks in London, the author examined the previous changes implemented by the Labour government in this area. The author aimed to identify the key challenges faced by the British authorities in the context of migration policy after the terrorist attacks, as well as to determine possible strategies for responding to these challenges. Various aspects of changes in migration policy legislation and practice, such as border controls, naturalization procedures, refugee resettlement programs, and other aspects that affected the lives of migrants and the overall political atmosphere in the country, were analyzed. The article aims at a deeper understanding of the relationship between terrorist events, political reactions to them and changes in migration policy, which is key to understanding the events of that time and their consequences today. Since the beginning of the XXI century, there have been ongoing scientific discussions about the relationship between terrorism and migration processes. At the start of the new century, numerous countries faced the real threat of terrorism, each responding differently with its own set of consequences. The article analyzes Tony Blair’s reaction, contrasting it with that of his foreign counterparts. Blair managed to respond by gradually expanding the scope of issues and accents while maintaining his position as head of state. He prepared society for changes in migration and anti-terrorist legislation, which were already in progress before the tragic events of July 7, 2005. These laws were subsequently revised and gained even greater relevance, sparking lively discussions both in society and within the government.

Refugee-Ness and Exploitation: A Feminist Geography of Shitty Jobs

ABSTRACT Few people who participate in refugee resettlement programs expect long-term employment in shitty jobs, yet this is what many find in the United States. For Shamimah, Azizah, and Nila, three Burmese Muslim women who were resettled in Aurora, Colorado from Malaysia, the local workplaces where they find themselves are crucibles of oppression, albeit ones that are distinctively global. This essay is concerned with theorizing the relationship between global topographies of displacement (Katz 2001), resettlement programs, and capitalism through a study of two Colorado workplaces that affix refugee-ness to people through specific forms of worker discipline and subjectivization. While a significant subset of feminist scholarship on refugees and re/settlement rightfully focuses on state institutions, the workplace remains understudied. I argue that affixing refugee-ness to women is both an expression of racial capitalism and a process of commodification. Burmese women’s experiences clarify how refugee-ness works both as otherness and a discrete identity to dehumanize immigrants, smooth processes of exploitation, and sow division among similarly racialized immigrants. Though employers may foreclose many forms of immigrant solidarity, the women’s forceful rebukes of workplace abuse and their community activities outside work likewise underscore their toughness, creativity, and the enduring significance of social reproduction spaces for supporting solidarities between precarious workers.

Standardizing Refuge: Pipelines and Pathways in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program

How do bureaucracies pattern durable inequalities? Predominant approaches emphasize the role of administrative categories, which prioritize certain populations for valued resources based on broader regimes of human worth. This article extends this body of work by examining how categorical inequalities become embedded within administrative infrastructures and institutional pathways. I develop this argument through a case study of the United States’ refugee resettlement program. Drawing together previously unseen government statistics, expert interviews, and documentary analysis, I show that U.S. resettlement is organized through administrative pipelines that create path dependent imbalances in the distribution of scarce resettlement spaces. Social and political logics of immigrant worthiness are important, yet a full understanding of these imbalances requires attention to the tendency of pipelines to become self-reproducing. I identify three factors that account for this tendency: calculative rationales, administrative reactivity, and structured visibility. This three-part conceptualization of pipelines can be applied to other institutional contexts to study the origins, dynamics, and durability of social inequalities. My findings also demonstrate the analytically autonomous role of policy administration in shaping ethnoracial imbalances in immigrant selection.

MP49-03 EXPLORING THE PREVALENCE OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN MULTI-ETHNIC REFUGEE WOMEN IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP49-03 EXPLORING THE PREVALENCE OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN MULTI-ETHNIC REFUGEE WOMEN IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA Aqsa Khan, Sheila Malekian, Olufunmilola Adeleye, and Lubayna Fawcett Aqsa KhanAqsa Khan More articles by this author , Sheila MalekianSheila Malekian More articles by this author , Olufunmilola AdeleyeOlufunmilola Adeleye More articles by this author , and Lubayna FawcettLubayna Fawcett More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003297.03AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Data regarding urinary symptoms among refugee women is sparse, but multiple risk factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) such as high parity and diabetes have been reported to be more prevalent in resettled refugee populations. Refugees often have low socioeconomic status and low health literacy rates, which may decrease their likelihood of initiating a discussion of UI with their healthcare providers, exacerbating existing barriers to care such as culture and language. Data from the Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program reports over 90,000 refugees have resettled in Arizona. We sought to investigate the prevalence of incontinence amongst women of this group and to assess their comfort and patterns in discussing incontinence with healthcare providers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, multi-ethnic refugee women recruited with convenience sampling and word-of-mouth strategies within refugee community spaces from July 2021 to November 2021 were administered a 20-item questionnaire that was translated into Arabic, Burmese, Swahili, and Somali. Urinary incontinence was defined by an affirmative response to any of the 6-item Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) questions or having more than one reported occurrence of stress or urgency incontinence per month. Additional questions also addressed comfort with discussing UI with healthcare providers. RESULTS: In total, 58 participants were included in the study, 68.4% of whom originated from Sub-Saharan Africa, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Burundi. The prevalence of UI in this sample was 50%, with higher reports of urgency compared to stress incontinence. 82.8% reported they never discussed urinary symptoms with their healthcare provider, despite 59.6% of participants reporting feeling comfortable having these discussions. Additionally, 77.6% of these women reported never being asked about these symptoms by a healthcare provider. CONCLUSIONS: Refugee women have a high prevalence of urinary incontinence, which exceeds or at least matches the prevalence of urinary incontinence in the general female population. Many of these women are not discussing urinary symptoms with their healthcare providers, which may be in part due to the lack on inquiry by the provider. Healthcare providers caring for refugee women should consider screening for this condition during regular office visits. The long-term goal is to identify and minimize health disparities within refugee populations. Source of Funding: Mayo Clinic in Arizona (AZ) Small Grants © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e679 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Aqsa Khan More articles by this author Sheila Malekian More articles by this author Olufunmilola Adeleye More articles by this author Lubayna Fawcett More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Seeking Justice, Seeking Hope

This article focuses on place-based pedagogy developed in partnership with Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR) at Guilford College, which is the first initiative of its kind to mobilize college and university campus resources to provide housing and other forms of assistance to refugees seeking resettlement in the institution’s local area (within and beyond the institution’s physical borders). ECAR is transforming refugee resettlement in the United States as it also transforms our understanding and teaching about the issues faced by these communities, and the role of post-secondary educational institutions. Through ECAR’s commitment to “compassionate hospitality and radical accountability” (Every Campus A Refuge, n.d.), campuses undergo transformations that blur the boundaries between campus and community and redefine the notion of “place” for students and community members. This paper outlines the main place-based curricular components of the ECAR and Principled Problem Solving initiative at Guilford College. We present an analysis of survey data collected from students who participated in the curriculum, and analyze their responses. This data indicate that the academic program’s place-based pedagogy 1) provides students opportunities to learn about what forced displacement is and why it happens; 2) centralizes the voice, agency, and perspectives of the individuals who experience forced migration and resettlement; 3) emphasizes how we can collectively organize and advocate to address the problems of forced displacement and resettlement. In this way, the minor is helping students engage in the work of principled problem-solving in refugee resettlement through specialized course offerings and place-based pedagogy. The paper concludes with challenges and opportunities for campuses interested in adopting this place-based campus refugee resettlement program for their colleges/universities, as well as discuss pathways for further research and pedagogical innovation.

Expanding durable solutions for refugees: possibilities for developing education pathways in Australia

ABSTRACT As the number of people forced to flee their homes continues to grow each year, traditional legal frameworks for protecting those who move, such as refugee and human rights law, are increasingly under strain. The limited scope of these frameworks, and diminishing political will to implement them, leave countless refugees and other forced migrants with little chance of finding long-term safety and rebuilding their lives. It is increasingly apparent that traditional refugee resettlement programs offered by countries such as Australia are not enough. In this article, we offer a comparative document analysis of the options for developing dedicated higher education migration pathways (education pathways) for refugees as a ‘complement’ to refugee resettlement in Australia. First, we discuss the limited availability of resettlement spaces and higher education opportunities for refugees. Second, we explore complementary ‘education pathways’ as a potential solution to these problems. Third, we critically examine several such pathways already underway in Canada, Mexico and Japan. Lastly, we consider potential models that could be utilised in Australia, and how they would, or could, interact with Australia’s existing humanitarian programs.

Social Workers' Views of Ways to Engage Communities in Refugee Resettlement.

The refugee crisis has been keenly felt by communities as they perceive the new arrivals as threats to the community's resources. Preparing the community for future arrivals can help, as can involving the community in the welcoming of refugees. This study explores how social workers engage communities to support refugee resettlement programs. Social workers are on the frontlines of providing services to refugees while also managing the fears and needs of the community members. A community that was once welcoming can become reactionary and xenophobic. This is a qualitative study using the content analysis of 32 social workers in four countries: the United States, Iceland, Switzerland, and Germany. Key factors influenced social workers' facilitation of community integration among new arrivals and community members: prior experiences with displaced populations, social workers' expectations, and strengths within the community. Social workers need training and support to include communities in resettlement services. Training and policy implications are discussed. Communities can be a partner in the resettlement process if care is given to work with the community before the arrival of new refugees.

Solidarity Work as Political Action: Advocating for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the USA

AbstractVolunteers in the USA have long provided support for refugees being resettled through the UNHCR-based refugee resettlement program, as well as for asylum seekers and other undocumented migrants through local community or faith-based organizations. Individual and collective acts of solidarity on behalf of those seeking sanctuary, asylum seekers, and refugees have recently increased, reflecting public reaction to increasingly restrictive US immigration policies. Based on interviews with community volunteers and leaders, we analyse this activism in terms of whether it constitutes social solidarity, civic solidarity, and/or political solidarity. We find this solidarity action on behalf of forced migrants has been relatively ‘low-risk’ compared to other countries, where activists have faced imprisonment by engaging in ‘high-risk’ solidarity action. In the USA, these efforts have emphasized civic and social solidarity, with limited political solidarity actions even when volunteers have been confronted by explicitly racist and exclusionary policies. In addition, this response has yet to develop into a broader political movement in support of refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants.

Care of the Immigrant Child.

Care of the Immigrant Child.

A multitier model of refugee mental health and psychosocial support in resettlement: Toward trauma-informed and culture-informed systems of care.

Refugees endure tremendous trauma during migration and resettlement. Despite the wide range of needs and challenges refugees have, previous research on refugee mental health has concentrated on the clinical treatment of certain common mental disorders related to premigration trauma. This narrow attention creates an environment in which positive mental health and social functioning are seen merely as a lack of mental illness among refugee populations. The consequences of such a focus are increased stigma of mental health issues and a negligence of other psychosocial needs critical to the community integration of refugee newcomers. There are few models and studies that focus on service delivery and systematic approaches to guide coordination of mental health services and psychosocial supports for refugee newcomers. To fill such gaps, this paper provides a framework to align stratified interventions and addresses the multilayered mental health needs in refugee communities. We have adopted and applied a multitier mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) model developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to provide a holistic framework for a system of care. We have also proposed a two-pillar approach, trauma-informed and culture-informed care, which is embedded into each tier of the MHPSS program. This approach is designed to fill the gaps between mainstream mental health services and refugee resettlement programs, both of which tend to work in silos. Using the case of a statewide refugee mental health initiative in Virginia, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of programs to build capacity and partnerships for coordinated care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

How a Policy Network Matters for Refugee Protection: A Case Study of Japan’s Refugee Resettlement Programme

Abstract In 2010, Japan became the first Asian country to launch a refugee resettlement programme. The programme continues today, and the government expanded the scheme to accept more refugees through the resettlement channel in 2020. How Japan, a country known for its reluctance to accept refugees, has strengthened its commitment to its refugee resettlement programme has been insufficiently investigated. Based on surveys of literature that mainly involved primary resources and interviews with key stakeholders of the programmes, this study reveals that the development of a policy network that mediates local constraints on refugee protection processes is a key determinant of the state’s capability to accept refugees as well as how well the refugee protection programme functions. Retracing the decade-long history of Japan’s resettlement programme, this study argues that the performance of the programme has hinged on local actors and in part on a non-governmental organisation that acts as an intermediary between the state and municipalities, whereas institutional settings in Japan remain the greatest hindrance to the effective participation of NGOs in national humanitarian initiatives.

Consequences of immigrating during a recession: Evidence from the US Refugee Resettlement program

Abstract Are there long-term labor consequences in migrating to the US during a recession? For most immigrants, credibly estimating this effect is difficult because of selective migration. Some immigrants may not move if economic conditions are not favorable. However, identification is possible for refugees as their arrival dates are exogenously determined through the US Refugee Resettlement program. A one percentage point increase in the arrival national unemployment rate reduces refugee wages by 1.98% and employment probability by 1.57 percentage points after 5 years.

Job Retention Among Resettled Refugees in The US:The Importance of Context

Abstract The primary objective of the US refugee resettlement program is for beneficiaries to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Yet, little research has examined the extent to which this objective has been achieved, nor the programmatic and contextual variables that influence this outcome. This study examines how beneficiaries’ individual and job characteristics are associated with the likelihood of job retention after 90 days of employment. Data were obtained on 1787 refugees served by the International Institute of New England from March 2015 to January 2019. Logistic regression models were used to examine the predictors of retention in four cities (Boston, MA; Lowell, MA; Manchester, NH; and Nashua, NH). Different patterns emerged across cities, related to factors such as pay, educational level, legal immigration status, job permanency, and gender. The concept of self-sufficiency is closely linked to the context of resettlement and thus requires more careful articulation as a goal of the refugee resettlement program.

The Impact of the “Muslim Ban” Executive Order on Healthcare Utilization in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

Background: On January 27, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13769, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” which suspended the U.S. Refugee Resettlement program and prevented citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen) from traveling or immigrating to the U.S. The impact of EO 13769 on healthcare utilization among people from EO-targeted nations is unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of primary care and emergency department (ED) visits to HealthPartners clinics and hospitals in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, home to the largest Somali Muslim community in the U.S. We compared visit counts, missed appointments, and visits for stress-responsive diagnoses before and after EO issuance among three groups: 1) adults born in EO-targeted nations, 2) adults born in Muslim-majority nations not listed in the EO, and 3) U.S.-born non-Latinx adults. We evaluated visit trends using linear regression and differences between groups using difference-in-difference analyses. Findings: From 2016 to 2017, 252,594 patients were included in the analysis: 5,667 (2.2%) in Group 1, 1,254 (0.5%) in Group 2, and 245,673 (97.3%) in Group 3. In early 2016, primary care visits and stress-responsive diagnoses dramatically increased for individuals from Muslim majority nations (Groups 1 and 2). Following EO 13769 issuance, there was no change in missed clinic appointments and an increase in ED visits among individuals from EO-targeted nations, particularly in the first 30- to 60-days after issuance. Interpretation: Increases in clinic utilization among people born in Muslim majority countries before EO 13769 issuance and subsequent increased ED utilization by people from EO-targeted nations likely reflect elevated cumulative stress due to an increasingly hostile climate toward Muslims in the U.S., rather than one specific policy change. Funding Statement: This study was not supported by any funding source. Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Dr. Gonsalves is supported by the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse (1DP2DA049282-01 and 2 R37 DA15612-16) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (5R01AI042006-23). Dr. Padela receives grant support from the US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, the Greenwall Making a Difference Program, and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Dr. Samuels is supported by an Advance Clinical and Translational Research (Advance-CTR U54GM115677) Mentored Research Award. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the HealthPartners and Yale Institutional Review Boards.

The Joy of Having a Book in Your Own Language: Home Language Books in a Refugee Education Centre

In 2018, Aotearoa/New Zealand increased its annual refugee quota to 1000. When refugees arrive in Aotearoa/New Zealand they spend six weeks in a resettlement programme. During this time, children attend an introduction to schooling. First language (L1) literacy support for children experiencing education in a medium that is not their Home Language has been identified as essential for children’s educational success. This knowledge is reflected in Principle 4 of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Rights to Read campaign, which states that “children have the right to read texts that mirror their experiences and languages...”. In 2018, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)-Yamada Foundation granted funding to IBBY in Aotearoa/New Zealand (IBBYNZ)/Storylines to supply books in the Home Languages of the refugee children in the introduction to school programme. Over 350 books were sourced in a range of languages including Farsi, Arabic, Tamil, Punjabi, Burmese, Karen, Chin, and Spanish. In this article, the sourcing of these books and their introduction to children in a refugee resettlement programme is described. Interviews with five teachers in the resettlement programme concerning the use of the books and how children and their families have been responding are reported. Future programme developments are outlined.

An evaluation of a mental health literacy course for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders in Australia: effects on posttraumatic stress disorder related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking

BackgroundAustralia is an ethnically diverse nation with one of the largest refugee resettlement programs worldwide, including high numbers of refugees with an Arabic speaking background. Evidence suggests that refugees can demonstrate high levels of psychological distress and are at a higher risk of developing mental illness such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Notwithstanding, research has also shown Arabic speaking refugees have lower levels of professional help-seeking behaviours, postulated to be related to mental health literacy levels.MethodsA culturally sensitive mental health literacy (MHL) training program was developed and delivered in Arabic to Arabic speaking religious and community leaders using a 1-day training workshop format. An uncontrolled pre-, and post study design was used to provide a preliminary evaluation of improvement in PTSD-related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking measures.ResultsA total of 54 adults were trained, with 52 completing the pre- and post-intervention questionnaire. Significant differences were found post-training in measures such as the ability to recognise mental health problems (p = 0.035) and an increased recognition of the role that medication can play in the treatment of PTSD (p = 0.00). Further, an improvement in negative attitudes such as a desire for social distance (p = 0.042) was noted and participants reported more helpful strategies in line with promoting professional help-seeking following training (p = 0.032).ConclusionOur findings indicated the training led to an improvement of some measures of MHL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the MHL program has been tailored for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders; who assist refugees with an Arabic background. By equipping community leaders with the knowledge to better respond to mental health problems, the overall goal of improving the mental health outcomes of Arabic speaking refugee communities is closer to being realised.