Refugee Resettlement Research Articles

U.S. Resettlement Policies and Their Impact on Refugee Wellbeing: Perspectives of Service Providers in New York City

Policies and programs in resettlement countries, such as the United States, influence refugees’ wellbeing depending on the support they receive from governments. This qualitative case study analyzes the wellbeing of refugees resettled in New York City by examining the impact of organizational, city, state, and federal welfare policies on refugees from the perspective of service providers working at different policy implementation levels, including state and local government, and non-for-profit organizations. The study used a purposive and convenience sample of 12 semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that the U.S. refugee resettlement system is operating based on the Elizabethan Poor Laws of 1601 and securitization theory ideology, prioritizing self-sufficiency over social support, holding states and local governments responsible for the resettlement programs, and treating refugees as security threats. Future studies may explore the subjective wellbeing of refugees and the mechanisms that address refugees’ needs and lived experiences from their perspectives.

Growth of Pediatric Refugees after Resettlement to the Southeastern United States.

To compare weight status and body mass index z-scores (BMIz) of refugee children upon arrival to the Southeastern US and after resettlement with age- and sex-matched controls of nonrefugee children. We identified refugee children resettled between July 2014andJune 2018 to Forsyth County, NC. Refugees were assigned age- and sex-matched controls (3 controls:1 refugee) who received care at the same healthcare site, were Medicaid insured, and had height and weight recorded at time of their matched refugee's resettlement plus at least 2 additional visits. BMI and BMIz were calculated. Pearson chi-square test assessed differences in weight status at the time of refugee resettlement and at the last measured time point. Multilevel linear mixed-effects regression models assessed change in BMIz by refugee status, adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, age, and time since resettlement. This study examined 139 pediatric refugees and 417 nonrefugee controls;46% were female. At the time of resettlement, refugees had a higher rate of underweight (3.3% vs1.9%), higher rate of healthy weight (68.9% vs48.2%),and lower rate of overweight/obesity (27.8% vs50%), compared to controlsP<.001. At the last available time point, compared to controls, refugees had higher rates of underweight (3.3% vs3.0%) and healthy weight (69.5% vs54.2%) and lower rates of overweight/obesity (27.2% vs42.7%),P=.005. Refugees had a lower predicted BMIz compared with controls (adjusted β:-0.78; 95% confidence interval-0.91,-0.66). Resettled pediatric refugees were found to have significantly lower predicted BMIz than their age- and sex-matched nonrefugee controls.

Implementing Psychosocial Support Groups in U.S. Refugee Resettlement

As refugee resettlement to a new country can involve uncertainty and stress, recently resettled refugees in the U.S. may benefit from psychosocial support groups. This pilot project assesses two group intervention approaches provided by resettlement agencies in three U.S. states. The purpose of the project was to assess participant feedback on group benefits and limitations, to evaluate the feasibility of group implementation across resettlement agency sites, and to assess group effects on participant psychosocial outcomes (emotional distress, quality of life, social support, self-efficacy, and resilience). Ninety-seven refugees from multiple countries of origin participated in one of twelve psychosocial support groups. Eight groups received a community adjustment support group curricula and four groups received culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy. Within focus groups, participants described the value of group participation in building understanding, skills, and social connections. Group facilitators reported satisfactory adherence levels. Analyses of Cohen’s d effect size, bivariate, and multivariate findings indicate improvements on some outcomes subsequent to group participation, as well as some differences in outcomes by group modality. Such programs may provide a beneficial component of U.S. resettlement services. Additional research and support for psychosocial group interventions among refugee communities is needed.

Refugee-based Reasons in Refugee Resettlement – The Case of LGBTIQ+

Abstract This paper discusses a recent turn in the ethics of refugee resettlement which involves taking the interests of refugees themselves into account in the distribution of refugees among potential refugee receiving countries. It argues that there is an important category of interest that does not align with the two commonly held views on what is owed to refugees: ‘safety’ or ‘conditions of a good life’. This category, focussing on the refugees’ interests in not being subjected to a variety of non-asylum-grounding injustices, should, by default, take precedence in the assessment of the refugee-based reasons in refugee resettlement. The normative salience of this category – not being subjected to injustice – is illustrated with the help of the case of LGBTIQ+ refugees, and the kinds of injustices they may be subject to in countries that provide them with asylum.

China's Participation in Refugee Protection and Relief from the Perspective of International Law

As the international society is paying more and more attention to refugee protection, there are still several controversies. The first one is whether granting asylum to refugees should be defined as an obligation of a state. The second one is whether the expansionary interpretation of the border of the non-refoulement principle should be applied. The third one is whether all states need legislation focusing on refugee protection. In this context, China has always adhered to a governance model that addresses both the symptoms and the root causes, and has gradually increased its participation in international refugee affairs, taking into account its national conditions. However, China still lacks an integrated system for refugee protection to further fully fulfill the relief obligation of great powers in the international community. Based on adhering to a multidimensional and co-governance model of governance and active extraterritorial material assistance, China should in the future expand its interpretation of the boundaries in the principle of non-refoulement of refugees from a humanitarian perspective and use this as a policy guide for legislation on the resettlement of refugees within its territory. China should use its action to call for a wider interpretation of the obligation to assist from a humanitarian perspective so that the international community can improve the overall level of refugee assistance.

Rescaling Resettlement: Local Welcoming Policies and the Shaping of Refugee Belonging

Abstract This paper brings together scholarship on race, place, and legal status to examine how local context mediates the outcomes of federal refugee resettlement policy. Over the past several decades, local actors across the United States have developed initiatives to “welcome refugees” that interact with and extend beyond the formal federal program to shape refugee incorporation. Drawing on a comparative study of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Atlanta, Georgia, I show that these initiatives construct different aspects of refugee identity as socially valuable. Refugees learn about these valuations as they seek access to resources and recognition, in turn amplifying desirable aspects of their identity to claim belonging and to distance themselves from racialized and stigmatized others. In Pittsburgh, refugees emphasize their ethnic identity and membership to ethnic groups, while refugees in Atlanta claim belonging by emphasizing their legal and humanitarian status as refugees. This paper contributes to scholarly understandings of refugee resettlement as a racialized process mediated by the institutional and socio-cultural dynamics of local context. Moreover, this paper extends calls to rethink the immigrant/refugee distinction by revealing the variable salience of the refugee status across subnational space.

Expanding our understanding of the environmental impacts on refugee resettlement through the application of Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory

ABSTRACT Community support plays an essential role in the complex and long-term healing processes of genocide survivors. This article reports on a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) project led by survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide who now live in Canada, and researchers from two Canadian universities. Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory and the PPCT Model, healing processes are situated as the relationship between personal factors, proximal processes, interactions with and between contextual factors and processes of socio-historical and personal development over time. By providing a rich picture of individual and community healing processes, this study offers important insight for those who work with genocide survivors and their communities to strengthen assessment and interventions, suggesting the need to approach concepts of healing and resilience in ways that recognize the essential role of both individual agency and familial, social, economic and political contexts.

An Integrative Review of Community-Based Mental Health Interventions Among Resettled Refugees from Muslim-Majority Countries

Resettled refugees from Muslim-majority countries are underrepresented in research and meeting their mental health needs remains a challenge for countries of resettlement. In this integrative review, we synthesize community-based mental health interventions using an ecological framework. Eleven relevant studies were identified using PubMed and PsychInfo database. Most interventions focus on micro-system level factors like promoting integration and social connections suggest improvement of outcomes including depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. Studies suggest how mental health programs addressing psychosocial wellbeing improves outcomes across ecological levels through: (1) early screening upon resettlement; (2) education and raising awareness of mental health; and (3) engagement of refugees in local community social support systems. Largely qualitative studies suggest benefits of engagement and education program for refugees, but there is a need for high quality, rigorous mental health intervention studies with resettled refugees with explicit attention to equitable and collaborative partnerships across multiple sectors in the community.

Geo‐scripts and refugee resettlement in Canada: Designations and destinations

Most immigrants to Canada who are not refugees contribute to decisions about where they settle; resettled refugees do not. This paper illustrates how one's designated category of resettlement decisively shapes the place one begins life in Canada, and how each has a specific geographical trajectory—or geo‐script. The geo‐scripts are distinct for each category of resettlement: privately‐sponsored refugees live in the same community as the volunteers who finance and support them; government‐assisted refugees are “destined” to one of more than two dozen cities with federally‐funded refugee‐specific services; and blended visa office‐referred refugees are supported through a shared funding model between government and sponsors near whom they co‐locate. Geo‐scripts are derived from refugee categories that effectively govern the spatial settlement patterns of refugees and, in turn, shape the opportunities and outcomes of the resettlement process. Government data show that 70% of resettled refugees do not move after they arrive in Canada. The geo‐scripts of resettlement thus shape people's lives and livelihoods in Canada in fundamental ways. Drawing on interviews conducted between 2017 and 2021 with formerly resettled refugees living in four provinces who have lived in Canada for more than 20 years, locational decisions to stay or leave one's initial destination are elaborated.

Self-rated health and quality of life among Syrian refugees in Ireland – data from a cross-sectional study

IntroductionAs a response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the Irish government agreed to accept up to 4000 refugees for resettlement in Ireland in 2016. Prior to their arrival in Ireland, health screening was carried out by the International Organisation for Migration. However, no population-level measurement of the health status or needs takes place in Ireland to inform policy or health services requirements.MethodsCross-sectional data from a self-completed questionnaire among 194 Syrian Refugees aged 16 years and older resident in reception centres in Ireland in 2017/2018 is reported upon. The questionnaire measured self-reported health including quality of life and all study material were available in English and Arabic. The data was examined applying descriptive statistics and regression analysis.ResultsSyrian Refugees in Ireland consist of a relatively young cohort; in this study the majority of participants were younger than 35 years (69.5%). Two-thirds of the respondents reported their overall health status to be good or very good. The most common health condition was found to be headache and the most common medications used were painkillers. Chronic pain was experienced by one quarter of respondents; 27.5% were considered as suffering from anxiety and 10.0% had symptoms compatible with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A significant relationship was observed between chronic pain and self-rated health, as well as between chronic pain and anxiety. Quality of life (QoL) scores were lowest for the QoL environment domain.ConclusionsChronic pain is relatively widespread among these young and otherwise healthy refugees. Psychological distress and trauma are important factors in respondents’ quality of life scores. Chronic pain is associated with one’s mental health. Our findings and the literature suggests that the diagnosis and treatment of pain and providing care in a culturally sensitive manner should be a priority and included in the preparation and training of the relevant care providers. Additionally, the impact of living conditions on quality of life should not be underestimated.

Editorial: Managing Forced Displacement: Refugee Resettlement and Complementary Pathways

Editorial: Managing Forced Displacement: Refugee Resettlement and Complementary Pathways

Shadows of the shadow state: Grassroots, refugee-led organizations within a multi-scalar and contested resettlement institutional domain

In discussions of welfare state restructuring, the focus has largely been on institutions that are well established and funded by the state. This study, focusing on the U.S. refugee resettlement institutional domain, theoretically examines organizational entities that are refugee- run and grassroots, and how they fit as peripheral to their larger, state-funded counterparts. Third-order devolution, as conceptualized in this paper, is the extended delegation of social responsibilities from the state and then unto state-contracted organizations of the third sector, and then further unto state-detached organizations of the informal sector. “Informal,” “unofficial,” “quasi”-organizations run by and for refugee communities in these most peripheral levels at the grassroots are forwarded as shadows of the shadow state. That is, pressure is exerted further downward, but without means nor legitimacy, in multiscalar governance of U.S. refugee resettlement. The contestations and relationalities that constitute the shadow state must thus be viewed against a voluntary sector that is heterogeneous, multi-scalar and power-laden, rather than unitary. Theoretical considerations also raise questions about new organizational forms in addressing resettlement and migration, and the tripartite relationship between the state, state-contracted/funded organizations, and state-detached organizations at the grassroots.

Examining the Impact of Community Sponsorship on Early Refugee Labor Market Outcomes in the United States

As the number of refugees in need of resettlement continues to climb worldwide, advocates and policy makers are searching for ways to leverage new support from private individuals, faith groups, and community organizations to complement and extend the capacity of traditional government resettlement programs. The United States is one of many countries considering the possibility of a “private sponsorship” model, which would allow private individuals and community groups to resettle refugees independent of traditional government resettlement agencies. While this particular resettlement model has not been implemented in the United States in more than four decades, the country has a long history of community involvement in refugee resettlement. Many resettlement agencies operate vibrant community sponsorship (or co-sponsorship) programs, 1 in which community groups partner with resettlement agencies in delivering services and material support to refugees. However, due to a lack of publicly available data, the impact of this co-sponsorship model has been woefully understudied. This paper offers a preliminary exploration of community sponsorship and its impact on early refugee labor market outcomes. Using administrative data from the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), this paper finds that: Refugees with community sponsors have higher English language enrollment rates 90 days after arrival than refugees without sponsors. Refugees with community sponsors who are enrolled in an early employment program known as Matching Grant have higher rates of employment and of full-time employment 180 days after arrival than those enrolled in Matching Grant who do not have sponsors. Community sponsorship is especially beneficial for refugees with low levels of English language proficiency and lack of family ties in their location of resettlement, as well as refugees resettling in areas with higher unemployment. This paper also identifies and recommends several areas for further study, including: The variation of existing community sponsorship models in use across the United States and their impacts on refugee integration outcomes locally. The impact of community sponsorship on integration indicators, in addition to early labor market outcomes.

Australia's Refugee Resettlement Agreement with the United States: The Diplomacy and Uncertainty of a “Very Big Deal”

In September 2016, the United States government agreed to consider resettling up to 1250 refugees who had sought protection in Australia but who were detained offshore under the Australian government's hard‐line asylum policy. This paper charts the story of this resettlement agreement, noting that for many refugees and asylum seekers that story remains unfinished. For an agreement signed to create certainty, there has been considerable uncertainty since 2016. The paper will consider what the agreement with the United States says about Australia's asylum policy. That the Obama administration agreed to resettle refugees who had sought protection in Australia, at a time of heightened global resettlement needs, is because US diplomats were aware of the plight of the refugees held offshore and because the two countries have a long record of cooperation in refugee resettlement. That the deal was begrudgingly maintained under President Trump is testament to the importance of the bilateral relationship. That resettlement in the United States has been so uncertain — and may not be available to everyone — only underscores the deeply flawed and unsustainable nature of the Australian government's insistence on refusing entry to these refugees.

Refugee Resettlement Scheme is the Golden Ticket but Very Scarce for Many in Africa: Prospects and Challenges During COVID-19

The refugee resettlement scheme is a window of hope for millions of refugees across the globe. It is an opportunity that grants refugees a durable solution, especially those who cannot voluntarily return to their countries of origin due to fear of persecution. The golden ticket, as seen by many, is resettlement to Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. COVID-19, the reluctance by western countries to commit to responsibility-sharing, along with other constraints confronting the process of granting settlement to refugees generated barriers to resettlement in 2020. Resettlement opportunities have been scarce for many refugees in Africa, particularly those refugees with protracted cases. The consequences are reflected in an increase in the use of irregular migration routes to Europe rather than relying on the established resettlement scheme. This paper aims to provide an overview of the options for a durable solution, exploring and discussing the prospects and challenges during the era of COVID-19. In conclusion, the data derived from the literature review and 12 key informant interviews suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on the resettlement scheme and the implementation of Africa’s first free trade area that promises to increase human mobility provides an opportunity for the international community to reimagine the golden ticket. Supported by the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and the Global Compact on Refugees, local integration and resettlement within Africa should be the new achievable gold standard.

Impacts of large-scale refugee resettlement on LCLUC: Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda case study

Uganda is the third-largest refugee-hosting country partly due to its open-door policy—deemed one of the most progressive. When new refugees arrive, refugee settlements are established rapidly, and irreversible changes to the landscape are inevitable. We utilize satellite data to map land cover (LC), land use, and burned area (BA) to assess their relationship in the context of large-scale refugee resettlement in Bidi Bidi—Uganda’s largest refugee settlement. We show inevitable dramatic changes in LC, e.g. built-up residential zones increased from 1.8% to 30%, while cropland increased from less than 0.7%–25.6% during our study period (2015–2019). In contrast, BA that affected more than 80% of the area was drastically reduced during the establishment phase (August–December 2017). Substantial reduction in BA was observed predominantly within the residential zones, but outside of the zones, BA was hardly affected by the arrival of refugees. Our study shows that these changes in LC and BA are mainly missing in the readily accessible satellite-derived data products, which impede assessment, planning, and implementation of humanitarian response programs. We discuss the importance of mapping at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales and the importance of context, sector, and geographic domain knowledge expertise in developing critical information products for informing programs to support vulnerable populations.

Exploring visual representations by the UNHCR of the experiences of resettled Syrian refugees in Canada

In the growing literature on the visual representations of refugees used by international organisations, only a few studies have examined the representations used specifically to portray the experiences of resettled refugees in the global North. This study’s objective is to address that gap by analysing the use of specific images by UNHCR Canada to illustrate the resettlement of Syrian refugees in that country, in the context of the government’s initiative to resettle 25000 Syrian refugees between 2015 and 2016. Through a content analysis of the visual representations used online by UNHCR Canada, this study aims to explore the specificities of these representations. Results show that preference seems to be given to certain types of representations of refugees, such as images picturing one individual or a small group of easily identifiable persons, images of women and girls taking care of their families, children and infants, and so on. These tendencies in terms of representations may have various effects, including in fostering specific reactions (compassion, generosity, etc.) in viewers. They also serve to present a particular solution over others for the refugees depicted. The analysis aims to explore those tendencies in representation detected in the selected images and their potential effects on viewers.

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.

Refugee resettlement in the American midwest in challenging times

Refugee resettlement in the American midwest in challenging times

Extended Case Management Services Among Resettled Refugees in the United States

Purpose Economic self-sufficiency is the priority of U.S. refugee resettlement policy, and opportunities for economic integration are shaped by social service contexts. While reception and placement services are typically provided for 3–8 months, extended case management (ECM) involves 2 years of services. This study examines associations between economic integration outcomes—employment, income source, income, and employment satisfaction—and exposure to ECM. Method We compare 243 resettled refugees, including those resettled in Salt Lake City, Utah who received ECM and those resettled in Tucson, Arizona without ECM. Results Participants at both sites experienced increased employment and income over time. Participants in Salt Lake City initially experienced higher rates of employment, income, and employment satisfaction than those in Tucson. Employment satisfaction increased more rapidly in Salt Lake City. Being female and older age were also associated with poorer outcomes. Discussion Findings point to the benefits of ECM services in promoting economic integration.