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Welcome To The National Compadres Network

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Homepage: Revolution Slider - Welcome To The National Compadres Network

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To all our friends and relatives, Unfortunately, the current attacks on the Asian-American community are not new, but they are just now being recognized by the broader community. The attacks on our Asian community, elders, brothers, and sisters MUST STOP! The National Compadres Network (NCN) recognizes that the racial animus that influences these attacks are [...]

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This article is for English Learner (EL) teachers. Let me start by saying this article will likely be controversial! I, Laura Gardner of Immigrant Connections, am putting on my social work hat for you and hopefully it will be helpful.

Do you refer to the EL and immigrant students in your school as "your" students? Does everyone in your building (brick and mortar or virtual) come to you for every single need related to "your" ELs and their families? Congratulations! You've made yourself well-known....and are simultaneously bulldozing boundaries, heading towards burnout, and ultimately doing a disservice to the EL and immigrant students and families in your school.

Let's back up a minute and outline some of these red flags. You know you are an EL teacher with boundary issues when:

1. Everyone in your school comes to you for everything related to "your" ELs and their families, including calling home for any reason (whether you speak that family's language or not), interpreting for other staff members, locating community resources, handling discipline situations, and so on.

2. You pride yourself on taking care of ALL of "your" EL students/families' issues or concerns.

3. You find yourself not able to focus on your students' instruction because you're constantly getting pulled into any and all situations with "your" EL students or their families.

4. You start to think that no one can solve "your" students' and families' problems as well as you can!

5. You worry about what will happen if you leave your school or retire because who else will help "your" students?

6. Your gut says "No, not again!" to a request from a colleague or parent but you say to yourself "One more time can't hurt."

7. You realize that that you are afraid that your colleagues, students, or their families won't like you or might be angry if you don't meet all their expectations or solve all their problems.

8. You catch yourself thinking, "It feels good to be needed."

9. You spend a lot of your time at home thinking about "your" EL students and families and their needs. You feel their sense of urgency as your own and feel guilty if you don't help them with everything, no matter how many hours it takes.

10. Your own relationships (family, friends, etc.) are suffering because of the time and emotional attention given to "your" students and families at school.

I know what you're thinking: "I HAVE to do these things because no one else will!" This may be true, to some extent. To be sure, there are other factors that lead to your lack of boundaries. Administration is a big one. If your principal doesn't have a lot of experience with working with ELs and immigrants or knowledge of best practices on engaging diverse families, they will likely inappropriately use you. It's a tough spot to be in. In addition, if your district lacks an overall infrastructure for supporting EL and immigrant students and families, it will be much more difficult to focus on your role and keep healthy boundaries. For example, does your district have an interpretation/translation office or at least a contract with an OPI (over the phone interpretation) provider? A family engagement office that provides teachers with training on how to communicate and partner with families? Counselors and/or school social workers who have been trained on the needs of EL and immigrant students and families?

Another thought you're probably having is: "You're faulting me for caring?! Not to mention in a pandemic?!" I get it. We're educators. We're in this job because we care and I'm sure that most of us can identify with some of the items above. But without setting some boundaries, you will burn out, there's no doubt about it. We know that teachers burn out at a higher rate than many other professions, not to mention that most studies on the topic were pre-pandemic. Much of the talk around self-care ends up being about trivial things like booking a massage, which is fine of course, but real self-care comes down to setting boundaries.

And you, my EL teacher colleagues, need to reflect on the role you play in this over-doing-it, lack-of-boundaries, martyr situation going on here. Whether you believe it or not, you have the power to set some boundaries and by saying "no" more, you will likely see other people and departments stepping up their game. A great article on this is How to Set Boundaries as a Teacher and Why it's so Important (apologies for selecting an article with so many ads, but it's good, so skip over them and read to the end). For those in helping professions, this journey of setting boundaries and self-care is hard! Be sure to enlist the help of a therapist, life coach, or whatever other support you need. Also, check to see if your school district has an Employee Assistance Program.

In addition, you may have noticed that I mentioned above how you could actually be doing a disservice to the EL and immigrant students and families in your school. How could that possibly be? By saying "no" to various things, how could EL students/families actually benefit?

Let's take a look at a few examples:

1. Family engagement: You've often agreed to make phone calls home for the classroom teacher and others. By doing so, the parents of EL students have only one relationship with anyone in the school: you. Yet, it's important for parents to have relationships with all of their child's teachers!

Instead: With support from your administrators, train teachers on how to use whatever tools your district has in place (phone interpretation, TalkingPoints, etc.) so they can connect with parents themselves.

EL students/families benefit: EL families slowly begin to build relationships with their children's teachers and can engage in partnerships more directly. EL students benefit because their parents are now more connected with their teacher and because you, their EL teacher, now have time to focus on their instruction.

You (EL teacher) benefit: You now have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

2. Interpretation: You speak Spanish "well enough" and are regularly called on to help with language barriers between students/families and other educators at your school. Yet, you've never received any training on how to interpret, nor had your language abilities assessed.

Instead: Discuss with administrators that this is in violation of the federal governments' 2015 guidance, kindly state that you will no longer be able to interpret in these situations, and clarify your role in the building. With their support and/or central office support, train teachers on how to use whatever tools for interpretation/translation your district has in place (phone interpretation, TalkingPoints, etc.)

EL students/families benefit: EL families will get an accurate interpretation, which they are legally entitled to. (This may not happen overnight, but by saying "no" to interpreting, the school and district will have to come up with an alternative plan.)

You (EL teacher) benefit: You now won't be put in a risky situation that could lead to an OCR complaint. You will also have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

3. Socio-emotional needs: The EL students and families in your school have a lot of socio-emotional needs. You regularly find yourself attempting to be their social worker, including helping them with some really delicate situations involving immigration, domestic violence, and more.

Instead: Consistently refer to your school counselor, social worker, or psychologist. If these individuals lack the skill sets to properly work with EL/immigrant students and families, you may point them in the right direction of any appropriate community resources you're aware of. Then advocate with administrators for their professional development and the need for capacity building in this area.

EL students/families benefit: In some communities, there are resources that only a school counselor or social worker can access. For example, in communities that operate from a systems of care model or any kind of streamlined approach that relies on referrals from social workers. Ultimately, school counselors and social workers will be most knowledable about social service systems in the community and how to access them. Therefore, EL students and families will benefit by connecting with those who can most help them access those systems.

You (EL teacher) benefit: You won't be held liable for how you responded to situations that weren't in your wheelhouse, such as a suicidal student or parent or student/family in a domestic violence situation. In addition, you will also have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

As a former central office administrator, I will leave you with this. Until you say "no" to some of these roles and responsibilities you've managed to acquire, nothing will ever change. No administrator will ever hire additional staff and/or provide current staff with additional professional development on working with EL students and families if you always take care of everything. Clarify your role, establish your boundaries, say "no" more often, and focus any extra time and energy on building the capacity of fellow educators and systems. It may take time for things to shift but this will ultimately help your EL students and families AND reduce your chances of burning out.

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This article is for English Learner (EL) teachers. Let me start by saying this article will likely be controversial! I, Laura Gardner of Immigrant Connections, am putting on my social work hat for you and hopefully it will be helpful.

Do you refer to the EL and immigrant students in your school as "your" students? Does everyone in your building (brick and mortar or virtual) come to you for every single need related to "your" ELs and their families? Congratulations! You've made yourself well-known....and are simultaneously bulldozing boundaries, heading towards burnout, and ultimately doing a disservice to the EL and immigrant students and families in your school.

Let's back up a minute and outline some of these red flags. You know you are an EL teacher with boundary issues when:

1. Everyone in your school comes to you for everything related to "your" ELs and their families, including calling home for any reason (whether you speak that family's language or not), interpreting for other staff members, locating community resources, handling discipline situations, and so on.

2. You pride yourself on taking care of ALL of "your" EL students/families' issues or concerns.

3. You find yourself not able to focus on your students' instruction because you're constantly getting pulled into any and all situations with "your" EL students or their families.

4. You start to think that no one can solve "your" students' and families' problems as well as you can!

5. You worry about what will happen if you leave your school or retire because who else will help "your" students?

6. Your gut says "No, not again!" to a request from a colleague or parent but you say to yourself "One more time can't hurt."

7. You realize that that you are afraid that your colleagues, students, or their families won't like you or might be angry if you don't meet all their expectations or solve all their problems.

8. You catch yourself thinking, "It feels good to be needed."

9. You spend a lot of your time at home thinking about "your" EL students and families and their needs. You feel their sense of urgency as your own and feel guilty if you don't help them with everything, no matter how many hours it takes.

10. Your own relationships (family, friends, etc.) are suffering because of the time and emotional attention given to "your" students and families at school.

I know what you're thinking: "I HAVE to do these things because no one else will!" This may be true, to some extent. To be sure, there are other factors that lead to your lack of boundaries. Administration is a big one. If your principal doesn't have a lot of experience with working with ELs and immigrants or knowledge of best practices on engaging diverse families, they will likely inappropriately use you. It's a tough spot to be in. In addition, if your district lacks an overall infrastructure for supporting EL and immigrant students and families, it will be much more difficult to focus on your role and keep healthy boundaries. For example, does your district have an interpretation/translation office or at least a contract with an OPI (over the phone interpretation) provider? A family engagement office that provides teachers with training on how to communicate and partner with families? Counselors and/or school social workers who have been trained on the needs of EL and immigrant students and families?

Another thought you're probably having is: "You're faulting me for caring?! Not to mention in a pandemic?!" I get it. We're educators. We're in this job because we care and I'm sure that most of us can identify with some of the items above. But without setting some boundaries, you will burn out, there's no doubt about it. We know that teachers burn out at a higher rate than many other professions, not to mention that most studies on the topic were pre-pandemic. Much of the talk around self-care ends up being about trivial things like booking a massage, which is fine of course, but real self-care comes down to setting boundaries.

And you, my EL teacher colleagues, need to reflect on the role you play in this over-doing-it, lack-of-boundaries, martyr situation going on here. Whether you believe it or not, you have the power to set some boundaries and by saying "no" more, you will likely see other people and departments stepping up their game. A great article on this is How to Set Boundaries as a Teacher and Why it's so Important (apologies for selecting an article with so many ads, but it's good, so skip over them and read to the end). For those in helping professions, this journey of setting boundaries and self-care is hard! Be sure to enlist the help of a therapist, life coach, or whatever other support you need. Also, check to see if your school district has an Employee Assistance Program.

In addition, you may have noticed that I mentioned above how you could actually be doing a disservice to the EL and immigrant students and families in your school. How could that possibly be? By saying "no" to various things, how could EL students/families actually benefit?

Let's take a look at a few examples:

1. Family engagement: You've often agreed to make phone calls home for the classroom teacher and others. By doing so, the parents of EL students have only one relationship with anyone in the school: you. Yet, it's important for parents to have relationships with all of their child's teachers!

Instead: With support from your administrators, train teachers on how to use whatever tools your district has in place (phone interpretation, TalkingPoints, etc.) so they can connect with parents themselves.

EL students/families benefit: EL families slowly begin to build relationships with their children's teachers and can engage in partnerships more directly. EL students benefit because their parents are now more connected with their teacher and because you, their EL teacher, now have time to focus on their instruction.

You (EL teacher) benefit: You now have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

2. Interpretation: You speak Spanish "well enough" and are regularly called on to help with language barriers between students/families and other educators at your school. Yet, you've never received any training on how to interpret, nor had your language abilities assessed.

Instead: Discuss with administrators that this is in violation of the federal governments' 2015 guidance, kindly state that you will no longer be able to interpret in these situations, and clarify your role in the building. With their support and/or central office support, train teachers on how to use whatever tools for interpretation/translation your district has in place (phone interpretation, TalkingPoints, etc.)

EL students/families benefit: EL families will get an accurate interpretation, which they are legally entitled to. (This may not happen overnight, but by saying "no" to interpreting, the school and district will have to come up with an alternative plan.)

You (EL teacher) benefit: You now won't be put in a risky situation that could lead to an OCR complaint. You will also have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

3. Socio-emotional needs: The EL students and families in your school have a lot of socio-emotional needs. You regularly find yourself attempting to be their social worker, including helping them with some really delicate situations involving immigration, domestic violence, and more.

Instead: Consistently refer to your school counselor, social worker, or psychologist. If these individuals lack the skill sets to properly work with EL/immigrant students and families, you may point them in the right direction of any appropriate community resources you're aware of. Then advocate with administrators for their professional development and the need for capacity building in this area.

EL students/families benefit: In some communities, there are resources that only a school counselor or social worker can access. For example, in communities that operate from a systems of care model or any kind of streamlined approach that relies on referrals from social workers. Ultimately, school counselors and social workers will be most knowledable about social service systems in the community and how to access them. Therefore, EL students and families will benefit by connecting with those who can most help them access those systems.

You (EL teacher) benefit: You won't be held liable for how you responded to situations that weren't in your wheelhouse, such as a suicidal student or parent or student/family in a domestic violence situation. In addition, you will also have more time to focus on instruction and overall better boundaries so you don't burn out.

As a former central office administrator, I will leave you with this. Until you say "no" to some of these roles and responsibilities you've managed to acquire, nothing will ever change. No administrator will ever hire additional staff and/or provide current staff with additional professional development on working with EL students and families if you always take care of everything. Clarify your role, establish your boundaries, say "no" more often, and focus any extra time and energy on building the capacity of fellow educators and systems. It may take time for things to shift but this will ultimately help your EL students and families AND reduce your chances of burning out.

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English Learner (EL) Teachers & Setting Boundaries

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This article is for English Learner (EL) teachers. Let me start by saying this article will likely be controversial! I, Laura Gardner of Immigrant Connections, am putting on my social work hat for you and hopefully it will be helpful. Do you refer to the EL and immigrant students in your school as "your" students?

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"This impressive corpus of two dozen cases will serve educational leaders across levels. Individually, the consistent and concise format makes each accessible and engaging. Collectively, the sweeping range of foci and contexts is certain to surprise, challenge, and most importantly, catalyze all educational leaders to boldly act to expand opportunities to learn for culturally and linguistically minoritized students."
- Martin Scanlan, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership & Higher Education, Boston College

" Educational Leadership for Immigrants arrives just in time, as school leaders and educators are grappling to find the best ways to serve culturally, linguistically, and legally diverse students. This book provides readers with authentic, engaging, and thought-provoking case studies for K-12 administrators and pre-service leaders in leadership preparation programs to learn about diverse immigrant student populations. It's an excellent resource for any educator striving to do what's best for every child and family."
- Todd Whitaker, Distinguished Adjunct Professor, PK12 Leadership, University of Missouri-Columbia and Beth Whitaker, Assistant Teaching Professor, PK12 Leadership Program Coordinator, PK12 Leadership and Policy University of Missouri-Columbia

"Educational Leadership of Immigrants makes an important contribution at a critical time in our nation's history. Chapters provide keen insight into the essential issues school leaders of immigrant students must navigate, including issues of language, culture, race, gender, community, religion and immigration politics and policy. Educational leadership scholars and practitioners will find this to be an informative and stimulating resource."
- Michelle D. Young, Executive Director, University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), and Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Virginia

"This is the book the field needs now. With one in four students in the US the child of an immigrant, the future of our schools and our nation depends on the kinds of insights provided by this book. If you have one or more students who is the child of immigrants in your classroom, school or district (documented or undocumented) you need this book!"
- Patricia Gándara, Research Professor, Education, and Co-Director Civil Rights Project, UCLA

"I am so grateful for this new, incredibly useful and insightful collection of case studies targeted at leadership development for immigrant and refugee students! There are examples from around the country, written in an engaging and completely approachable way, each one grounded in clear coverage of current research and followed by thought-provoking and incisive discussion questions and activities. The vignettes provide vivid windows into the life stories of immigrant/refugee students and families, the structures of inequality that plague our schools and schooling systems, and the dilemmas of practice for leaders struggling to right these wrongs and serve these brave students. Fantastic work - Bravo!"
- Deb Palmer, Professor and Program Chair, Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity, University of Colorado-Boulder

"Impressive for its depth and breadth, this terrific collection of case studies offers evidence-based best practices to provide schools and school leaders a unique roadmap for addressing a broad range of immigration-related challenges. Educational Leadership of Immigrants is a must-read for educators and policy makers alike."
- Roberto G. Gonzales, Professor of Education, Harvard University

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educational leadership of immigrants: case studies in times of change

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education and state;united states;case studies.

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education / educational policy & reform / general

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education and state;united states;case studies.

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emigration and immigration law - united states

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classroom leadership; community leadership; emily r. crawford; esl education; educational leadership; educational policy; immigrant education; immigrant student populations; lisa m. dorner; pk-12 policy; school leadership; teacher education

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education / educational policy & reform / general

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Educational Leadership of Immigrants: Case Studies in Times of Change

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Educational Leadership of Immigrants: Case Studies in Times of Change [Crawford, Emily R., Dorner, Lisa M.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Educational Leadership of Immigrants: Case Studies in Times of Change

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A systematic review of socio-ecological factors contributing to risk and protection of the mental health of refugee children and adolescents.pdf

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Description

One of the hottest topics in education today is trauma-informed pedagogy. Much of what has been written in this area comes from counselors, therapists, and other experts in this field, but there is very little written specifically about the effects of trauma on English learners. This book has been written to address this need. The authors have sifted through the literature on trauma and social-emotional learning (SEL) to provide the material that applies directly to English learners. This book was written mainly for teachers of students with immigrant backgrounds and for the building administrators who support them, including counselors, paraprofessionals, and social workers.

This book is designed to provide a practical resource to help educators better understand the possible traumatic backgrounds of their students and how that could be affecting their academic, social, and emotional lives. It also focuses on how school personnel can create a safe environment in schools and classrooms to help students recognize, nurture, and expand the internal resilience that has enabled them to weather past situations and that will allow them to continue the healing process.

One chapter is devoted to the topic of self-care for educators who are working so hard to help students be resilient. An appendix features a list of recommended books on the topics of personal migration and resilience.

Available for sale worldwide

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Supporting the Journey of English Learners after Trauma

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One of the hottest topics in education today is trauma-informed pedagogy. Much of what has been written in this area comes from counselors, therapists, and other experts in this field, but there is very little written specifically about the effects of trauma on English learners. This book has been written to address this need.

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supporting and educating traumatized students: a guide for school-based professionals

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psychology / psychopathology / post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

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psychopathology - post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
psychology / psychopathology / post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

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Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School-Based Professionals

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Amazon.com: Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School-Based Professionals (9780190052737): Rossen, Eric: Books

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A Socioecological Framework

Member/Affiliate Price: $22.49

Free Shipping

For individuals in the U.S. & U.S. territories

Nearly 70 million people today are refugees or forcibly-displaced migrants. More than half of them are children suffering from the effects of dislocation and violence.

This book provides a framework to guide mental health providers who work with refugees and immigrants. The authors describe the unique needs and challenges of serving these populations, and offer concrete steps for providing evidence-based, culturally-responsive care.

Using the socioecological model, the authors conceptualize the developing child as living within concentric circles that include family, school, neighborhood, and society, embedded within a cultural context. Mental health providers identify and provide targeted support to combat disruptions within any or all of these ecological layers.

Chapters examine the complex ways in which culture impacts the refugee experience, barriers to engagement in mental health practice and strategies for overcoming them, assessment, collaborative and integrated mental health interventions, and efforts to increase resilience in children, families, and communities.

The book is an essential guide for mental health providers and all who seek to help children in need.

Series Forword

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction to Refugees and Immigrants: Newcomers to the United States

2. Working Cross-Culturally

3. Engaging Refugee and Immigrant Families in Mental Health Services

4. Psychosocial Assessment With Refugee and Immigrant Youth and Families

5. Outpatient Socioecological and Trauma Treatments With Refugee and Immigrant Youth and Families

6. Integrating Mental Health Care Into School or Medical Settings: Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Models of Care

7. Refugees in Our Communities: Promoting Whole Community Resilience

References

Index

About the Authors

B. Heidi Ellis, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, and a licensed clinical psychologist. She is also the director of the Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center at Boston Children's Hospital, a partner in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. She received a BA from Yale University and a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Oregon.

Dr. Ellis's primary focus is on understanding and promoting refugee youth mental health and well-being, with a particular emphasis on understanding how trauma exposure, violence, and social context impact developmental trajectories. Over the past 17 years she has conducted a community-based participatory research program with Somali youth; she is currently principal investigator of a multisite, longitudinal research project examining developmental pathways to and away from violence.

Dr. Ellis is also codeveloper of the trauma treatment model, trauma systems therapy, and the 2018 recipient of the Sarah Haley Award for Clinical Excellence from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Saida M. Abdi, PhD, is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Abdi received a combined social work/sociology PhD from Boston University. Prior to her position at the University of Minnesota, she was the associate director for community relations at the Boston Children's Hospital Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center (RTRC). In this role, she has led RTRC's efforts to build community partnerships and to increase mental health knowledge and services in diverse refugee communities.

Her clinical practice focuses on supporting children and families impacted by violence and migration and her research focuses on factors related to resilience among refugee and immigrant children and families and the use of community-based participatory research to promote community engagement and collaboration. She is a cofounder clinician at the Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center, which was created by refugees and immigrants to meet the mental health needs of refugees and immigrants.

She is principal investigator of a multisite impact evaluation of trauma systems therapy for refugees in Canada.

Jeffrey P. Winer, PhD, is an attending psychologist at the Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center at Boston Children's Hospital and an instructor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Winer's work is primarily focused on developing, testing, disseminating, and implementing culturally responsive psychological interventions for youth and families of refugee and immigrant backgrounds. He is an active researcher, clinician, educator, and consultant, and is the recipient of a Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award.

Dr. Winer received his undergraduate degree from Grinnell College and his MS and PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He completed his clinical internship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School and his postdoctoral fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Outside of his work at Boston Children's Hospital, he continues to work at the McLean Hospital 3East Adolescent DBT Partial Hospital Program and maintains a private practice.

Compassionately framed, this timely, pragmatic book provides important insights into providing trauma-informed care with "cultural humility." A must-read for mental health practitioners who wish to better serve the refugee community.
-Carola Suárez-Orozco, PhD
Professor of Human Development and Psychology, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California Los Angeles

Contact APA Books

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Mental Health Practice With Immigrant and Refugee Youth: A Socioecological Framework

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Socioecological Framework Member/Affiliate Price: $22.49 Free Shipping For individuals in the U.S. & U.S. territories Nearly 70 million people today are refugees or forcibly-displaced migrants. More than half of them are children suffering from the effects of dislocation and violence. This book provides a framework to guide mental health providers who work with refugees and immigrants.

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Refugee and Immigrant Core Stressors Toolkit

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UC Contact Information

ORR Helpline for Unaccompanied Children or Sponsors

800.203.7001 | information@ORRNCC.com

How does the ORR National Call Center help parents who are looking for their child?

The call center collects information from the caller and will send the information in real time regarding the caller's inquiry to the shelter in which the child is located.

A caller may provide his/her name, contact information, their relationship to the child or child's family, etc.

The ORR shelter is then responsible for responding to a parent/sponsor/legal representative, after verifying the caller's identity with the child or the child's family in the country of origin.

The call center does not verify or authenticate relationships, and therefore MAY NOT share the location or other personal information regarding the child with the caller.

Other helpful information:

Not every adult who comes forward to claim custody of a child is an appropriate sponsor due to a variety of reasons, which may include custodial disputes in the home country or environmental factors unsuitable for children.

Professional case managers conduct vigorous investigations to determine safe settings for children to be released to a sponsor.

The ORR National Call Center is experiencing an extraordinarily high volume of calls. To mitigate wait times and ensure rapid response, the call center has increased staffing during peak times.

To ensure the call center can focus on its critical mission of supporting children and families, ORR asks that members of the public, lawmakers and media do not use the 1-800 number. Inquiries can be forwarded to media@hhs.gov or UACProgram@acf.hhs.gov.

In addition to reunification support, the ORR National Call Center also serves children and sponsors post-reunification with issues that may include: finding resources in the community for education, medical care, emotional support, juvenile justice, substance use, legal support and safety; providing guidance on strengthening the relationship between sponsors and children; and receiving reports of abuse or neglect.

Outside entities, attorneys or other individuals seeking UC case file information must make a request to ORR under the appropriate policies and procedures. Requesting parties should not make a FOIA request for UAC case file information.

Media Contact

Please visit ACF's Media Center page for contact details.

Program Contact Information

Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families
Mary E. Switzer Building
330 C Street, SW
Room 5123
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 202.401.9246
Fax: 202.401.1022

Photo Gallery

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ACF's Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides funding and oversight to state-licensed shelters throughout the United States for children referred to ORR by the Department of Homeland Security. The children are known as unaccompanied children (UC).

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AZPM News - Covering Tucson and Southern Arizona

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AZPM News provides local, in-depth and unbiased news coverage of Tucson, Southern Arizona, Arizona, and the nation.

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subscribe to Code Switch podcast

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On a weekday morning, in an upscale area of Arlington, Va., the suburban silence is as thick as the foliage save for the hum of a leaf blower or an occasional car. In one of the homes, Sheba Velasco is thinking of snacks for the children. She's their nanny.

Then the phone rings.

Thousands of miles to the west, it's very early in the morning, and a young man has been caught trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

"First of all" Velasco begins, "may I ask that he is from Nebaj? He speaks Ixil?"

The young man is indeed from her hometown: Nebaj, Guatemala. And, like Velasco, he speaks the Mayan language Ixil (pronounced ih-SHEEL).

Velasco works as an interpreter for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, but also for immigration courts. She's one of the few Ixil interpreters in the United States.

On the phone, Velasco begins speaking loudly. Like many Mayan languages, Ixil moves acrobatically between soft shushes and hard glottal consonants. On the line, a man's voice responds in short sentences.

No, he's not allergic to any medication, Velasco says in English, to the lady now on the other end of the phone call.

Later on, Velasco explains that the man was being taken to a clinic. He sounded more like a boy, she tells me, and he was scared. She told him to calm down.

Not long ago, calls like this didn't happen very often. These days, she says she fields "six to 10 calls a week. Mostly are young kids crossing the water. Some of them are ill, sick. Or immigration has them."
Six Million Speakers
The Mayan empire collapsed mysteriously around the 9th century. Among the supposed reasons are drought, plague or some other type of ecological disaster.

"But the descendants of Mayans live today," says Sergio Romero. At the University of Texas he teaches three Mayan languages. There are more than 30, though, and an estimated 6 million people who speak them.

As Central Americans become the largest group of new arrivals to the U.S., the language of immigration is changing. Spanish is still the primary tongue between South, Central and North America, but there are more Mayan speakers.

That has created the shortage of interpreters. When he's not grading papers or planning lessons, Romero tells me, he's taking calls from detention centers and courts.

"A lot of these people will be perfectly capable of purchasing beans or tortillas or beer at a store in Spanish," he explains. "But then, engaging the police or working with a lawyer or declaring in front of a judge is not something they would be able to do."

As the demand for interpreters soars, there aren't a lot of options for increasing the supply.

Few universities offer instruction in Mayan languages. Vanderbilt offers K'iche' ; University of North Carolina offers Yucatec Maya.

That raises the question: why aren't more native Mayan speakers in the U.S. stepping forward to help?

Romero explains that all immigrants are not proud to speak their language.

"The stereotypical poor person in Guatemala is a speaker of an indigenous language. The tremendous linguistic diversity of Guatemala is seen as a disadvantage," he says. "It's seen as one of the reasons why the country is so poor."

Romero points out that these claims are illogical - neighboring Honduras and El Salvador are equally poor, and they are not multilingual countries.

As with most of Latin America, there is a double-speak in Guatemala when it comes to indigenous culture: On the one hand, the diversity of ethnicity celebrated as a source of pride and tourist attraction. There is also a strong indigenous pride movement. In 1990 the Guatemalan Mayan Languages Academy was created. And there has been a musical renaissance in recent years, with young groups ranging from hip-hop and heavy metal singing in Mayan.

In reality, though, the country has often subjected its indigenous peoples to discrimination or worse. By the time immigrants who speak Mayan languages get to the U.S., or even before then, they often choose to drop their native language at the border.

Jayro Ivan Velazquez is 9 years old. I meet him and his mother Hilda on a sunny day in a dark living room of a shelter for migrant women and children. She apologizes for his bowl-shaped haircut, but it's as cute as he is.

They've lived in Texas for a year, but Jayro been trying to forget his native language, Mam, for much longer than that. The bullying started, he says, when he began elementary school in Guatemala City. Hilda would pick him up and speak to him in Mam - the only language she knew back then.

"They said that language is made-up" Jayro says. They'd tell him: "'Your mother speaks an ugly language.' "

"He started to pull away from me," his mother recalls. "He no longer spoke." She says it made her sad to see her son reject his roots.

Jayro is unusually reflective for such a young boy. He says he'd watch his mom, and listen to her speak, and think "that's not an ugly language."

But after the bullying became physical, Jayro got a head injury. Hilda says he announced he would no longer speak any Mam.

She tells me all this in a still-awkward Spanish punctuated by the staccatos that are typical of many Mayan languages. "And then he would only speak Spanish. Spanish, Spanish, Spanish."

Hilda learned Spanish in the U.S., while she and Jayro were in a detention facility. They'd been caught at the border, and they spent nearly a year locked up. Nobody in there spoke Mam.

She says she was placed with an interpreter she could barely understand.

She tried talking with her son, but he'd made up his mind to forget that language. She became depressed. So another detainee taught her Spanish.

Hilda hardly speaks Mam anymore; only over the phone once in a while with a sister.

After some prodding, Jayro tells me there's this one phrase in Mam, a kind of inside joke between him and his mom.

"ẍkatil ntzeltije"

It's a very important phrase to know if you are a cuddly, 9-year-old year old boy like Jayro.

"ẍkatil ntzeltije"

He says it means "scratch my back." Hilda's face lights up, and her quiet demeanor is broken by a laugh.

"And then I scratch his back" she tells me.

In Spanish.

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Wanted: Speakers Of Mayan Languages, Many Of Them

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subscribe to Code Switch podcast subscribe to Code Switch podcast On a weekday morning, in an upscale area of Arlington, Va., the suburban silence is as thick as the foliage save for the hum of a leaf blower or an occasional car. In one of the homes, Sheba Velasco is thinking of snacks for the children.

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Data Provided by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30)

Age | Country of Origin | Gender | Home Studies and Post-Release Services | Length of Care | Referrals | Release to Sponsors

Age

Age breakdown of unaccompanied alien children by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30)

Country of Origin

The top three countries of origin shifted from FY2017, with the highest percentage of children in FY2018 coming from Guatemala, followed by Honduras and El Salvador.

Gender

The demographic breakdown in FY2018 changed slightly from FY2017 to reflect a small increase in male UAC arrivals and decrease in female UAC arrivals.

Home Studies and Post-Release Services

Number of home studies conducted by ORR and number of unaccompanied alien children served by post-release services (PRS).

Length of Care

Average length of time a UAC remained in ORR care in FY2019 was 66 days.

Referrals

This reflects the number of referrals ORR receives from the Department of Homeland Security each fiscal year. Read more about referrals to ORR and initial placement.

Release to Sponsors

View the number of unaccompanied alien released to sponsors by state and by county

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Data Provided by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30) Age | Country of Origin | Gender | Home Studies and Post-Release Services | Length of Care | Referrals | Release to Sponsors Age breakdown of unaccompanied alien children by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30) The top three countries of origin shifted from FY2017, with the highest percentage of children in FY2018 coming from Guatemala, followed by Honduras and El Salvador.

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There is a lot of data available about refugees and migrants. Here are some infographics based on official data sources that you can download and share.

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The media has been actively covering UNHCR's recently released Annual Global Trends Report which highlighted the insane fact that worldwide displacement is at the highest level ever recorded. António Guterres, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said in the report that the world is entering an era "in which the scale of global forced displacement as well as the response required is now clearly dwarfing anything seen before."

The numbers coming out of the report are staggering to say the least. Worldwide, one in every 122 people on the planet is now either a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum. 59.5 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2014 compared to 51.2 million a year earlier and 37.5 million a decade ago.

If this were the population of a country, it would be the 24th largest in the world.

The report said war, conflict and persecution were the primary causes for creating 14.4 million refugees last year, 2.7 million more people than 2013 and an almost 25 percent increase. This increase between 2013-2014 was the highest ever seen in a single year.

Half of the 60 million displaced are children. Don't worry, that wasn't a typo. That's nearly 30 million children. How many of these children are in primary school? One in two. Only one in four is in secondary school. And university? Well, only 1%.

Yes these are indeed the numbers representing the world's refugee crisis. They're almost unfathomable in my opinion.

What does 60 million people even look like?

When you imagine 60 million displaced, does it look that different from 40 million or 20 million? The numbers are so large it can be difficult for some people to put that staggering "60 million people" into visual terms that can be fully understood.

So let's try to put it into context. Imagine if every single English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish person currently living on the British Isles were forced to flee their home. Or think about if every man, woman and child living in Italy suddenly were displaced. Alternatively, what if the populations of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain were made to live elsewhere.

You could also think about these numbers in days, hours, or minutes.

In 2014, 42,500 new people were displaced every single day. That's a new person forced to flee every other second.

It will take you about five minutes to read this article. In those five minutes 150 new people will have been force to flee their homes, leaving everything behind.

On #WorldRefugeeDay, I challenge you to think about what these numbers mean for the state of our world and what you can do as a fellow human being. Donate your time to the refugee cause, spread awareness of the crisis and share the stories of these ordinary people living in extraordinary times.

Here are 10 infographics from the 2014 Global Trends Report to help you visualize what the global displacement crisis really looks like.
1. 42,500 people were displaced everyday during 2014. This equates with every single person in a large city such as San Diego, USA or Brussels, Belgium being displaced every single month. 2. A mere 126,800 refugees were able to return home in 2014, the lowest number of returnees in 30 years. 3. Nearly 12 million Syrians have been displaced. More than 7.6 million within Syria, and more than 4 million as refugees in neighboring countries. 4. Lebanon hosted the largest number of refugees in relation to its national population where one in five people is a Syrian refugee. The equivalent per capita of the UK hosting nearly 13 million refugees. 5. Colombia continues to have more than 6 million people who have fled their homes due to violence - the highest rate in the world after Syria. 6. The numbers of people displaced by war are up 16% on 2013 - when the total stood at 51.2 million - and up 59% on a decade ago, when 37.5 million people were forced to flee their homes. 7. 53% of all refugees in 2014 came from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. 8. The 30 million children displaced by conflict are at risk of becoming a lost generation; with most largely uneducated. 9. Those displaced by armed conflict, generalized violence, or human rights violations at the end of 2014 equate to be some 38.2 million. This is unprecedented since 1989, the first year for which global statistics on IDPs are available. 10. The average duration of the 33 protracted refugee situations at the end of 2014 is estimated to about 25 years. Did we miss any great infographics floating around the web? Link us to them in the comments below and we'll tweet them.
Photo credit: UNHCR / I. Prickett

If you'd like to repost this article on your website, please see our reposting policy.

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10 infographics that show the scale of global displacement - UNHCR Innovation

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The media has been actively covering UNHCR's recently released Annual Global Trends Report which highlighted the insane fact that worldwide displacement is at the highest level ever recorded. António Guterres, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said in the report that the world is entering an era "in which the scale of global forced displacement ...

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Home

About Us

Figures at a Glance

How many refugees are there around the world?

At least 82.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 26.4 million refugees, around half of whom are under the age of 18.

There are also millions of stateless people, who have been denied a nationality and lack access to basic rights such as education, health care, employment and freedom of movement.

At a time when 1 in every 95 people on earth has fled their home as a result of conflict or persecution, our work at UNHCR is more important than ever before.

UNHCR personnel

Our workforce is the backbone of UNHCR. As of 31 December 2020, we employ 17,878 people, of whom around nearly 91 per cent are based in the field.

We work in 132 countries and territories, with personnel based in a mixture of regional and branch offices and sub and field offices. Our teams work hard to help the displaced, specializing in a wide range of disciplines, including legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs and health.

How is UNHCR funded

We are funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, with 85 per cent from governments and the European Union. Three per cent comes from other inter-governmental organizations and pooled funding mechanisms, while a further 11 per cent is from the private sector, including foundations, corporations and the public. Additionally, we receive a limited subsidy (one per cent) from the UN budget for administrative costs, and accept in-kind contributions, including items such as tents, medicines and trucks.

UNHCR was launched on a shoestring annual budget of US$300,000 in 1950. But as our work and size have grown, so too have the costs. Our annual budget rose to more than US$1 billion in the early 1990s and reached a new annual high of US$9.15 billion in 2021. For up to date information about UNHCR’s financial needs visit our Global Focus website.

Our yearly budget supports continuing operations and supplementary programmes to cover emergencies, such as the Syria crisis or large-scale repatriation operations.

Data on forced displacement and stateless populations

We track the number of people forced to flee and use data and statistics to inform and optimize our work and the work of our partners to better protect, assist and provide solutions. So when for example a major displacement crisis erupts, we can predict how many people need help, what kind of help they need and how many staff we must deploy.

These figures are released every year in our flagship reports: Global Trends and Global Report.

For statistics and operational data that are essential for UNHCR operations, we collect and process data in a number of different systems that are fit for purpose. Our Population Statistics Database, for example, carries information on country of asylum, country of origin and demographics on people of concern to UNHCR – refugees, asylum seekers, returned refugees, internally displaced and stateless people.

For more information on how UNHCR collects population figures, including links to our databases, visit our data page.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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At least 82.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are 26.4 million refugees, around half of whom are under the age of 18.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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‎Refugees undergo more rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the United States. Here's what the screening process looks like for them:

The Full Text of the Graphic:

The Screening Process for Refugee Entry Into the United States

Recurrent vetting: Throughout this process, pending applications continue to be checked against terrorist databases, to ensure new, relevant terrorism information has not come to light. If a match is found, that case is paused for further review. Applicants who continue to have no flags continue the process. If there is doubt about whether an applicant poses a security risk, they will not be admitted.

1. Many refugee applicants identify themselves to the U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR. UNHCR, then:

​​Collects identifying documents

Performs initial assessment

Collects biodata: name, address, birthday, place of birth, etc.

Collects biometrics: iris scans (for Syrians, and other refugee populations in the Middle East)

Interviews applicants to confirm refugee status and the need for resettlement
Initial information checked again

Only applicants who are strong candidates for resettlement move forward (less than 1% of global refugee population).

2. Applicants are received by a federally-funded Resettlement Support Center (RSC):​​

Collects identifying documents

Creates an applicant file

Compiles information to conduct biographic security checks

3. Biographic security checks start with enhanced interagency security checks

Refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States.

​​ U.S. security agencies screen the candidate, including:

The screening looks for indicators, like:

Information that the individual is a security risk

Connections to known bad actors

Outstanding warrants/immigration or criminal violations

DHS conducts an enhanced review of Syrian cases, which may be referred to USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate for review. Research that is used by the interviewing officer informs lines of question related to the applicant's eligibility and credibility.

4. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/USCIS interview:

Interviews are conducted by USCIS Officers specially trained for interviews ​​

Fingerprints are collected and submitted (biometric check)

Re-interviews can be conducted if fingerprint results or new information raises questions. If new biographic information is identified by USCIS at an interview, additional security checks on the information are conducted. USCIS may place a case on hold to do additional research or investigation. Otherwise, the process continues.

5. Biometric security checks:

Applicant's fingerprints are taken by U.S. government employees

Fingerprints are screened against the FBI's biometric database.

Fingerprints are screened against the DHS biometric database, containing watch-list information and previous immigration encounters in the U.S. and overseas.

Fingerprints are screened against the U.S. Department of Defense biometric database, which includes fingerprint records captured in Iraq and other locations.

If not already halted, this is the end point for cases with security concerns. Otherwise, the process continues.

6. Cultural orientation and assignment to domestic resettlement locations:

7. Travel:

​​International Organization for Migration books travel

Prior to entry in the United States, applicants are subject to:

This is the end point for some applicants. Applicants who have no flags continue the process.

8. U.S. Arrival:

​​ All refugees are required to apply for a green card within a year of their arrival to the United States, which triggers:

Refugees are woven into the rich fabric of American society!

‎Amy Pope is Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security

Correction: A previous version of the graphic and blog post stated in step 2 that the name of the RSC was the Refugee Support Center. This has been corrected to the proper name, the Resettlement Support Center.

Learn more:

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Infographic: The Screening Process for Refugee Entry into the United States

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‎Refugees undergo more rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the United States. Here's what the screening process looks like for them: Recurrent vetting: Throughout this process, pending applications continue to be checked against terrorist databases, to ensure new, relevant terrorism information has not come to light.

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The United States has historically led the world in terms of formal refugee resettlement, accepting more refugees annually than any other country. With significant cuts in refugee admissions by the Trump administration, however, the United States fell behind Canada in 2018 as the top resettlement country. Approximately 22,500 refugees were resettled in the United States during fiscal year (FY) 2018. Beyond accepting refugees for resettlement, the United States also grants humanitarian protection to asylum seekers who present themselves at U.S. ports of entry or claim asylum from within the country; in FY 2017 (the most recent data available), the United States granted asylum status to 26,568 individuals.

Global displacement reached a record high of 68.5 million people by the end of 2017, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Approximately 25.4 million of these individuals were formally designated as refugees, 40 million were internally displaced persons (IDPs), and 3.1 million were asylum seekers.

In 2017, the Trump administration implemented increased vetting for refugees, citing security concerns; this slowed the process of admissions. Furthermore, President Trump reduced the number of refugees the United States accepts annually-first reducing the 110,000 level originally set for FY 2017 by the Obama administration to 50,000, then to 45,000 for FY 2018, and to a record low of 30,000 for FY 2019. Approximately 15,000 refugees had been resettled during the first seven months of FY 2019 (October 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019).

Using the most recent data available, including refugee arrival figures from the State Department and asylum data from the Department of Homeland Security's 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, this Spotlight examines characteristics of the U.S. refugee and asylee populations, including top countries of origin and top states for resettled refugees. It also provides the numbers of refugees and asylees who have become lawful permanent residents (LPRs), which refugees (but not asylees) are required to do within a year of arrival.
Note: All yearly data are for the government's fiscal year (October 1 through September 30).
Click on the bullet points below for more information:
Refugee Admission Ceiling
At the beginning of each fiscal year, the president, in consultation with Congress, sets caps on the number of refugees to be accepted from five global regions, as well as an unallocated reserve if a country goes to war or more refugees need to be admitted regionally. In the case of an unforeseen emergency, the total and regional allocations may be adjusted.

Once granted U.S. protection, refugees and asylees are authorized to work. They may also qualify for assistance, including cash, medical, housing, educational, and vocational services, to facilitate their economic and social integration.

After the most recent peak annual refugee admissions ceiling of 142,000 in 1993 (largely a response to the Balkan wars) the annual ceiling steadily declined, ranging from 70,000 to 91,000 between 1999 and 2016. In response to the worsening global humanitarian crisis, the Obama administration raised the admission ceiling to 85,000 in FY 2016 and 110,000 in FY 2017. (Click here for a data tool showing annual refugee resettlement ceilings and actual admissions from 1980, when the modern refugee resettlement program formally began, through the most recent full fiscal year.)

However, the Trump administration has significantly lowered the admissions ceiling each year and suspended the resettlement program for 120 days in 2017 to review and strengthen vetting procedures. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced additional screening for nationals of 11 high-risk countries in January 2018. These countries were never officially delineated but are believed to be Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Refugee admissions from these countries fell from 43 percent of all refugee resettlement in FY 2017 to 3 percent in FY 2018.
Figure 1. Annual Refugee Resettlement Ceiling and Number of Refugees Admitted, FY 1980-2019*
* Data for FY 2019 are partial and refer to resettlement between October 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019.
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, "Proposed Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year," various years; Migration Policy Institute (MPI) analysis of Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS) data from the State Department, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, available online.

Click here for a fact sheet on U.S. refugee resettlement.

Click here for an explainer on the Trump administration's immigration policy during its first two years, including with regards to refugee and asylum policy.
Refugee Arrivals and Countries of Origin
In 2018, 22,491 individuals arrived in the United States as refugees, according to data from the State Department's Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS). This represents a 58 percent decrease from the 53,716 admitted in 2017 (see Figure 2). It also represents just half of the 45,000 placements allotted for 2018-a 74 percent decrease in admissions from the final year of the Obama administration (84,994 in 2016). In the first seven months of the2019 fiscal year, 14,808 refugees were admitted.

About three-quarters of the refugees admitted in the first seven months of FY 2019 were from Africa or East Asia.
Figure 2. U.S. Refugee Arrivals by Region of Nationality, FY 2000-19*
* Data for FY 2019 are partial and refer to resettlement between October 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019. Notes: Eligible family members granted follow-to-join refugee status are included in the refugee admissions data. In contrast, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients who received refugee program reception and placement benefits are not included.
Source: MPI analysis of State Department WRAPS data.

Nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burma (also known as Myanmar) were the top two origin groups for the first seven months of FY 2019; they represented 64 percent (9,478 individuals) of all arrivals (see Table 1). Congolese refugees are fleeing decades of armed conflict that has killed more people than any war since World War II. Tens of thousands of the ethnic Chin, Karen, and more recently Muslim Rohingya, who have fled severe persecution at the hands of their own government were resettled in the United States, making Burma the second-largest origin country of refugees. Nationals of Ukraine were the third-largest group, representing 12 percent of all arrivals during the first seven months of FY 2019.

Click here to read an article on Syrian refugees resettled in the United States.

Over the past decade, refugees from Burma have been the largest group resettled to the United States, representing 21 percent (138,861) of the 648,482 refugees admitted between FY 2009 and through April 30, 2019. Iraqis were next at 20 percent (127,478 individuals), followed by the Bhutanese at 14 percent (90,841 refugees). In 2014, UNHCR closed its resettlement program in Thailand for refugees from Burma. Later, in 2018, it did the same in Nepal. The closures dramatically stemmed the flow of Burmese and Bhutanese refugees who relied on these programs for resettlement. Between 2016 and 2017, 59 percent fewer refugees arrived from Burma. And although flows from Bhutan have been slowly decreasing for a decade, just 19 Bhutanese refugees had been admitted in the first seven months of FY 2019.

Though the number of Central American migrants seeking asylum has risen, admission of refugees through formal resettlement channels from this region has been relatively low. In December 2014, the Obama administration established the Central American Minors (CAM) program, an in-country refugee and parole program in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for children under age 21 whose parents are lawfully present in the United States. The Trump administration eliminated it entirely by the end of January 2018. Under a court settlement announced in April 2019, the administration agreed to allow approximately 2,700 Central American children to reunite with their parents in the United States, ending litigation filed after the administration terminated the CAM program.

Click here to read a report on in-country processing in Central America.
Top Refugee-Receiving States
During the first seven months of FY 2019, roughly consistent with prior years, the top initial resettlement states were Texas (9 percent, or 1,389 individuals) and New York (6 percent, 932). Other major receiving states included California (6 percent, 848), Washington (6 percent, 827), and 4 percent for each of the following states: North Carolina (662), Ohio (651), Kentucky (649), Georgia (589), Michigan (584), and Arizona (536). Fifty-two percent of all refugees resettled during the period were in one of ten states (see Figure 4).

States also differ quite significantly by refugee country of origin. For instance, although Burmese refugees have been the largest group admitted to the United States since 2007, representing 170,896 of the 756,953 refugees resettled between 2007 and the end of April 2019, they were the top group in just 19 states. Twelve states, including California and Michigan, resettled more Iraqis than any other nationality in the past decade; meanwhile, Florida and Nevada have received more Cuban refugees than any other group (see Figure 5).

Arriving refugees are placed in communities based on their needs, factors including family ties, and the receiving community's language services, health care and housing availability, educational and job opportunities, and cost of living.

Since 2015, citing concerns ranging from limited federal funding, use of local resources, and potential national-security threats, states and localities have become increasingly vocal about having greater say so in the resettlement process, and a number have ended state involvement in the provision of refugee services, leaving them to local nongovernmental resettlement agencies.
Note: The figures presented here do not account for secondary migration of refugees who move between states after they are initially resettled. Religious Composition of Refugees
Overall, the United States admitted more Christian refugees in the past decade than Muslim ones. Between October 2009 and April 2019, Christians represented 46 percent (301,420) of the 648,482 refugees resettled during this period. In comparison, 33 percent (211,844) of refugees admitted during the same period were Muslim. More than half of these Muslim refugees were from Iraq (39 percent) or Somalia (27 percent).
Figure 6. Religious Composition of Refugees Admitted to the United States, FY 2009-19*
* Data for FY 2019 are partial and refer to resettlement between October 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019.
Source: MPI analysis of State Department WRAPS data.

2016 marked the only time since 2009 when the United States resettled more Muslim refugees than Christians. In that year, 84,994 refugees were admitted; of these, 46 percent (38,900) were Muslim and 44 percent (37,521) were Christian (see Figure 6). More than half of Muslim refugees in 2016 were from Syria (32 percent) or Somalia (23 percent).

Since the Trump administration travel ban and additional vetting procedures were implemented in 2017, Muslim refugees represented just 16 percent (3,495 individuals) of all those resettled in 2018. The first seven months of FY 2019 have followed a similar pattern, and Muslim refugees made up 16 percent (2,375 refugees) of the 14,808 resettled as of April 30, 2019.
Age and Gender for Top Refugee Groups
The U.S. refugee resettlement program focuses on the most vulnerable populations and those with the best prospects for long-term integration. Individuals with critical medical conditions or disabilities, and families with young children, are typically prioritized for resettlement. In the first seven months of FY 2019, children under age 14 and women made up 70 percent of refugees from the DRC, 68 percent of those from Burma, 66 percent from Ukraine, 63 percent from Eritrea, and 54 percent from Afghanistan. Women and children under age 14 from these top five resettlement origin countries comprised 58 percent (8,521 refugees) of the total individuals resettled during the first seven months of FY 2019.
Asylees
In 2017 (the most recent data available), 26,568 persons were granted asylum either affirmatively or defensively-a 31 percent increase from the 20,340 granted asylum in 2016, according to the DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. Of these, 60 percent (16,045) were granted asylum affirmatively, while the remaining 40 percent, or 10,523 cases, were granted asylum defensively. (See Box for explanation of the differences between affirmative and defensive asylum.)

An additional 7,566 individuals who resided both outside and inside the United States were approved for derivative status as immediate family members of principal asylum applicants. (Note: this number reflects travel documents issued to the 3,831 family members residing abroad, not their actual arrival to the United States.)

Nationals of China, El Salvador, and Guatemala accounted for 45 percent (12,013) of those granted affirmative or defensive asylum status in 2017 (see Table 2). Notably, the number of Central Americans from the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who received asylum status grew from 1,007 in 2012 to 8,480 in 2017. However, a significant number of applications are still under review due to processing backlogs.

Click here for a report on the state of the U.S. asylum system and the impact of flows from Central America.
Table 2. Affirmative, Defensive, and Total Asylees by Country of Nationality, 2017

Source: Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Immigration Statistics, 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, available online.
Adjusting to Lawful Permanent Resident Status
In 2017, 146,003 refugees and asylees adjusted their status to lawful permanent resident, of whom 120,356 (82 percent) were refugees and the remainder, 25,647 (18 percent), were asylees (see Figure 7).
Figure 7. Refugees and Asylees Granted Lawful Permanent Residence, FY 2003-17
Source: DHS, Office of Immigration Statistics, Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, various years.

Refugees must apply for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status-also known as getting a green card-one year after being admitted to the United States. Asylees become eligible to adjust to LPR status after one year of residence, but are not required to do so. As lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees have the right to own property, attend public schools, join certain branches of the U.S. armed forces, and travel internationally without an entry visa. They may also apply for U.S. citizenship five years after being admitted.

Until 2005, there was an annual limit of 10,000 on the number of asylees authorized to adjust to LPR status. The REAL ID Act eliminated that cap. No annual limit exists on the number of refugees eligible to adjust to LPR status.
Sources
Beech, Eric and David Alexander. 2019. Court Settlement Paves Way to Reunite Central American Children with Parents in U.S. Reuters, April 12, 2019. Available online.

Chishti, Muzaffar and Jessica Bolter. 2019. The Travel Ban at Two: Rocky Implementation Settles into Deeper Impacts. Migration Information Source, January 31, 2019. Available online.

Congressional Research Service (CRS). 2017. Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy. Washington, DC: CRS. Available online.

Hoffman, Meredith. 2017. Far Fewer Refugees Entering US Despite Travel Ban Setbacks 2017. Associated Press, May 10, 2017. Available online.

Kennedy, Merrit. 2016. Texas Pulls Out of Federal Refugee Resettlement Program. National Public Radio, September 30, 2016. Available online.

Ratwatte, Indrika. 2019. Presentation to the 74th Meeting of the Standing Committee. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), March 5, 2019. Available online.

Tan, Vivian. 2014. US Wraps up Group Resettlement for Myanmar Refugees in Thailand. UN High Commissioner for Refugees blog, January 29, 2014. Available online.

Donald J. Trump et al. v. International Refugee Assistance Project et al. 2017. Docket No. 16-1436, U.S. Supreme Court, June 26, 2017. Available online.

---. N.d. Resettlement. Accessed May 30, 2019. Available online.

DHS, Office of Immigration Statistics. 2019. 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. Washington, DC: DHS, Office of Immigration Statistics. Available online.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. N.d. Refugee Processing Center - Admissions & Arrivals. Accessed May 28, 2019. Available online.

---. N.d. Refugee Processing Center - Interactive Reporting. Accessed May 28, 2019. Available online.

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Jeanne Batalova Brittany Blizzard and Jeanne Batalova

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Refugees and Asylees in the United States

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The United States has historically been the top country for refugee resettlement, but was surpassed in 2018 by Canada amid record cuts to admissions by the Trump administration. Approximately 22,500 refugees were resettled in the United States during fiscal year 2018, as well as 26,500 asylees.

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Immigration in America, explained through data visualization

The number of refugees admitted into the United States has fallen to record lows. This drop affects not only refugees and their families, but also towns and cities across the United States that have embraced and been strengthened by refugees in recent years.

To commemorate World Refugee Day, NAE took a look at almost two decades of refugee resettlement data. In the data interactive below, we show how refugee resettlement has helped boost the economic fortunes and futures of hundreds of cities by tracking every refugee resettled in the United States between 2002 and 2018.

Skip to the Exploratory Tool

However, it goes beyond that, undermining the future of the towns and cities where refugees have helped offset population decline, fill vital job vacancies, revitalize Main Streets with new businesses, and support local communities as taxpayers and consumers.

Given the contributions of these refugees, NAE built an interactive tool that shows where refugees have been resettled in more than 500 cities. The cities featured all resettled more than 100 refugees between 2002 and 2018.

Explore the tool below by clicking one of the more than 500 cities on the zoomable map to see a radial bar chart showing how many refugees have resettled in your city and where they came from.

Enter your information below to join NAE's email list. We'll only send you top-quality insights about immigration plus occasional opportunities to take action or get involved locally.

You will receive occasional emails from NAE. You can unsubscribe at any time.

About Us

New American Economy is a bipartisan research and advocacy organization fighting for smart federal, state, and local immigration policies that help grow our economy and create jobs for all Americans. More...

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Effect of anti-immigrant policies on refugees

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Immigration in America, explained through data visualization The number of refugees admitted into the United States has fallen to record lows. This drop affects not only refugees and their families, but also towns and cities across the United States that have embraced and been strengthened by refugees in recent years.

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USA for UNHCR is leading a movement to build awareness by supporting resettled refugees in the U.S. and promoting acceptance and understanding.

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Who is a refugee?

A person outside the U.S. seeking refuge. The U.S., based on international law, defines "refugee" as a person outside the country of his or her nationality, who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on his or her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

The legal basis for humanitarian admissions of refugees and asylum seekers to the United States began with the Refugee Act of 1980, which defined a refugee, established the Reception and Placement (R&P) program for initial resettlement under the U.S. Department of State, and created the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Who determines the number of refugee admissions?

The President of the United States. The number of refugees accepted to the United States each year is set by the President in consultation with Congress that must occur before October 1 each year.

What is the refugee limit for fiscal year 2021?

15,000. Although historically the U.S. has resettled more refugees than any other country, its resettlement program has not kept up with increase of the global refugee population that has increased by about 50 percent over the past five years. In FY 2021, the U.S. refugee limit was the lowest is has been since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980.

While there were approximately 26 million refugees worldwide as of fiscal year (FY) 2020, the U.S. currently resettles just a small fraction of them. Less than 1 percent of the total number of displaced people on the world has been resettled to one of 37 current resettlement countries each year. In FY 2016, the U.S. admitted nearly 85,000 refugees, a number that declined to fewer than 54,000 refugees in FY 2017, the lowest number in a decade after President Trump reduced the cap on refugee admissions via executive order. In FY 2018, the president further reduced the refugee admission cap to 45,000, the lowest since the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980. For 2019, the administration cut the number of admissions even more to 30,000. For FY 2020, the administration further cut the number of refugee admissions to 18,000. However, the cap represents the maximum number of refugees that may be resettled in a year and the Trump administration only resettled 11,814 people in FY 2020. On September 30, 2020 the Trump Administration sent a report to Congress proposing a ceiling of 15,000 refugees for admission to the U.S in FY 2021. The Presidential Determination officially setting the refugee ceiling was issued on October 28, 2020 for 15,000 refugees to be resettled in FY 2021.

Source: Migration Policy Institute

Where do refugees resettling in the U.S. come from?

All around the world. The United States admits refugees from more than 60 countries all around the globe. In FY 2018, U.S. refugees came mainly from Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, Ukraine and Bhutan.

Source: Refugee Processing Center

The number of U.S. refugees from Syria and Iran dropped considerably in FY18 due to implementation of the latest version of the Trump administration's travel ban, which prevents individuals from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and certain government officials from Venezuela from entering the U.S. Because the travel ban has been in effect since June 2018 after being blocked by courts for nine months, the two countries are no longer among the top 10 countries of origin for U.S. refugees.

Where do refugees resettle?

All across the United States. Refugees have been resettled in 49 U.S. states, with Texas, Washington and Ohio resettling the most refugees in FY 2018.

Source: Refugee Processing Center

Who refers refugees to the U.S. for resettlement?

Primarily the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR, the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency, is an international agency dedicated to protecting forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. UNHCR screens applicants to determine whether they qualify as refugees and if they are in particular need of resettlement, and, if so, refers them to the U.S. and other countries. In some cases, for the U.S. refugee admissions program (USRAP), refugees are referred by a U.S. Embassy or a specially-trained nongovernmental organization; certain groups with family members in the U.S. or who served U.S. missions in Iraq also have application pathways.

How long does it take to screen and vet a refugee?

An average of nearly two years. While the total processing time varies depending on an applicant's location as well as other circumstances and policy changes, the vetting time - from the refugee's initial UNHCR referral to his or her arrival in the U.S. -has averaged approximately 18 to 24 months in recent years. Given recent developments, the length of the wait will likely increase.

To be admitted to the U.S., refugees go through several rounds of background checks, screenings and interviews under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including:

After an initial screening by UNHCR, the nine Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) located around the world collect applicants' biographic and other information.

After the State Department preliminarily approves an application to begin the resettlement process, they are reviewed by officers from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as ongoing vetting by a variety of intelligence agencies (including the FBI, CIA, and others).

USCIS also conducts an in-person interview with each refugee applicant before deciding whether to approve him or her for resettlement in the U.S.

All USCIS-approved refugees then undergo health screening to prevent those with contagious diseases from entering the U.S.

Most refugees undergo also a cultural orientation course prior their arrival.

Before refugees arrive, it is established where in the United States they will initially live and which refugee resettlement agency will help orient them to life in the United States.

After arrival to the U.S., all refugees are checked at the airport by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer to ensure they are the same people that were screened and approved for admission.

What do refugee resettlement agencies do?

Assist refugees after their arrival in the U.S. After the final screenings by the U.S. government, the refugees are picked up at the airport by a representative of one of the nine domestic resettlement agencies, all of which have cooperative agreements with the U.S. Department of State.

Shortly before the arrival of the refugees, the resettlement agencies arrange for their housing, which include basic furnishings, appliances, climate-appropriate clothing, and some of the food typical of the refugees' culture. When the refugees arrive, the resettlement agencies' representatives then take refugees to their new homes.

After arrival, the resettlement agencies help refugees to start their lives in the U.S., assisting them with applying for a Social Security card, registering children in school, learning how to access shopping facilities, arranging medical appointments, and connecting them with needed social or language services.

How is the refugee resettlement funded?

Through the Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services. The State Department's Reception and Placement (R&P) program provides refugees with a loan to travel to the U.S., which they are required to start repaying after they arrive. The R&P program then supplies resettlement agencies a one-time sum per refugee to finance their first 30-90 days in the U.S. That money goes mostly towards rent, furnishings, food, and clothing, as well as costs of the agency staff case management and other integration services.

After three months, HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) then works through the states and other nongovernmental organizations to provide refugees with limited cash and medical assistance, as well as short-term language, employment, and social services, and longer term integration services.

Can refugees legally work in the United States?

Yes. Upon arrival in the U.S., refugees receive employment authorization and are encouraged to become employed as soon as possible so that they can support themselves.

Can a refugee become a U.S. citizen?

Yes. All refugees are required to apply for a green card to become a permanent resident after one year in the United States. After five years of residency, they become eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.

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Fact Sheet: U.S. Refugee Resettlement - National Immigration Forum

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Who is a refugee? A person outside the U.S. seeking refuge. The U.S., based on international law, defines "refugee" as a person outside the country of his or her nationality, who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on his or her race, religion, nationality, ...

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The United States plans to admit a maximum of 18,000 refugees in fiscal year 2020, down from a cap of 30,000 in the one that ended Sept. 30, 2019, under a new refugee admissions ceiling set by the Trump administration. This would be the lowest number of refugees resettled by the U.S. in a single year since 1980, when Congress created the nation's refugee resettlement program.

Even before the administration's announcement, refugee resettlement in the U.S. had dropped to historic lows during Donald Trump's presidency, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of State Department data. As a result, the U.S. is no longer the world's top country for refugee admissions. It had previously led the world on this measure for decades, admitting more refugees each year than all other countries combined.

The decline in U.S. refugee admissions comes at a time when the number of refugees worldwide has reached the highest levels since World War II.

Here are key facts from our research about refugees entering the United States:

Refugee applicants are referred to U.S. officials by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, U.S. embassies and nongovernmental organizations. Resettlement candidates first apply for refugee status while in another country and do not enter the U.S. until they have legal permission to do so. (Asylum seekers, by contrast, are people who migrate and cross a border without first having received legal permission to enter their destination country.) While awaiting resettlement, refugees undergo health screenings and cultural orientations before entering the U.S.

1 Refugee admissions into the U.S. have declined substantially during Donald Trump's presidency. Every fall, the U.S. president sets a refugee ceiling - the maximum number of refugees who may enter the country in a fiscal year. In fiscal 2017 (Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2017), about 53,700 refugees resettled in the U.S. - a figure that reflects a temporary freeze on refugee admissions that Trump ordered shortly after taking office. The following year, Trump's first full fiscal year in office, he set the nation's refugee ceiling at 45,000, a new low at the time, and the U.S. ultimately admitted about 22,500. Trump then set the refugee ceiling at 30,000 for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2019, and refugee admissions reached this cap. For fiscal 2020, which started Oct. 1, 2019, Trump has set a ceiling of 18,000 refugees.

Overall, the U.S. has admitted about 76,200 refugees so far under the Trump administration (Jan. 20, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2019). By comparison, the U.S. admitted nearly 85,000 refugees in fiscal 2016 alone, the last full fiscal year of the Obama administration.

2Historically, the total number of refugees coming to the U.S. has fluctuated with global events and U.S. priorities. From fiscal years 1990 to 1995, an average of about 116,000 refugees arrived in the U.S. each year, with many coming from the former Soviet Union. However, refugee admissions dropped off to roughly 27,100 in fiscal 2002, a new low at the time, after the U.S. largely suspended admissions following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Refugee admissions rebounded from this low point. From fiscal 2008 to 2017, an average of about 67,100 refugees arrived each year. Half or more of refugees during this time came from Asia, with many from Iraq and Burma (Myanmar). (Iraq is counted as a part of Asia in this data source.) Since fiscal 1980, 55% of refugees have come from Asia, a far higher share than from Europe (28%), Africa (13%) or Latin America (4%).

3Refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo far outnumbered those from other countries in fiscal 2019. D.R. Congo accounted for nearly 13,000 refugees, followed by Burma (Myanmar) with about 4,900, then Ukraine (4,500), Eritrea (1,800) and Afghanistan (1,200). The picture looks different over the longer term. Since fiscal 2002 (Oct. 1, 2001, to Sept. 30, 2019), the most refugees have come from Burma (about 177,700), Iraq (144,400) and Somalia (104,100).

4 The U.S. has admitted far more Christian refugees than Muslim refugees in recent years. Christians accounted for 79% of refugees who came to the U.S. in fiscal 2019. The U.S. admitted about 23,800 Christians, compared with about 4,900 Muslims and smaller numbers of other religious groups.

This pattern marks a sharp reversal from several years ago. In fiscal 2016, the number of Muslim refugees admitted reached 38,900, a historic high that narrowly outpaced Christian refugee admissions (about 37,500). That year, Muslims accounted for 46% of the year's refugees, the highest share since fiscal 2006.

Since fiscal 2002 (Oct. 1, 2001, to Sept. 30, 2019), the U.S. has admitted about 464,700 Christian refugees and about 310,700 Muslim refugees.

5 Texas, Washington, New York and California resettled roughly a quarter of all refugees in fiscal 2019. Together, these states took in nearly 8,100 refugees. Other states that received at least 1,000 refugees include Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia and Michigan. By contrast, the District of Columbia, Delaware and West Virginia each resettled fewer than 10 refugees. Hawaii and Wyoming took in no refugees in fiscal 2019.

Since fiscal 2002, California has resettled the most refugees (about 108,600), followed by Texas (88,300), New York (58,500) and Florida (48,700).

6Americans have been divided in recent years over whether the U.S. should accept refugees, with large differences by political party affiliation. In a May 2018 survey, for example, about half of Americans (51%) said the U.S. has a responsibility to accept refugees into the country, while 43% said it does not. Around three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (74%) said the U.S. has this responsibility, compared with 26% of Republicans and Republican leaners. For much of the 20th century, U.S. public opinion polls showed fairly consistent disapproval of admitting large numbers of foreigners fleeing war and oppression, regardless of official government policy.
Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Jan. 27, 2017, and co-authored by Jynnah Radford, a former research assistant at Pew Research Center.

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The United States plans to admit a maximum of 18,000 refugees in fiscal year 2020, down from a cap of 30,000 in the one that ended Sept. 30, 2019, under a new refugee admissions ceiling set by the Trump administration. This would be the lowest number of refugees resettled by the U.S.

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In the spring and summer of 2014, tens of thousands of women and unaccompanied children from Central America journeyed to the United States seeking asylum. The increase of asylum-seekers, primarily from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala-the countries making up the "Northern Triangle" region-was characterized by President Obama as a "humanitarian crisis." The situation garnered widespread congressional and media attention, much of it speculating about the cause of the increase and suggesting U.S. responses.

Faced with the increase of Central Americans presenting themselves at the United States' southwest border seeking asylum, President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically, implemented an "aggressive deterrence strategy." A media campaign was launched in Central America highlighting the risks involved with migration and the consequences of illegal immigration. DHS also dramatically increased the detention of women and children awaiting their asylum hearings, rather than release on bond. Finally, the U.S. government publicly supported increased immigration enforcement measures central to the Mexican government's Southern Border Program that was launched in July of 2014. Together, these policies functioned to "send a message" to Central Americans that the trip to the United States was not worth the risk, and they would be better off staying put.

Yet the underlying assumption that greater knowledge of migration dangers would effectively deter Central Americans from trying to cross the U.S. border remains largely untested. This report aims to investigate this assumption and answer two related questions: "What motivates Central Americans to consider migration?" and "What did Central Americans know about the risks involved in migrating to the United States in August 2014?"

An analysis of data from a survey of Northern Triangle residents conducted in the spring of 2014 by Vanderbilt University's Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) reveals that respondents were more likely to have intentions to migrate if they had been victims of one or more crimes in the previous year. In a separate LAPOP survey of residents of selected municipalities across Honduras, carried out in late July and early August of 2014, we find that a substantial majority of respondents were also well aware of the dangers involved in migration to the United States, including the increased chances of deportation. This widespread awareness among Hondurans of the U.S. immigration climate in the summer of 2014, however, did not have any significant effect on whether or not they intended to migrate.

In sum, though the U.S. media campaigns may have convinced-or reminded-Hondurans, and perhaps their Salvadoran and Guatemalan counterparts, that migration to the United States is dangerous and unlikely to be successful, this knowledge did not seem to play a role in the decision calculus of those considering migration. Rather, we have strong evidence from the surveys in Honduras and El Salvador in particular that one's direct experience with crime emerges as a critical predictor of one's emigration intentions.

What these findings suggest is that crime victims are unlikely to be deterred by the Administration's efforts. Further, we may infer from this analysis of migration intentions that those individuals who do decide to migrate and successfully arrive at the U.S. border are far more likely to fit the profile of refugees than that of economic migrants. Upon arrival, however, they are still subject to the "send a message" policies and practices that are designed to deter others rather than identify and ensure the protection of those fleeing war-like levels of violence.

The Northern Triangle Reality and U.S. Response

The Northern Triangle region of Central America includes the small, but strikingly violent countries of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala (Figure 1). Honduras has been recognized as the murder capital of the world for many years, with its homicide rate peaking in 2011 at 91.6 murders per 100,000 people. In 2014, that rate dropped to 66, but remains one of the highest for a non-war zone country. By 2012-13, the rates for Guatemala and El Salvador had dropped as well, but only in Guatemala did this trend of reduced violence continue into 2014-15. Though our United Nations homicide data end in 2013, more recent data from 2015 indicates that homicide rates in Guatemala have remained steady, but have more than doubled in El Salvador. After the late 2013 breakdown of a truce between the country's two most powerful gangs (MS-13 and Barrio 18), homicide rates increased dramatically, reaching an all-time high of 104 murders per 100,000 people in 2015. Not surprisingly, research on the causes of migration from this region increasingly finds these high levels of crime and violence as a primary push factor in Central American migration.
Figure 1. Homicide Rates for Selected North and Central American Countries, 2000-2013
Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Global Study on Homicide 2013.

DHS itself identified crime and violence, particularly in El Salvador and Honduras, as important factors in the flow of unaccompanied minors leaving these countries for the United States in 2014, concluding that "Salvadoran and Honduran children . . . come from extremely violent regions where they probably perceive the risk of traveling alone to the United States preferable to remaining at home."

Despite this acknowledgement, the common thread in DHS' response to the thousands of women and children arriving at the United States' southwest border in 2014 was to employ a multi-prong deterrence strategy consisting of (a) launching a multimedia public awareness campaign; (b) increasing U.S. assistance to help Mexico secure its southern border region; (c) decreasing the chances of gaining asylum by expediting the removal process; and (d) carrying out raids in January 2016 in search of individuals deemed to have exhausted their asylum claims. These actions were meant to heighten the challenges associated with coming to the United States and ensure that Central Americans knew about them.

In July 2014, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency within DHS launched the "Dangers Awareness" campaign in the form of billboards, radio, and television advertisements throughout the Northern Triangle countries in order to convince those considering migration that such a trip was not worth the risk. In 2015, these efforts continued under the new name of the "Know the Facts" campaign. The idea was to spread the word among potential migrants that the dangers of such a trip were high and the chances of success were low.

In addition, the United States supported Mexico's "Southern Border Program" to fortify its southern border. The Southern Border Program is a package of operations implemented by the Mexican government to strengthen security and control human mobility in Mexico's southern border. According to the Washington Office on Latin America, "Between July 2014 and June 2015, the Mexican government's apprehensions of Central American migrants increased by 71 percent over the same period in the previous year, before the launch of the Southern Border Program."

DHS also significantly increased the detention of women and children apprehended at the border who passed the initial stage in the asylum process, referred to as the "credible fear interview," and were awaiting a full asylum hearing. In the words of DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, these actions were designed to send a message "to those who are . . . contemplating coming here illegally [that] we will send you back. . . People in Central America should see and will see that if they make this journey and spend several thousand dollars to do that, we will send them back and they will have wasted their money." Yet, as U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg noted in his February 2015 ruling regarding DHS detention policy, "Defendants [DHS] have presented little empirical evidence . . . that their detention policy even achieves its only desired effect-i.e., that it actually deters potential immigrants from Central America."

Finally, in January 2016, DHS deployed a series of raids that targeted Central American families in an effort to accelerate their deportation. According to a statement by Secretary Johnson, "the focus of this weekend's operations were adults and their children who (i) were apprehended after May 1, 2014 crossing the southern border illegally, (ii) have been issued final orders of removal by an immigration court, and (iii) have exhausted appropriate legal remedies, and have no outstanding appeal or claim for asylum or other humanitarian relief under our laws."

The guiding, but largely untested, assumption on which these strategies have been based is that Central Americans considering migration are misinformed about the risks and low probability of success such a journey entails-and when made aware of these facts, they will opt to stay home.

The critical question in assessing the underlying assumption of the U.S. deterrence campaign, then, is whether those individuals who knew the facts and dangers about migrating to the U.S. were less likely to consider migration as a viable strategy than those who were not as aware of those factors. Secondly, if awareness of the increased risk does not help explain who migrates from Central America, what does?

The Impact of Crime on Migration Intentions

In the spring of 2014, Vanderbilt University's Latin American and Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) conducted a series of nationally representative surveys across the Northern Triangle countries that included questions about participants' intentions to migrate, as well as whether they had been victimized by crime in the previous twelve months. While having an intention to migrate does not necessarily mean someone actually migrated, it does identify Central American residents who viewed migration as a viable option-precisely the people the U.S. government was targeting with the messaging campaign.

The LAPOP data suggest that those individuals who have been victimized by crime are considerably more likely to consider migration as a viable option than their non-victim counterparts. As we see in Figure 2, in Honduras, 28 percent of non-victims reported having intentions to migrate, while close to 56 percent of respondents that had been victimized more than once by crime in the previous twelve months intended to migrate. In El Salvador, only 25 percent of non-victims had plans to migrate compared to 44 percent of those victimized multiple times expressing intentions to migrate. Only in Guatemala did non-victims and victims of a single crime report migration intentions at a similar rate.

This relationship between crime victimization and migration intentions in Honduras and El Salvador remains strong even after controlling for an assortment of other factors. Again, only in Guatemala did crime victimization not emerge as a significant predictor of migration intentions-a finding that is perhaps not surprising given the steady decline in violence over the past several years in that country.
Figure 2. Crime Victimization and Migration Intentions, 2014
Source: LAPOP, A mericasBarometer 2014.

Awareness of Migration Dangers in Honduras

Clearly, Central Americans were considering their options in 2014 and, for Salvadorans and Hondurans at least, crime victimization influenced this decision calculus. But what did they know about the journey to the United States? A subsequent LAPOP survey of more than 3,000 Honduran residents provides a glimpse at their knowledge of the U.S. immigration climate in late summer of 2014. Though not nationally representative, the survey included residents across twelve Honduran municipalities with homicide rates ranging from 8.6 to over 200 per 100,000-allowing us to explore the determinants of migration intentions across different levels of crime and violence.

Respondents were asked about their views of the U.S. immigration context at the time of the interview (July-August 2014) compared to what it had been in 2013. From Figure 3 it is clear that by the summer of 2014, Hondurans were well aware of the dangers involved in migration to the United States and the increased chances of deportation. Nearly 86 percent said that they thought crossing the border was more difficult in 2014 than it had been twelve months earlier, 83 percent viewed the trip as less safe than in 2013, and almost 80 percent reported that deportations had increased compared to the previous year.
Figure 3. Honduran Views of Immigration to U.S., 2014
The survey was administered in the midst of the "Dangers Awareness Campaign," suggesting that eitherthis U.S.-funded media campaign worked as intended, orthat most Hondurans already knew that migration to the United States was dangerous and had a low probability of success. In either case, it is clear that in Honduras, if not throughout Central America, residents were acutely aware of the risks associated with migration to the U.S.

The Role of Danger Awareness in Migration Intentions

Though the messaging campaigns appear to have succeeded in convincing-or reminding-Hondurans, and perhaps their Salvadoran and Guatemalan counterparts, that migration to the United States is dangerous and unlikely to succeed, this knowledge did not deter them from making plans to migrate. Further analysis of Honduran LAPOP survey respondents shows that knowledge of the risks of migration-deportation, border conditions, and treatment in the United States-played no significant role in who had plans to migrate and who did not have such plans. Based on the results of a multivariate regression analysis (a statistical technique that takes into account the effects of multiple factors on an individual's intention to migrate), whether a survey respondent viewed migration to the United States as more dangerous, less dangerous, or about the same as it was in 2013 had no impact on whether or not that person reported intentions to migrate. Similarly, all else being equal, individuals who thought deportations had increased in 2014 were just as likely to report intentions to migrate as those individuals who thought deportations had decreased since 2013.

If awareness of the dangers involved in migration to the United States does not help explain who migrates and why, what does? Once again, the analysis of Honduran respondents reveals that among the most powerful indicators of migration intentions is crime victimization. The analysis offers concrete, systematic evidence of the relative weight crime victimization plays in the migration decision after controllingfor the level of danger awareness and other factors such as income, age, gender, and whether or not the respondent reported receiving remittances (Figure 4).

The likelihood of a respondent reporting intentions to migrate nearly doubles for those who reported that they had been a victim of crime more than once in the previous 12 months, compared to those respondents who were not victimized by crime in that timeframe. The fact that such an effect emerges even after taking into account well-established predictors of migration intentions speaks to the important role that crime victimization plays in the migration decision of Hondurans." As noted above, these findings parallel those found in our analysis of migration intentions in El Salvador as well.
Figure 4. Crime Victimization and Migration Intentions in Honduras
Conclusion

What do these findings suggest in terms of the effectiveness of the U.S. deterrence efforts and awareness campaign carried out over the past year and a half? First, it seems that the campaign successfully sent the message to residents of the primary sending countries in Central America that the United States will "send you back." It is also clear that the trip north is perceived as being far more dangerous than it was in previous years, at least for Honduran survey respondents. After 18 months of concerted efforts by the United States and Mexican governments to dissuade Central Americans from making the trip, it is a safe assumption that most considering such a journey in the future are well aware of the dangers and low chances of success.

Yet Central American men, women, and children continue to make the trip. Between October 2015 and January 2016, CBP apprehensions of families and unaccompanied children in the southwest border increased more than 100 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Why do these individuals continue trying to make the trip when seemingly fully aware of the dangers involved? The findings reported here suggest that no matter what the future might hold in terms of the dangers of migration, it is preferable to a present-day life of crime and violence. The unprecedented levels of crime and violence that have overwhelmed the Northern Triangle countries in recent years have produced a refugee situation for those directly in the line of fire, making no amount of danger or chance of deportation sufficient to dissuade those victims from leaving.

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Understanding the Central American Refugee Crisis

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The unprecedented levels of crime and violence that have overwhelmed the Northern Triangle countries in recent years have produced a refugee situation for those directly in the line of fire, making no amount of danger or chance of deportation sufficient to dissuade those victims from leaving.

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An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy

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The United States has long been a global leader in the resettlement of refugees—and the need for such leadership remains enormous.

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Introduction

Until recently, the United States was the world's top country for refugee admissions. From taking in hundreds of thousands of Europeans displaced by World War II to welcoming those escaping from communist regimes in Europe and Asia during the Cold War, the United States has helped define protections for refugees under international humanitarian law. Beginning in 1980, the U.S. government moved from an ad hoc approach to the permanent, standardized system for identifying, vetting, and resettling prospective refugees that is still in use today.

The size of the U.S. refugee program has often fluctuated. The war in Syria and the resulting migration crisis in Europe increased policymakers' scrutiny of arrivals from the Middle East, beginning with the administration of President Barack Obama. President Donald Trump ratcheted up that scrutiny with a ban on refugees from certain countries and sharp cuts to overall refugee admissions, sparking new debate over the national security implications of refugee policy. As conflict in places such as Afghanistan and Ukraine displaces millions of people, President Joe Biden has pledged to rebuild the U.S. refugee program.

What is a refugee?

There are several different terms used to describe people who move from one place to another, either voluntarily or under threat of force. With no universal legal definition, migrant is an umbrella term for people who leave their homes and often cross international borders, whether to seek economic opportunity or escape persecution.

As defined by U.S. law and the 1951 Refugee Convention, refugees are migrants seeking entry from a third country who are able to demonstrate that they have been persecuted, or have reason to fear persecution, on the basis of one of five "protected grounds": race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. According to the UN refugee agency, there were nearly twenty-one million refugees worldwide as of mid-2021, more than half of whom came from just four countries: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar, in descending order.

Asylum seekers are those who meet the criteria for refugee status but apply from within the United States, or at ports of entry, after arriving under a different status. Asylum seekers follow a different protocol than those applying for refugee status.

How long has the United States accepted refugees?

For more than seventy-five years, the United States has accepted migrants who would be identified under current international law as refugees. In the wake of World War II, the United States passed its first refugee legislation to manage the resettlement of some 650,000 displaced Europeans. Throughout the Cold War, the United States accepted refugees fleeing from communist regimes, such as those in China, Cuba, and Eastern Europe.

But the country's official federal effort to resettle refugees, known as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), was not created until passage of the Refugee Act of 1980. Prior to 1980, legislation that authorized the acceptance of refugees was passed primarily on an ad hoc basis, often responding to ongoing mass migrations. It was not until after the fall of South Vietnam to communist forces in 1975, when the United States began taking in hundreds of thousands of Southeast Asian refugees, that Congress established a more standardized system.

The 1980 legislation, signed by President Jimmy Carter, established permanent procedures for vetting, admitting, and resettling refugees into the country; incorporated the official definition of the term "refugee;" increased the number of refugees to be admitted annually to fifty thousand; and granted the president authority to admit additional refugees in emergencies. Since that law was passed, the United States has admitted more than three million refugees.

How many refugees are allowed into the country?

The number of refugees admitted into the United States annually has generally declined from more than 200,000 at the start of the program in 1980 to approximately 11,400 in 2021. Levels of refugee admissions fluctuated dramatically throughout that time period, falling through the 1980s and spiking again in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Annual numerical ceilings on refugee admissions are proposed by the president and require congressional approval. Following the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush suspended refugee admissions for several months, citing national security concerns. From 2001 to 2015, caps on refugee admissions stayed between seventy thousand and eighty thousand, though both the Bush and Obama administrations regularly admitted fewer people than the ceilings allowed.

In 2016, President Obama increased an earlier approved ceiling of eighty thousand to allow in an additional five thousand refugees as part of an effort to address a growing migration crisis caused by worsening conflict in Syria. As humanitarian crises elsewhere grew more dire, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama proposed that the United States set a ceiling of 110,000 refugee admissions for fiscal year 2017.

President Trump reversed Obama's proposed ceiling by capping the number of refugees allowed into the country in fiscal year 2017 at fifty thousand. He lowered this ceiling further to forty-five thousand for 2018, then thirty thousand for 2019, and 18,000 for 2020. His administration argued that the reduction was necessary to direct more government resources to the backlog of applications from nearly eight hundred thousand asylum seekers who had reached the southern U.S. border. Despite critics countering that the asylum and refugee programs have little bearing on one another, Trump set an even lower ceiling of fifteen thousand for fiscal year 2021-by far the lowest cap since the program's start.

President Biden has promised to reverse this downward trend. In May 2021, he revised the annual admissions cap to 62,500 for the remainder of the year, and in October, he doubled the ceiling for fiscal year 2022 to 125,000, with the majority of admission slots allocated to refugees from Africa and Southeast Asia. Even so, it is unclear how quickly Trump-era reductions can be reversed. The United States accepted fewer than twelve thousand refugees in 2021; some advocacy groups argue that the annual cap should proportionately reflect the number of refugees worldwide.

Where are they from?

The United States has consistently received refugees from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, though the total number of admissions has changed dramatically for some regions in the time since the U.S. refugee resettlement program was created. Immediately following passage of the 1980 act, more than two hundred thousand refugees-the highest total in recent history-were admitted to the country; the vast majority originated in Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia and Vietnam.

Refugees admitted to the United States from former Soviet countries increased sharply in the decade beginning in 1989. From 2010 to 2020, the highest number of refugees came from Myanmar, Iraq, and Bhutan, in descending order. By comparison, in 2021, the countries with the highest number of refugees admitted to the United States were the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, in descending order.

In 2017, Trump issued an executive order that temporarily prohibited the entry of nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries-Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen-and indefinitely barred all Syrian refugees. (Admissions for Syrians restarted in January 2018.) The executive order also tightened visa restrictions that had been imposed under Obama on those seven countries. The Trump administration revised the order twice amid legal challenges, until April 2018, when the Supreme Court allowed the third version of the order to stand.

Trump also heavily criticized a resettlement deal with Australia finalized by Obama, in which the United States was to take 1,250 refugees currently being held by Australian authorities in offshore detention centers. Many of these refugees were from Iran and Somalia, countries included in the third iteration of the travel ban. By June 2021, Washington had resettled resettled 968 refugees as part of the deal.

How are refugees screened and approved?

The U.S. State Department, in consultation with a constellation of other agencies and organizations, manages the process through its refugee admission program, USRAP. The first step for a potential refugee abroad is most often to register with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR officials collect documentation and perform an initial screening and then refer qualifying individuals to State Department Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs), of which there are nine around the world. Sometimes this referral is done by a U.S. embassy or a nongovernmental organization.

Then, RSC officials interview the applicants, verify their personal data, and submit their information for background checks by a suite of U.S. national security agencies. These security checks [PDF] include multiple forms of biometric screening, such as cross-checks of global fingerprint databases and medical tests.

If none of these inquiries produce problematic results, including criminal histories, past immigration violations, connections to terrorist groups, or communicable diseases, the applicant can be cleared for entry to the United States. The entire admissions process generally takes between eighteen months and two years to complete.

What government agencies are involved?

The three primary federal government agencies involved in the refugee resettlement process are the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is the first U.S. government point of contact; it coordinates the process with all other agencies until a refugee is resettled.

Through its Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) branch, DHS is the principal agency responsible for vetting refugee applicants; USCIS makes the final determination on whether to approve resettlement applications. Its security review uses the resources and databases of several other national security agencies, including the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI, Department of Defense, and multiple U.S. intelligence agencies.

Once settled in the United States, refugees are generally in the hands of charity and other volunteer agencies that specialize in resettlement, such as the International Rescue Committee. The State Department's Reception and Placement Program provides funding to go toward refugees' rent, furnishings, food, and clothing. After three months, this responsibility shifts to HHS, which provides longer-term cash and medical assistance, as well as other social services, including language classes and employment training. After the Trump administration's cuts to the refugee admission ceiling, all nine nongovernmental agencies that assist with resettlement downsized by closing offices or laying off staff.

Several intergovernmental organizations play a crucial role at various points. The United Nations is primarily responsible for referring qualified applicants to U.S. authorities, while the International Organization for Migration coordinates refugees' travel to the United States.

Where are refugees resettled?

Today, refugees are resettled in forty-nine U.S. states, though there are several states that generally resettle higher numbers than others. According to the Migration Policy Institute, California, Washington, and Texas took in the highest number of refugees in fiscal year 2020, making up 27 percent of all refugee admissions that year. Between fiscal years 2010 and 2020, one-third of all 601,000 resettled refugees went to just five states.

What roles do state and local governments play?

The logistics of refugee resettlement are largely handled by nine domestic resettlement agencies, many of them faith-based organizations such as the Church World Service and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Representatives of these organizations meet and review the biographical data of the refugees selected by the State Department's Refugee Support Centers abroad to determine where they should be resettled. As part of this process, federal law requires that resettlement agencies consult with local authorities [PDF], including law enforcement, emergency services, and public schools.

While this consultation is required, the 1980 Refugee Act gives the federal government final authority over whether to admit refugees and where they should be resettled. In the wake of the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, which were carried out by EU citizens who may have returned to Europe from the Middle East via refugee flows, more than thirty U.S. governors protested the resettlement of any Syrian refugees in their states. Legal experts say that while states cannot directly block federal government decisions on where to place refugees, they can complicate the process by directing state agencies to refuse to cooperate with resettlement agencies, as the governors of Texas and Michigan did in 2015.

Do refugee populations pose security risks to the United States?

Out of the more than three million refugees accepted by the United States over the past four decades, a handful have been implicated in terrorist plots. According to a 2016 study by the libertarian-leaning CATO Institute, of the 154 foreign-born terrorists who committed attacks in the United States since 1975, twenty were refugees. Of these attacks, only three proved deadly, and all three took place before 1980, when the Refugee Act created the current screening procedures.

Many of those responsible for recent attacks have been U.S. citizens, including the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooter, one of the perpetrators of the 2015 San Bernardino attacks, and the 2009 Fort Hood shooter. The 9/11 hijackers were in the country on tourist or business visas. Others were the children of asylees, including the 2016 Manhattan bomber, whose father had been an Afghan refugee, and the Tsarnaev brothers, who carried out the Boston Marathon bombing and whose parents fled war-torn Chechnya.

Trump administration officials often voiced concerns over the vetting process for incoming refugees. But Biden and other critics condemned Trump's rhetoric as scaremongering, and Biden campaigned on restoring U.S. leadership on global refugee resettlement. In February 2021, as part of his administration's plan to rebuild and enhance the country's refugee program, he pledged to improve USRAP vetting to make it "more efficient, meaningful, and fair."

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Until recently, the United States was the world's top country for refugee admissions. From taking in hundreds of thousands of Europeans displaced by World War II to welcoming those escaping from communist regimes in Europe and Asia during the Cold War, the United States has helped define protections for refugees under international humanitarian law.

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ALERT: Afghan Nationals seeking refugee resettlement

Afghan Nationals seeking refugee resettlement:

In general, you must be given access to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. The following priorities are available to Afghan Nationals:

Priority-1 Individual Cases: Cases are identified and referred to the program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a U.S. embassy, or a designated non-governmental organization.

Priority-2 Groups of special humanitarian concern: On Aug. 2, 2021, the Department of State announced a new Priority 2 Designation for certain Afghan nationals and eligible family members. For further information, please visit the Refugee Processing Center.

Priority-3 Family Reunification: Spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, or parents of individuals already admitted to the U.S. as refugees or asylees are in this category.

Under United States law, a refugee is someone who:

Is located outside of the United States

Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States

Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group

Is not firmly resettled in another country

Is admissible to the United States

A refugee does not include anyone who ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

For the legal definition of refugee, see section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

You must receive a referral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for consideration as a refugee. For more information on the referral criteria, see the USRAP Consultations and Worldwide Processing Priorities page.

If you receive a referral, you will receive help filling out your application and then be interviewed abroad by a USCIS officer who will determine whether you are eligible for refugee resettlement. For more information about eligibility, see our Refugee Eligibility Determination page.

Your case may include your spouse, child (unmarried and under 21 years of age), and in some limited circumstances, other family members. You may include a same-sex spouse in your application provided that you and your spouse are legally married. As a general matter, USCIS looks to the law of the place where the marriage took place when determining whether it is valid for immigration law purposes. Same-sex partners who are not married but who are qualified to access the U.S. Refugee Admissions under one of the three designated worldwide processing priorities may have their cases cross-referenced so that they can be interviewed at the same time and, if approved by USCIS, resettled in the same geographic area in the United States.

There is no fee to apply for refugee status. The information you provide will not be shared with your home country.

For more information about USRAP and the referral process, see our USRAP Consultations and Worldwide Processing Priorities page.

If you are approved as a refugee, you will receive a medical exam, a cultural orientation, help with your travel plans, and a loan for your travel to the United States. After you arrive, you will be eligible for medical and cash assistance. For more information on benefits available to refugees, please see the Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement page.

If you are a refugee in the United States and want your family members who are abroad to join you, you may file Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, for your spouse and unmarried children under 21. You must file within two years of your arrival to the United States unless there are humanitarian reasons to excuse this deadline. For more information about bringing your family to the United States, see our Family of Refugees and Asylees page.

You may also be eligible to file an Affidavit of Relationship for your spouse, child (unmarried, under 21), or parents. The Affidavit of Relationship is the form used to reunite refugees and asylees with close relatives who are determined to be refugees but are outside the United States. The Affidavit of Relationship records information about family relationships and must be completed in order to begin the application process for relatives who may be eligible to enter the United States as refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. For information on the current nationalities eligible to file, see U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration.

If you have refugee status and want to travel outside the United States, you will need to obtain a Refugee Travel Document in order to return to the United States. If you do not obtain a Refugee Travel Document in advance of departure, you may be unable to re-enter the United States. If you return to the country from which you fled, you will have to explain how you were able to return safely.

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ALERT: Afghan Nationals seeking refugee resettlement

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Culture is one of those words that carry a number of meanings. Professor Hofstede defined it as: The programming of the human mind by which one group of people distinguishes itself from another group. Culture is learned from your environment and is always a shared, collective phenomenon. By reading this article, you'll learn more about what we mean when we talk about culture.

Culture consists of various layers and we often compare it with an onion. On the outer layer of the onion, you'll have symbols , such as food, logos, colours or monuments. The next layer consists of heroes, and can include real life public figures, like statesmen, athletes or company founders, or figures such as Superman in popular culture. On the third layer, closest to the core, you´ll find rituals, such as sauna, karaoke, or meetings.

Rituals are recurring events which shape our unconscious minds. They exists both in society (e.g. celebrating Independence Day, Thanksgiving, tipping in restaurants, etc.) and in organisations (e.g. meeting practices etc.).

Heroes are people who have shown behaviour which showcases, for example, the national spirit (e.g. Steve Jobs or important politicians). Or, within organisations, heroes show behaviour that sets the example. In some cultures, heroes can also be the "anti-hero" - they can be the example of what not to do.

Symbols are items such as eating habits, foods, flags or colors. In the organisational setting, by symbols you might think about the logo of a company, for example. Symbols have emotions attached to them. But changing the symbols usually doesn't have a long lasting deep emotional impact, as for example changing rituals might. Imagine having moved from one organisation to another and facing a new way of conducting meetings. How long does it take you to get over the uneasy feeling in your stomach?

At the core of culture, you´ll find values. Values are broad preferences for a certain state of affairs (e.g. preferring equality over hierarchy). Values are transmitted by the environment in which we grow up, like the behaviour of parents or teachers showing us what is acceptable and what isn't. Values are pretty much shaped by the time we hit 10-12 years of age. surrounding that core, is what we mean by culture. Issues with culture don't usually pop up when everything goes well - it is when we feel threatened or uncomfortable that we have a tendency to go "back to basics". Back to the values instilled within us when we were young. of the likelihood of groups of people acting in a certain way. One person doesn't represent the whole culture but in a group of people from one culture, people are likely to act in a way appropriate for that culture. important tool of

This collective programming, consisting of values as the core, and the three layersAs culture is a group phenomenon, we use it to

analyse the behaviour of groups and make an assessment The Culture Factor an

From a business point of view this makes management, with regards to groups of people. While you cannot change values of people, you can make appropriate changes in the practices of your organisation to ensure you're working with those cultural values, rather than against them. To learn more about how to manage culture in an organisational setting, we recommend reading more about
Organisational Culture, or simply getting started by contacting us!
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in February 2019, and last updated in May 2023.

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Culture is one of those words that carry a number of meanings. Professor Geert Hofstede defines it as: The programming of the human mind by which one group of people distinguishes itself from another group. By reading this article, you'll learn more about what we mean when we talk about culture.

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The Onion Model

The image of an onion is often used to describe the different layers of culture. Culture can be broken down into layers: The outer layers are composed of the artefacts and products as well as patterns of behaviour. The next layer encompasses the beliefs, norms and attitudes of that culture. The middle of the onion represents the underlying cultural assumptions and values. As the most hidden layer, these aspects of culture are much harder to recognise and understand, but all of the other layers are built upon the centre of the culture onion. Therefore, careful analysis and a better understanding of the different layers as well as how they interact and influence each other is necessary. Intercultural training can help to understand the different layers of culture and their significance.

Related Articles

Iceberg Model

The Concept of Culture

Benefits of Intercultural Training

The Iceberg Model

The so-called iceberg model of culture is often used by scholars, trainers and managers in order to elucidate the concept of culture. The image of the iceberg with its small visible part on the surface of the water and the much bigger invisible part below the surface illuminates the different layers of culture. Elements of culture which we can easily notice such as clothing, language, gestures, food, music or rituals are represented by the upper portion of the iceberg. The portion below the surface stands for those elements which are not as obvious such as values, beliefs and attitudes. It is difficult to make sense of the 'visible' aspects of a culture without understanding the 'invisible', underlying elements from which they originate. The behaviour of different cultures may appear less foreign and possibly less threatening with an understanding of their particular worldviews, motivations, religious beliefs, attitudes to rules, and other cultural orientations.

Related Articles

The Concept of Culture

The Onion Model of Culture

Benefits of Intercultural Training

Source: www.freedigitalphotos.net

By Christina Langhans

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The image of an onion is often used to describe the different layers of culture. Culture can be broken down into layers: The outer layers are composed of the artefacts and products as well as patterns of behaviour. The next layer encompasses the beliefs, norms and attitudes of that culture.

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Teaching Refugees with Limited Formal Schooling | Toward a Brighter Future

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(PDF) Building Welcoming and Inclusive Schools for Immigrant and Refugee Students: Policy, Framework and Promising Praxis

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Figures - uploaded by Linyuan Guo-Brennan Author content All figure content in this area was uploaded by Linyuan Guo-Brennan Content may be subject to copyright. Discover the world's research 19+ million members 135+ million publications 700k+ research projects Join for free The purpose of this transnational study is to explore the promising policies, strategies and practices in higher education in USA, Canada, UK and China.

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In order for students of all backgrounds to succeed and to thrive, a safe and inclusive learning environment is essential. Recent policy developments, including the Muslim travel ban and a ramping up of immigration enforcement activities, have created an atmosphere of xenophobia not seen in the United States for many decades. Bullying, harassment, intimidation, and other hate-based incidents in schools have risen sharply-and this disturbing trend is creating anxiety and fear for children, youth, and families from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, including those who are second- and third-generation Americans. Schools are witnessing firsthand the impact of these developments, and many are grappling with how best to respond.

Across California and the country, school districts, schools, and school staff are taking affirmative and proactive steps to ensure that immigrant students and families feel safe and welcome within their schools and communities. In late 2016, the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson sent a letter to all school districts and charter schools, reminding them of existing laws that protect student records and publicly supporting districts declaring themselves "Safe Havens." As of September of 2017, over 140 school districts across the state have passed resolutions affirming their districts as safe havens for immigrant students.

This toolkit highlights resources and best practices available to educators in order to create safe and welcoming schools for all students, including immigrants and refugees.

California's Immigrant and Refugee Students

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, half of all children in California have at least one immigrant parent, and that percentage rises to as high as 75% in some parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area (Source: Kidsdata.org). Additionally, the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the University of Southern California reports in Keeping Families Together that almost two million children in California live in "mixed status" households, in which at least one family member is unauthorized. According to a report released by the Education Trust-West, Undocumented Students in California: What You Should Know, approximately 250,000 children enrolled in California schools are undocumented, and at least one in eight students have at least one undocumented parent.

Given the demographics of California's students, changes in immigration policies and practices impact not only the students themselves, but also their immediate and extended family members who may possess a range of different immigration statuses.Schools as Safe Spaces

Schools hold a unique position in our society, where anti-immigrant rhetoric and fear-mongering in on the rise. A growing number of schools and districts have realized that their engagement with students and their families-including those who are immigrants and refugees-must go beyond academics if they want to want to create a safe and inclusive environment for all learners. And in today's political climate, schools must address fears and concerns related to immigration status in order to achieve this goal.

There are many different elements that contribute to creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools for immigrant students and their families. However, priority should be placed on three main areas: (1) school district policies and procedures, (2) classroom and educator support, (3) resources and information for families.

Right to a Free Public Education

Under the United States Supreme Court's landmark decision in Plyler v. Doe[i], all K-12 students in the United States are guaranteed a free public education regardless of citizenship or immigration status. This right includes other services and programs provided through the public school system, such as free lunches and special education programs. Additionally, Article IX, Section 5 of the California Constitution[ii] guarantees a right to a free education for all children, and there is compulsory education for all children of ages 6-18 under California Education Code Section 48200[iii].

Antidiscrimination

All schools must comply with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. No student should be subject to discrimination, harassment, and/or bullying under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal anti-discrimination laws. (See the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights 'Dear Colleague' letter[iv].) California also guarantees the rights of all students to attend school free of discrimination, bullying, violence, and intimidation (Cal. Educ. Code Section 220 and 234). Enacted in October 2017, California Assembly Bill 699[v]: Educational equity: immigration and citizenship status added "immigration status" as a protected status for anti-discrimination.

Data Privacy and Protections

School districts are also required to comply with the privacy requirements under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)[vi], which strictly limits the sharing of student records. Under FERPA, education records are defined as:

"[R]ecords that are directly related to a student and that are maintained by an educational agency or institution or a party acting for or on behalf of the agency or institution. These records include but are not limited to grades, transcripts, class lists, student course schedules, health records (at the K-12 level), student financial information (at the postsecondary level), and student discipline files. The information may be recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, computer media, videotape, audiotape, film, microfilm, microfiche, and e-mail." ( 34 CFR § 99.2[vii])

FERPA also requires that valid written consent for the disclosure of educational records (1) is signed and dated; (2) specifies the records that may be disclosed; (3) states the purpose of the disclosure; and (4) identifies the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made. Oral consent for educational records does not meet FERPA's consent requirements.

In addition, schools can share directory information with the public. Schools determine what constitutes directory information, and can include information such as addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays. Parents can opt out of having their information included as directory information; however, it is important that schools are mindful about the types of information they make public and their procedures for allowing parents and families to opt out of directory information.

FERPA does allow the disclosure of educational records without consent when it is in compliance with a lawfully issued subpoena or judicial order. However, a school must make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or eligible student of the subpoena or judicial order before complying with it to allow the parent or eligible student the opportunity to seek protective action, unless certain narrow exceptions apply.

Some California school districts have responded to concerns about the safety of immigrant students and families by adopting "Safe Haven" or "Sanctuary" resolutions. These resolutions specify how a district plans to implement policies, procedures, staff training, and community engagement on a range of issues, including sharing students' information and responding to school-based immigration enforcement activities. Several civil rights groups have jointly released model resolution language. Both Educators for Fair Consideration and the American Federation of Teachers, in collaboration with the National Immigration Law Center, United We Dream, and First Focus have released comprehensive guides for educators.

California Assembly Bill 699: Educational Equity was signed into law in October of 2017 by Governor Brown. Under AB 699, all school districts in California must update enrollment and complaint policies and adopt policies that limit immigration enforcement on school campuses. Under AB 699, California's attorney general will develop model policy language by April 1, 2018 and school districts must adopt this model policy or an equivalent policy by July 1, 2018.

The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, the California Teachers Association, and the College for All Coalition, have jointly released an AB 699 Implementation Factsheet and Infographic in English and Spanish. As school districts adopt or update policies related to AB 699, they are encouraged to think beyond the minimum requirements of the legislation to pursue other steps that improve immigrant students' access to and success in school. The seven main components of AB 699 and recommendations for implementation are described below.

Discrimination based on a student's immigration status is prohibited.

AB 699 adds "immigration status" to the list of currently protected characteristics, such as race, gender, disability, and religion that are prohibited under discrimination law districts must:

Update their policies that prohibit discrimination, bullying, harassment, and intimidation to include actual or perceived immigration status

Update their complaint process, often referred to as the "Uniform Complaint Procedure," to include complaints related to discrimination based on actual or perceived immigration status

Districts should ensure that:

All staff are updated and trained not only on the inclusion of "immigration status" as a protected characteristic but also on how to recognize and address overt and implicit discrimination, harassment, bullying or intimidation based on all protected characteristics

The complaint process is simple and accessible to students and families

The complaint process and form(s) are accessible in the languages spoken within the community

Parents understand their rights to make complaints

Formal oral complaints will be accepted and/or staff will assist in completing the required written form, especially in light of language or literacy barriers.

The collection of immigration information is prohibited.

Although there is no state or federal requirement for schools to collect information regarding citizenship or immigration status, a recent audit by the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights found that at least 75 school districts in California were inquiring about immigration status in the school enrollment process. AB 699 expressly forbids collection of this information.

Inquiries by law enforcement to enforce immigration laws must be reported.

All superintendents must report to their governing boards in a timely manner about any requests for information or access to a school site by law enforcement for the purposes of immigration enforcement.

Schools must take steps to avoid referrals to child protective services.

If a parent becomes unavailable due to immigration enforcement action, schools must exhaust parental instructions related to a child's care (and custody) and attempt to avoid referrals to Child Protective Services.

Schools should:

Train staff on new requirements to comply with parental instructions and attempt to avoid referrals to Child Protective Services

Inform parents of the new rights and protections through multiple channels of communication that are language accessible beyond the "annual communication" notification required by law

Encourage families to develop an emergency preparedness plan (see Family Preparedness Plans section below), including instructions regarding guardianship

Encourage families to keep emergency information and parental instructions up-to-date at all times.

School boards must inform immigrant parents about their children's rights to a free public education.

School districts must provide information to parents and guardians, as appropriate, regarding their children's right to a free public education, regardless of immigration status or religious beliefs. This shall:

Include "know your rights" information established by the Attorney General related to immigration enforcement.

Be provided in the annual notification to parents and guardians pursuant to Education Code Section 48980 or any other cost-effective means determined by the local educational agency

School districts should review and update current enrollment procedures for accessibility for immigrant students, such as:

Ensure enrollment forms do not contain questions related to immigration status or sensitive information like Social Security numbers.

Ensure that the enrollment information in print and on school district websites are language-accessible.

Ensure that print and electronic enrollment forms are language-accessible.

Ensure that district student information systems do not identify students as "undocumented" or include other identifiers related to immigration status.

Adopt clear procedures and/or protocols for documents required to establish a child's age, including but not limited to a certified copy of a birth record, a baptism certificate duly attested, a passport, or in certain instances, an affidavit of the parent, or previously verified school records.

Ensure district staff are trained and understand how to use an affidavit to prove a child's age when other documentation is lacking.

Adopt clear procedures and/or protocol for reasonable documents to prove residency, including but not limited to property tax payment receipts, rental property lease, pay stubs, declaration of residency (CA Education Code Section 48204.1).

Ensure district staff are trained and understand how to accept a declaration of residency as proof of residency.

School districts should share "know your rights" information throughout the school year, in addition to the required annual notification (See Information and Resources for Families section below).

School districts should share "know your education rights" information (see https://myschoolrights.com)

Adopt policies limiting immigration enforcement in schools.

The California Attorney General is required to publish model policies by April 1, 2018, and school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools are required to adopt model policies or equivalent language by July 1, 2018. These policies must include:

Procedures in response to requests for access to school grounds for immigration enforcement purposes.

Procedures for district employees to notify the superintendent of the school district or his or her designee if an individual requests or gains access to school grounds for purposes related to immigration enforcement

Procedures in response to requests for personal information about students or their family members for purposes of immigration enforcement.

Districts can and should:

Adopt policies related to the above requirements above as soon as possible, instead of waiting until the July 1, 2018 deadline (see sample language developed by civil rights groups[v] and the California School Boards Association)

Adopt a clear protocol for staff regarding any and all requests they receive for information or access to student records for immigration purposes. (see Los Angeles Unified School District Reference Guide (LAUSD Campuses as Safe Zones and Resource Centers)

Ensure that all staff, especially site front office staff and school site administrators, are trained in protocols regarding immigration -related requests and actions.

Prohibit campus security from collaborating with federal immigration authorities for the purposes of immigration enforcement

Work with local law enforcement to ensure that school resource officers (SROs) do not share school-related information with federal immigration authorities and understand the forthcoming requirements in AB 699 as well as Senate Bill 54: California Values Act

Limited School Directory Information Policy

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), school districts generally must keep student records private, except when they are only required to share records in compliance with a valid judicial warrant. Instead, a school district should adopt a limited directory information policy ( 34 C.F.R. § 99.37(d)) that may or may not include information such as a "student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth.". To protect student and family privacy, districts should evaluate what information it considers critical to include in a school directory. If a district adopts a limited directory information policy, it must inform parents of the information that will be included and allow them to opt out of sharing some or all of the information. (See sample letter language provided by the U.S. Department of Education.) Districts should consider including a simple language accessible opt-in/opt-out form in the annual school registration packet, and parents should also be educated about their right to opt-out if the district is including personally identifiable information which could be requested and released to an immigration enforcement agency.

Volunteer Fingerprinting Policy

School districts are encouraged to review their volunteer fingerprinting policies. If fingerprinting is required for all school volunteers, a district may be hampering parental involvement, especially for undocumented parents and caregivers. Some districts have had success adopting volunteer fingerprinting policies that only require fingerprinting if the volunteer will be responsible for supervising children alone (e.g., during an overnight school trip).

There are many things that educational systems can do to create environments in which students can thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. Teachers, in particular, can create inclusive and safe learning environments for all students by incorporating lesson plans and classroom activities that are designed to cultivate empathy and trusting relationships, create a sense of belonging, and reduce discriminatory stereotypes and actions. The California Teachers Association has created an online social justice toolkit to empower teachers to create safe zones, know their rights as teachers, respond to hate, and create a positive school climate.

Californians Together and Loyola Marymount University's Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) have developed grade-span lesson modules (K-2, 3-5 and 6-12) and a guide to address the social-emotional and educational needs of students experiencing stress and worry due to family immigration status or their experience as refugees.

For very young children, schools and caregivers should focus on creating environments that are supportive and that allow students to connect meaningfully with teachers, staff, and other students. Sesame Street in Communities and First 5 California have created Care, Cope Connect, a booklet for families, and Abriendo Puertas has published a video that provides insights for parents about how to comfort a young child who faces bullying or potential family separation.

Elementary and middle schools can affirm school support for immigrant families by engaging students and families in activities, lessons, and displays that reflect and celebrate diversity, like the Building Welcoming Schools Toolkit and this online guide from Colorín Colorado. Schools and districts can also provide families with easy-to-understand information about their rights and immigration legal services in their primary language, host family events and trainings with local nonprofit organizations, and ensure that teachers and other staff know about such resources.

Secondary schools can create welcoming and inclusive environments through targeted lessons and leadership activities. There are a number of high-quality materials and lesson plans available online through Beyond Differences, Teaching Tolerance, and Colorín Colorado. A recent report released by UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education & Access (IDEA), Teaching and Learning in the Age of Trump: Increasing Stress and Hostility in America's High Schools, documents a marked increase in student anxiety and hostility since the 2016 presidential election. The report also outlines recommendations for teachers to enhance civility, such as building relationships, establishing norms and models that allow time for student practice, structuring opportunities to express their ideas, and monitoring and responding to students' needs.

High school students can also be provided with tools to initiate at-home conversations about family preparedness planning in the event that they are impacted by immigration enforcement or deportation.

Students and parents in immigrant and refugee families should receive counseling support about preparing for college, financial aid, and career pathways. In California, there are significant supports to enable undocumented students to enter and complete post-secondary education.

College/Career Preparation

K-12 schools should help prepare all students and parents on the basics of college preparation, including the University of California and California State University entrance requirements, usually referred to as the UC/CSU A-G requirements, as well as the requirement to have at least a "C" grade or better in all required courses. Ideally, school districts should adopt these standards as a requirement for high school graduation to ensure that all students graduate "college and career ready." If they are not part of current graduation requirements, districts and schools should track and inform students and families on progress toward completing the A-G requirements, and schools should provide and strongly encourage students to utilize multiple options to stay "on-track,"such as online courses and summer school. All students regardless of immigration status should have access to college.

Understanding LCFF+ Schools

Schools with 75 percent or higher of low-income, English-learner, and/or foster youth are considered Local Control Funding Formula+ (LCFF+) schools. California Senate Bill 1050: Postsecondary education: college readiness increased University of California (UC) enrollment slots by 2,500 and established a requirement to increase enrollment from LCFF+ schools where a majority of immigrant, low-income and foster youth students attend. The College for All Coalition has produced an SB 1050 factsheet and infographic, and LCFF+ school eligibility is available via the California Department of Education website.

Financial Aid Counseling

California provides more financial aid support for undocumented students than any other state. Educators for Fair Consideration has published many resources related to financial aid for undocumented students, including a Quick Guide to College Access for Undocumented Students in California,. The guide outlines residency requirements and in-state tuition eligibility, California Dream Act, and state-based financial aid and scholarships that do not require proof of citizenship. Schools districts and high schools should ensure that guidance and college/career counselors are familiar with these resources, that they understand the unique challenges facing undocumented students, and that they proactively educate immigrant families about support to allow undocumented students to pursue higher education at both public and private institutions. High schools can also track FAFSA, Cal Grant, and Dream Act completion through the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). CSAC has created a friendly Race to Submit competition to encourage high schools to track and increase financial aid applications of all students.

DREAMer Resource Centers

Most public colleges and universities in California provide spaces and/or resources to support immigrant and first-generation students, including those who are undocumented. High school guidance counselors, teachers, and administrators should encourage matriculating undocumented students to utilize these resources and supports. In 2017, Fresno Unified School District opened a Dream Resource Center, which provides student services and community resources to immigrant students and their families.

Employment Opportunities through Entrepreneurship

As high school graduates, many undocumented students and young adults struggle to find employment opportunities in the formal economy. Immigrants Rising, a project of Educators for Fair Consideration, seeks to provide resources and information for "all immigrants, regardless of legal status, to create their own opportunities, earn a living, and thrive through entrepreneurship."

In the current political climate, many immigrant families and communities are afraid and unsure of what the future holds. Empowering immigrants with reliable tools and accurate information can help them grapple with this uncertainty and regain a sense of control over their lives-and as trusted institutions, schools are in unique position to play this role. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's (ILRC) Help for Immigrant Families: Guidance for Schools provides a comprehensive overview.

Engaging immigrant families in a culturally sensitive manner can strengthen trusting relationships and enable educators to learn about parents' and caregivers' concerns and aspirations. Effective practices include: establishing direct lines of communication with students and families in English and other languages spoken at home; partnering with immigrant-serving community organizations to inform families about their rights and options; involving bilingual family resource center staff, family liaisons, and trained parent volunteers to engage and support families on a range of issues; and widely communicating all school and district policies and resolutions related to inclusivity, student safety, and records confidentiality.

Family preparedness plans

In general, families should be prepared and have a plan of care for their child(ren) in place in the event of an emergency, including a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstances, including the detention or deportation of a parent or caregiver. These plans should include the designation of an alternate caregiver, if needed, important documents, and updated emergency contact information. A family preparedness plan is a useful tool that should be tailored to meet each family's unique circumstances and address their specific needs. However, if not presented correctly, these plans may overwhelm families already experiencing high levels of stress and fear. The ILRC has developed a model Family Preparedness Plan and accompanying webinar to help explain families' choices to advocates and other stakeholders. School districts can also order or download templates to print in-house "Know Your Rights" cards in multiple languages.

Hosting Know Your Rights and family preparedness workshops at your school

School and district officials can help to ensure that immigrant students and families are prepared and informed by hosting and/or advertising presentations and workshops conducted by reputable nonprofits. Undocumented immigrants may be hesitant or fearful to attend a public event intended only for immigrants without legal status, so make sure events are geared toward all individuals who may be interested in general updates on immigration law and policy. Many immigrant-serving community-based organizations will conduct free "Know Your Rights" presentations to inform families and educators about the basic rights of noncitizens, and there are also several high quality online resources. In California, community events and legal services workshops are listed by Ready California.

Help Families Find Qualified Immigration Legal Services

Educators can play a key role in directing students and families towards expert legal advice and away from fraudulent and exploitative services, which are prevalent. The vast majority of immigrant families live in "mixed status" household that include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (or "green card" holders), and individuals who are undocumented. All non-citizen immigrants, but particularly those who are undocumented, should get an immigration "checkup" to learn about possible protections and options. Local legal service providers may offer clinics or drop-in hours where a person can quickly speak confidentially with an attorney or accredited representative about their individual circumstances and to access a range of services. Schools and districts can help identify reliable, low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services organizations through the following online sources: Ready California, National Immigration Legal Services Directory, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, and the State of California Immigrant Guide. They can also distribute flyers about avoiding fraudulent immigration services and practitioners.

Healthcare Access

In California, all children regardless of immigration status are eligible for Medi-Cal, but not all families may be aware of this potential benefit or may be afraid to take advantage of it. All in for Health, a project of the Children's Partnership has developed a school toolkit to enable schools to promote health coverage and care. The website includes customizable flyers as well as the ability to order free flyers for distribution. The National Immigration Law Center has several resources, for both families and organizations working with families, that address the very real concerns that families have with utilizing Medi-Cal and other public benefits.

Providing behavioral health services

As outlined in this brief from The Children's Partnership and the California Immigrant Policy Center, children's emotional and physical wellbeing is negatively affected by threats of deportation and anti-immigrant scapegoating. Schools can provide essential support by increasing district-based behavioral health services and/or referring families to affordable, culturally sensitive mental health specialists and counselors. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has developed resources for mental health for the Latino Community, including a bilingual brochure: Compartiendo Esperanza: No Hay Salud Sin Salud Mental.

School-Based Health Centers

With the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of healthcare access across the state, some school districts are partnering with local healthcare providers to create school-based health centers. School-based health centers provide increased access to healthcare services for students and their families as well as the local community. School-based health care includes programs such as school nurses, comprehensive school-based health centers (SBHCs), mental health care services, oral health services, and more. The California School Based Health Alliance has toolkits and resources on how to plan and establish school-based health centers.

For resources on what SBHC can do to better protect their students, please visit the following links:

Following the passage of Proposition 58, the California Multilingual Education Act in 2016, school districts now have more flexibility in delivering different types of language access programs for English and dual language learners. Following 20 years of English-only policies, all California school districts should be actively engaging and educating parents of English learners and dual language learners to assess various program and service choices and options. Families should be educated on the benefits of bilingualism to students and to creating positive and inclusive learning environments. Additionally, the California State Board of Education has adopted an English Learner Roadmap that was developed by a diverse committee of educators. The California Department of Education is also developing forthcoming guidance highlighting best practices to assist school districts in implementing the Roadmap.

Right to Request Dual Language/Bilingual Programs

Under Proposition 58, parents now have the right to request that a school district consider implementing a dual language program. If twenty grade-level parents or thirty parents school site-wide request a dual language program, the district must take steps to the extent practicable to create one. Parents should be educated about their rights, including the right to request a dual language program, and understand different program options. For example, Los Angeles USD has created brochures and videosto explain dual language program options and it shares this information through various channels multiple times a year. For districts looking to bring back bilingual programs, the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and Californians Together have released a Proposition 58 Implementation Guide in English and Spanish.

Access to Early Childhood Education

According to the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), more than sixty percent of all children (ages 0-8) in California come from families who speak a language other than English at home-and there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the benefits of cultivating the educational potential of dual language learners. A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures, documents the success of programs that place dual language learners in bilingual settings where they can utilize their native language skills to learn both their primary language and English.

Districts that provide early childhood education (e.g., preschool, Headstart, etc.) to immigrant and refugee students should adopt developmentally appropriate dual language programs to capitalize fully on young children's natural ability to learn language. California's Gold: An Advocacy Framework for Young Dual Language Learners by Dr. Marlene Zepeda outlines comprehensive steps that California schools should take in order to better and more fully serve dual language learners across the state.

To fully include immigrant and refugee parents in school communities, schools and districts should think beyond "parental engagement" and seek ways to empower parents to serve as advocates for their children, for their schools, and for public education in general-regardless of their immigrant status or English language ability. Schools should provide training and support to develop the leadership skills that immigrant parents need to be school leaders. For example, Anaheim Union High School District has developed a Parent Leadership Academy that trains volunteer parent leaders. The district engages parents on "parent learning walks," in which parents and administrative teams observe classroom activities. Other districts have had success building immigrant parent leadership with focused training for both staff and parents, like CABE's Project 2-Inspire and Families in Schools.

This section outlines certain populations of immigrants that merit additional consideration.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) offers an estimated 2.3 million immigrants across the United States access to the American Dream. The program has allowed qualifying Dreamers-immigrants who have lived in the U.S. since they were children but lack legal status-to earn temporary protection from deportation and a work permit. One study found that three out of five successful applicants earned a new job, half opened their first bank account, and a third obtained their first credit cards after receiving DACA.

Approximately 200,000 DACA recipients live in California. Additionally, it is estimated by the Migration Policy Institute that nationwide approximately 20,000 DACA recipients are teachers, one quarter of whom are located in California.

On September 5, 2017, President Trump announced that he was rescinding DACA and no more renewals would be made beyond March 2018 and that any DACA recipients eligible for renewal before the March 2018 deadline must submit their renewal application by October 5, 2017. In light of the fact that many school districts employ DACA recipients both as teachers and classified employees, school districts should confer with their Human Resources departments and legal counsel to understand the steps that should be taken when an employee's work authorization expires. The Association of California School Administrators has released a factsheet on the impact of DACA's rescission on school districts. In light of the growing teacher shortage, Sacramento City School District is currently exploring the possibility of sponsoring DACA teachers for work permits.

For high school students who have DACA or who were planning on applying for DACA when they became eligible, it is important that schools, teachers, guidance counselors, and others provide support, including mental health resources, to students who are grappling with the stress and trauma associated with the loss of this critically important resource. Further, they should advise them on existing opportunities to attend public universities and colleges in California and pursue higher education.

Unaccompanied Minors

In recent years, high numbers of unaccompanied refugee minors have continued to enter the United States, primarily from violence-ravaged Central American countries, including Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. These vulnerable minors are often housed in detention facilities, but others are placed with family members in local communities and enrolled in public schools. Many of these students have interrupted formal education and are recovering from violence or trauma associated with the conditions they were fleeing in their home countries and/or the journey to the United States.

The website Colorín Colorado has compiled resources and a guide for schools to meet the needs of unaccompanied minors. Additionally, the Migration Policy Institute has recently released a report, Beyond Teaching English: Supporting High School Completion by Immigrant and Refugee Students,which highlights promising practices to help high school arrivals successfully complete high school.

Refugees

In 2016, the United State welcomed almost 85,000 refugees, and California received the largest number, 7,909. Refugees are generally resettled either with family or where there is an existing immigrant community. This means that there is often a disproportionate impact on a local school districts within resettlement communities. According to a CALmatters article, three counties in California settle a large percentage of refugees: San Diego (1,455), Los Angeles (1,198) and Sacramento (1,121). School districts impacted by refugee resettlement are eligible to apply for Refugee School Impact grants, and California made a one-time allocation of an additional $10 million in the 2017-18 budget to expand services to refugee students. The website Colorin Colorado has compiled a list of resources that districts can use to support refugee students.

Have any suggestions for the guide? Please contact our project coordinator.

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In order for students of all backgrounds to succeed and to thrive, a safe and inclusive learning environment is essential. Recent policy developments, including the Muslim travel ban and a ramping up of immigration enforcement activities, have created an atmosphere of xenophobia not seen in the United States for many decades.

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

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As a result of violence and oppression around the world, many families are forced to flee their countries as refugees. Consequently, schools across the country are welcoming and serving students from diverse nations. These students bring their unique individual cultures and backgrounds while bearing some of the challenges and stresses of the refugee experience. The following tips and related resources can help educators meet the unique needs of refugee students.

Understand and recognize stressors. Refugee children and youth are often traumatized from premigration and resettlement experiences. They may have been exposed to violence and combat, home displacement, malnutrition, detention, and torture. Many have been forced to leave their country and cannot safely return home. Some may have come without their parents and without knowing of their health or safety. Psychological stress and traumatic experiences are often inflicted upon these children over months or even years, and many experience some kind of discrimination once entering U.S. schools. Additionally, they often resettle in high-poverty and high-crime neighborhoods, increasing exposure to stressful conditions.

Understand the effect of trauma on school functioning. Extreme stress, adversity, and trauma can impede concentration, cognitive functioning, memory, and social relationships. Additionally, stress can contribute to both internalized symptoms-such as hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, grief, fear, anger, isolation-and externalized behaviors-such as startle responses, reactivity, aggression, and conduct problems. Given the often chronic and significant stress placed on refugee students, many are at increased risk for developing trauma and other mental health disorders, undermining their ability to function effectively in school. Further, given the environment of their previous schooling and the immigration to the United States, many have experienced significantly interrupted schooling; coupled with language gaps, many students arrive unprepared to participate in school with their same-age peers.

Equip staff to provide trauma sensitive responses and supports. Creating trauma-sensitive schools greatly enhances supports for all traumatized students, including refugees. A trauma-sensitive school views behaviors as a potential outcome of life circumstances rather than willful disobedience or intentional misbehavior. Trauma-sensitive approaches emphasize helping school staff understand the impact of trauma on school functioning and seeing behavior through this lens; building trusting relationships among teachers and peers; helping students develop the ability to self-regulate behaviors, emotions, and attention; supporting student success in academic and nonacademic areas; and promoting physical and emotional health. Additional information is available at http://traumasensitiveschools.org/

Understand the challenges of relocation and acculturation. Refugee children and youth often have significant adjustments to life in their new communities and schools. This includes language differences, not understanding how schools function, not knowing where to go for help, little familiarity with the curriculum or social mores, and difficulty making friends. Some refugees are relocated to communities with an existing population from their country. Others may be the only people from their country, heightening the sense of isolation. Also note that children frequently adapt culturally and linguistically more quickly than their parents. Over time, this can cause conflict when children deviate from tradition and can increase the burden on children when parents rely on them to navigate their new environment and to act as language translators.

Be sensitive to family stressors. Parents and other family members are also dealing with the stress of relocation, including trying to navigate and achieve self-sufficiency in their new community. This includes overcoming language and cultural barriers, finding housing and employment, establishing a social network, understanding their role in their children's schooling, accessing social services, and connecting with their faith community. For many, having to ask for help or rely on others is not their norm and contributes to stress. Additionally, some parents may have experienced significant stress or trauma during the migration process, which can lead to increased risk for a range of negative outcomes for their children.

Identify children and youth who are at high risk, and plan interventions. Schools bear a responsibility to identify refugee students that may be at heightened risk based on the factors outlined above. In general, interventions delivered within comprehensive service models (i.e., multitiered systems of support) and focused on educational, social, and economic outcomes are more effective than clinical treatment alone, and can often prevent the need for intensive, direct services. However, by maintaining close contact with teachers and parents, the school crisis response team can determine which students may require more intensive crisis intervention and counseling services. Schools should also create a mechanism for self-referral and parental referral of students.

Understand cultural views regarding mental health. It is important that mental health professionals be aware of attitudes toward mental illness and the role of mental health services when providing assistance to students. Many cultures may have a minimal understanding of mental illness, and in some cultures and faith communities, mental health problems are greatly stigmatized. Some cultures may view emotional problems as a weakness in character as opposed to a natural response to adversity. Understanding these barriers is an essential first step to reassuring and engaging students and their families and ultimately building the trust necessary to provide effective services and supports.

Engage and empower families. Families from other countries may have different views about education, including the assumption that education remains the duty of the school and any involvement would encroach on that responsibility. Some families may not be proficient enough in English to know how to engage, despite a desire to do so. Additionally, many families may experience practical barriers, such as not having a car or employment that does not allow for active engagement during school hours. Schools can work with cultural liaisons and the families to find ways to connect with parents and ensure they have opportunities to participate in their child's schooling.

Focus on student strengths. Many refugee students bring many unique skills, strengths, and knowledge into the classroom. Build on those strengths of resilience, and consider having them share their knowledge about their country, customs, and culture. Educators should also support maintaining the home culture and language, while also balancing the importance of developing the skills and knowledge to succeed in the United States.

Access community resources. Reach out to community organizations that specialize in working with refugee families, if those resources are available, such as the International Rescue Committee. Maintain an accurate and evolving list of community resources available to help affected families. It is imperative to compile a list of community resources, including the names, telephone numbers, websites (if available), contact persons (if appropriate), descriptions of services, and any fees. Try to determine if support groups are being provided at local churches or community agencies. Consider also reaching out to state refugee coordinators.

Stop any type of harassment or bullying immediately. Refugee children may be at risk for harmful behavior by others if classmates or even teachers unfairly stigmatize them. Make it clear that such behavior, in any form (in person, online, on social media) is unacceptable. Promote acceptance and actively teach conflict resolution skills to both the perpetrators and the refugee student(s).
Note: Refugees who seek political asylum in the United States must gain approval from multiple federal agencies before immigrating. More information is available at http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/refugees.
© 2015, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 657-0270, Fax (301) 657-0275; www.nasponline.org.

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As a result of war and violence around the world, many families are forced to flee their homes as refugees. This collection of NASP resources can help schools meet the unique needs of this population.

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In Mr. Allen's pre-K class, the children greet their classmates in each other's home language. Seth turns to Maryam and greets her in Arabic, "Assalamu Aliakum." Maryam very softly says back, "Hello," in English. Tarek says, "Buenos días," and Isabella responds, "Günaydın," in Turkish.

Refugee families are a part of many communities, and they bring rich cultural experiences to early learning programs. Because of the social and emotional impact that being a refugee has on young children and their families, it is important that early childhood educators create inclusive and nurturing classroom environments.

Most children who are refugees have experienced hardship and trauma, so it's vital that they feel welcomed by teachers and peers in their new classrooms. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Prepare to greet the children

Work with the class to be ready to greet their new classmate in a warm and cheerful manner and to show appreciation for the child's culture. The children can learn the new child's name and how to say a few words in his or her language. They can create welcome cards and pictures for their new classmate.

Create play experiences that do not require English

All children need opportunities to play in the classroom. If new arrivals do not speak English, it will take them some time to learn the language. In the meantime, ensure that there are games and activities available that don't require much language. Offer board games and art experiences that need little instruction (simple games, such as Candyland, and open-ended art materials). Plan activities in which children engage in creative and imaginative play using music and movement.

Here are some play-based activities for dual language learners:

Photograph all the children in the classroom. Make a copy of each photo, and play a matching game. Write the children's names at the bottom of their photos to help them recognize their own and each other's names.

Children can create their own musical instruments and form bands. Make maracas by filling plastic bottles with beans, create string instruments by wrapping large rubber bands around open shoe boxes, and use a comb and tissue paper to make a kazoo. Children can compose music together and invite their families to a gig.

Play-based activities help create an environment where children can work together without the need for frequent teacher mediation. This environment offers opportunities for children to connect and helps new classmates adjust to the classroom.

Familiarize families with classrooms

Many families-whether refugees or immigrants-come from countries where school experiences are very different from those in the United States. All parents want to be involved and support their children in their new school. But sometimes it's hard for families with little or no prior school experience within early childhood settings to understand how to begin. And it can be especially confusing for families from different cultural backgrounds, who speak another language. Consider using visuals to introduce culturally and linguistically diverse families to the school environment. (See "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words.")

If an interpreter is available or you can communicate verbally, talk with the parents and other caregivers about what to expect. Explain classroom routines, such as arrival and departure and the daily schedule. Talk about classroom rules. Many children who are refugees have spent unstructured time in camps or other transitional settings. Help them become part of the structured classroom routine as soon as possible.

Once they spend time in the classroom and observe their children's daily activities, families will feel more at ease and will be able to reinforce those routines at home. Inviting families and caregivers into the classroom helps build home-school relationships and encourages them to be active partners in their children's education.

Connect with related community cultural groups

Many children and teachers may not have interacted with diverse cultural groups from other countries-and particularly from countries suffering through war, famine, and other crises. It's difficult to understand the experiences of children who are refugees without first understanding their home cultures. And it also helps to be aware that there are different cultural groups within every country. One resource may be individuals who work closely with refugee families in the United States. They can offer information about particular cultures and help teachers better understand the experiences of children who are refugees.

Families who have escaped horrific conditions are not always comfortable talking about political situations in their home countries. Refugee families are trying to create a new sense of peace and calm in the lives of their children. They want to preserve their children's childhood and create new memories and positive beginnings.

Meeting emotional needs

Many parents and preschools try to shield children from harmful images and experiences so as not to overburden them emotionally. However, children who have lived in war zones and other fraught settings have experienced trauma beyond their years and may become overwhelmed and emotionally vulnerable in certain situations.

With preschoolers, typical conflicts arise while sharing materials or taking turns. They may use inappropriate language when trying to resolve these conflicts. It should come as no surprise that children who have experienced trauma may have an extra-difficult time working through common classroom conflicts. It's important to guide them in successful problem solving so they learn that they will not be punished when they make a mistake or have an outburst. It also helps all children if there is a quiet space to go to calm down, like the classroom library beanbag chair.

Establish one-on-one time with children who are refugees

It's not uncommon for young children to feel lost in the classroom and to miss their families. This can be exceptionally hard for children who are refugees, because they tend to have strong attachments to their families and may have shared traumatic experiences together. One of the biggest fears many children have is losing their parents-and some may actually have lost a parent or a loved one. A few times a day, reassure children that they are safe and that their parents or caregivers will return at the end of the day. Establishing trust and maintaining a strong bond with them is key to settling refugee children in your classroom. Build with blocks or draw together during centers time. You don't need to talk much if language is a barrier.

Create opportunities for refugee parents to share their traditions

As refugee families adjust to school and their children become comfortable with their peers, you might invite the parents or caregivers to share some of their traditions, such as celebrations, music, food, native clothing, and folktales. Offer activities like creating ornaments or other arts and crafts from their home countries. Support families by gathering materials in advance, making sure that participating doesn't cause a financial burden. Celebrate all the different cultures represented in the classroom so refugee families don't feel singled out.

Final thought

You will find that refugee families are grateful and appreciate your support. They are eager to cooperate and collaborate to ensure that their children fit into the classroom and maintain their connections to their rich cultures.

Resources to Help Teachers Welcome Refugee Children and Families

There are numerous resources that teachers can use to learn about the refugee crisis, in general, and strategies that they can use in their classrooms. Those below are a starting point in understanding the needs of families who are refugees.

Association for Childhood Education International
www.acei.org

"Collaborating with Refugee Resettlement Organizations: Providing a Head Start to Young Refugees," by Lyn Morland and Tarima Levine. Young Children, September 2016, pp. 69-75.

"How to Support Refugee Students in the ELL Classroom," by Kristina Robertson and Lydia Breiseth. Colorín Colorado
www.colorincolorado.org/article/how-support-refugee-students-ell-classroom

"Teaching Refugees with Limited Formal Schooling: Classroom Supports." Calgary Board of Education, Government of Alberta, Canada
http://teachingrefugees.com/socio-emotional-supports/classroom-strategies

Visit Raising Young Children in a New Country: Supporting Early Learning and Healthy Development https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/do..., to help you talk to families about child development, health, school readiness, and more.

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Create a visual schedule of daily activities to help children and families understand what happens in a typical day in your classroom. Use photographs of circle time, read-aloud, snack, center time, and so on. Or you can print out pictures from the Internet or cut out pictures from magazines.

Discuss healthy eating and classroom routines and rules, such as hand washing before eating to keep everyone healthy. Use visuals with photographs. Or make short videos of routines such as snack time-children setting up the food, serving themselves, and clearing eating areas when they've finished.

Use visuals to explain rules about expectations for classroom behavior, such as lining up for transitions, sitting on individual carpet squares, and putting away blocks in the block area.

Photos courtesy of the author and © NAEYC/iStock

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Welcoming Refugee Children into Early Childhood Classrooms

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Refugee families are part of many communities, and they bring rich cultural experiences to early learning programs.

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We see the news stories about refugees almost every day. We hear the true but almost unimaginable accounts of families forced to flee their homes, their homelands, their entire lives. While we may wish that our children didn't have to know about such trauma, the facts are that it's real and very present - and there are countless children actually living it. Stories can facilitate dialogue and promote healthy communication on this difficult topic, help to foster empathy and understanding, and even inspire young readers to take action to ensure safe and welcoming environments in their own communities. Here are a few titles that can help:

Picture Books

Young Adult

As the refugee situations worldwide grow increasingly urgent and complex, be proactive about engaging your children in conversations about what it means to be a refugee, and how citizens of all ages can work to make newcomers feel welcome and safe. Remember that children respond to trauma and challenges in different ways, and there is no "typical" refugee or "single story" that represents the myriad experiences children have in these situations.

For additional suggestions, check out the Teaching Tolerance's " Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide for Educators and School Support Staff." The British Red Cross also has a helpful fact sheet on the refugee crisis around the world, with definitions, that can be found here. And Amnesty International provides links to a number of resources for children of all ages, including an online educational game called Against All Odds, which you can find here.

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Books to Help Kids Understand What It's Like to Be a Refugee | Brightly

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We see the news stories about refugees almost every day. We hear the true but almost unimaginable accounts of families forced to flee their homes, their homelands, their entire lives. While we may wish that our children didn't have to know about such trauma, the facts are that it's real and very present - and there are countless children actually living it.

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Newcomer First Days Support Guide for School Staff (PDF)Guide for school staff when welcoming an ELL newcomer student

I Speak Statements (PDF)Utilize this tool in forty-nine (49) languages to help determine a family's native language

Newcomer Student and Family Survey
Determine a students' background, educational history, and academic needs.

Newcomer Student Writing and Numeracy Diagnostic Tools
Determine initial student academic strengths and needs

CCSD Newcomer High School Program Options
Global Community High School provides relevant education to English Language Learners

Transcript Review Process - High School only (Word)
Assists in proper placement of students based on foreign student transcript review

School Meals Application in 49 languages
Free and reduced school meal applications available in forty-nine (49) languages

Google Translate
Free multilingual translation service

Welcome to Our School Presentation
Samples for schools to adapt to introduce new students and families to your school. To modify the presentation, you must download a copy and edit accordingly.
Adaptable Visual Daily Schedule for Student CCSD Refugee Support (PDF)

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Newcomer First Days Support Guide for School Staff (PDF) Guide for school staff when welcoming an ELL newcomer student I Speak Statements (PDF) Utilize this tool in forty-nine (49) languages to help determine a family's native language Newcomer Student and Family Survey Determine a students' background, educational history, and academic needs.

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These books offer educators valuable background information and approaches for working with refugee students. Many of the titles introduce educators to key conflicts that bring refugees to the U.S., as well as strategies for addressing limited educational experiences and trauma.

If you are looking for books for your students or classroom tips, take a look at How to Support Refugee Students in the ELL Classroom.

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These books offer educators valuable background information and approaches for working with refugee students. Many of the titles introduce educators to key conflicts that bring refugees to the U.S., as well as strategies for addressing limited educational experiences and trauma.

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These books capture the triumphs and the resilience of children who are refugees. They also convey the hardships that refugees face as they flee war and persecution.

We encourage you to use these stories as a resource in informing yourself or your students about the challenges that refugees may face in their new lives.

For YA titles, see our Refugee Experiences booklists, and for recommendations on supporting refugee students, see these suggestions and video clips from veteran educators.

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The Refugee Experience: Books for Children

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These books capture the triumphs and the resilience of children who are refugees. They also convey the hardships that refugees face as they flee war and persecution. We encourage you to use these stories as a resource in informing yourself or your students about the challenges that refugees may face in their new lives.

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We teach our students that America is a nation of immigrants, where we welcome and celebrate those with the courage to take a chance and risk everything to seek a better, safer life for themselves and their families. But as our kids hear news about travel bans, border walls, and refugee quotas, they start asking questions as they try to make sense of conflicting messages. If you're struggling to find the best answers, books can help. We talked to Ruth Freeman, an English Language Learning (ELL) teacher and children's author about children's books that deal with the experience of students who are new to this country.

"Thankfully, there are more and more books exploring this topic," Freeman says. "Not only do they allow our ELL students to see themselves represented on the printed page, but they allow other readers to gain more understanding and empathy for newcomers. The following are a few of my favorite titles that I would like to recommend.
My Two Blankets by Irene Kobald and Freya Blackwood (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
What I especially love about this sweet story is how the illustrator has drawn the way a newcomer first hears English. There are streams of symbols and shapes coming out of people's mouths, not sounds. A new friend teaches her words and she begins to feel at home. As the book says, "moving is hard -- friends make it easier." She slowly learns to weave her old and new cultures together until, at the end, she comes to know that no matter where she is she will always be herself.
Joseph's Big Ride by Terry Farish, art by Ken Daley (Annick Press)
A boy who comes to America from a refugee camp desperately wants a bike, and the girl in his neighborhood has one. There is a funny mix-up of names. He calls her Whoosh because she rides by so fast. Will the boy find a way to befriend her and get a ride on the bike? The big, bold illustrations help tell this wonderful story about making friends in a new country.
All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino (Knopf)
A story told about four generations of Italian-Americans with a little shovel that was used differently by each of them. The last character in the story is the author himself! Colorful illustrations, simple text and a heartwarming message passed down to each generation (work hard, enjoy life, and don't forget to call home) make for a wonderful picture book.
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruuis, artwork by Nizar Ali Badr (Orca Book Publishers)
A beautiful and poignant story, told in English and Arabic, of one family's journey to escape the war in their country. While the country is not named as Syria, the amazing illustrations are by a Syrian sculptor. Each picture is a collage of polished stones bringing to life the parents, children and burdens they carry on their backs as they walk to a new life. The sadness of saying goodbye, the bombs and the lives lost at sea are balanced carefully and sensitively with hopes and dreams for peace in their new home.
Other Recommended Titles:
Middle Grade
Coming to America: A Muslim Family's Story by Bernard Wolf (Lee and Low Books)
This is the true story told with photographs of an Egyptian family and how they adjust to their new life in New York City. Readers see the three children settling into their elementary and middle schools. We see the father at his job and the mother going to school to learn English. Pictures of the family shopping, doing homework, praying, and eating dinner together give readers a real sense of what it is like for members of one family as they work hard in the pursuit of a better life.
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas (Clarion Books)
What a fantastically funny book! Set in the 1970s, eleven-year-old Zomorod comes from Iran with her family to California and, to fit in, promptly changes her name to Cindy. After several years there, and moving four times, she has become almost a typical American middle school student, except that she still has to explain things to her parents like: snack foods, bean bag chairs and Gilligan's Island on TV. However, when the Iran Hostage Crisis occurs, life for an Iranian family in America turns more serious. A funny, distinctive voice and original story.
One Good Thing About America by Ruth Freeman, illus by Kathrin Honesta (Holiday House)
This fictional story was inspired by my wonderful middle and elementary school students. Anaïs was the best English student back home in Congo. Here in Crazy America she feels like she doesn't know English at all. Nothing makes sense...like chicken fingers on the lunch menu! She writes letters to her grandmother back home who tells her to find one good thing about America every day. Slowly, Anaïs does. Even while she worries about her father and brother left behind in Africa, she discovers pizza, autumn leaves, sledding, friends and teachers, until, at the end, they tell her she is one good thing about America.
Other Recommended Titles
Young Adult
Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town, adapted for young people by Warren St. John (Delacorte)
This is the inspiring true story of a boys' soccer team in Georgia made up of refugees and the Jordanian woman who coaches them. Calling themselves the Fugees, the boys struggle to adjust to life in America while the town of Clarkston, Georgia, struggles to adjust to them. Many on the team have traumatic memories of the conflicts they left behind in their home countries. Their coach has to care for her players while finding a practice field, uniforms and funding. Not just for soccer fans, this is a story of hope and determination and achievement.
Something About America by Maria Testa (Candlewick)
A girl comes to America with her family to get medical treatment after she was badly burned in her home in Kosova, Yugoslavia. The story opens when she is thirteen. She has recovered but has scars on her neck that she covers with scarves. She tells her story in lyrical free verse, how she feels American, and how her parents do not. Then, an incident in a nearby town raises the issue of hatred and anger towards immigrants and she and her parents must decide how to respond. A beautiful, thoughtful story.
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (Delacorte)
This book has everything: the two main characters who tell the story are distinctive, appealing and funny; there is romance; and tension as one of the teenagers is due to be deported the next day to Jamaica with her family. But, on this last day, Natasha falls in love with Daniel, a Korean American. They spend one day together while she tries to stop the deportation. Telling their stories in alternating chapters, this is a touching and captivating novel.
Other Recommended Titles:

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Coming to America: Books Celebrating Immigrants, Refugees | NEA

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We teach our students that America is a nation of immigrants, where we welcome and celebrate those with the courage to take a chance and risk everything to seek a better, safer life for themselves and their families.

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Center for Applied Linguistics

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The Cultural Orientation Resource Center is funded by the Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Materials on this website were produced with PRM funding, with funding from the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families/Office of Refugee Resettlement, or by the COR Center's parent institution, the Center for Applied Linguistics.

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COR Center - Cultural Orientation Resource (COR) Center

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The Cultural Orientation Resource Center is funded by the Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Materials on this website were produced with PRM funding, with funding from the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families/Office of Refugee Resettlement, or by the COR Center's parent institution, the Center for Applied Linguistics.

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Center fro Applied Linguistics

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Begin your search by filling in a keyword. Use the checkboxes only if you would like to refine your search further. If you do not check a box in a particular category, the search engine will find all materials in that category. For example, if you do not select a particular refugee population, the search engine will find materials related to all refugee populations.

Your search results will appear under the search box.

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Begin your search by filling in a keyword. Use the checkboxes only if you would like to refine your search further. If you do not check a box in a particular category, the search engine will find all materials in that category.

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Center for Applied Linguistics

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The COR Center develops and hosts numerous resources designed to inform community members and service providers about a variety of refugee populations. The development of these resources is based upon input from refugees themselves, scholars, and service providers.

These resources are arranged by refugee population. We strongly recommend that you view the videos posted here, showing refugees from particular ethnic or age groups speaking about their own experiences with resettlement.

Available resources also include cultural backgrounders, case studies, and other materials.

To search for relevant materials:

If you are interested in a specific refugee population, you may select that population from the sidebar to the left. You may also be interested in searching from the Resource Library, which allows you to refine your search by keyword, refugee population, resource type, and topic.

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The COR Center develops and hosts numerous resources designed to inform community members and service providers about a variety of refugee populations. The development of these resources is based upon input from refugees themselves, scholars, and service providers. These resources are arranged by refugee population.

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Center for Applied Linguistics

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Each year the United States accepts hundreds of thousands of newcomers, either as immigrants or refugees. Recent arrivals often have very specific language needs, as well as orientation and resettlement needs.

Given opportunity, newcomers become significant contributors to our society, sharing linguistic and cultural assets, as well as innovative ideas, entrepreneurial skills, and drive, all of which make our communities stronger.

CAL has been a leader in refugee education and orientation since 1975. We have been helping immigrant and refugee newcomers understand fundamental aspects of life in the United States, as well as helping service providers and other interested parties understand the backgrounds, cultures, and linguistic heritage of the new members of their communities. In addition, CAL has a long history of conducting research and developing strategies for educational success for immigrants across a wide range of ages and language proficiency levels. Building on this legacy, several of CAL's projects and resources are designed to support the implementation of programs for immigrant students.

CAL is committed to making longer-term Americans aware of the resources and values brought to the United States by its newest residents. We have a key role to play as discussion of the contributions of immigrants to our society is elevated to a prominent role in our national discourse.
To learn more about CAL's work and resources about this topic, browse the subtopics within this section.

CAL offers a wide range of professional development and technical assistance services for service providers, schools, and communities working with newcomer populations. Based on our decades of experience, CAL can customize our services to meet your needs and budgets.

Email CAL to learn more.

Service Spotlight: New CAL Institute

Newcomers in Your School: Cultural Connections and Instructional Strategies
December 6-7, 2016 Washington, DC
Given the increasing tide of newcomer youth entering U.S. schools, it is critical to address the cultural, social, and academic needs of these students and their families. CAL offers professional development that includes practical resources for building a welcoming environment, both socially and instructionally, for all students.

This institute is designed for PreK-12 teachers, administrators, and practitioners, such as social workers, counselors, and after-school specialists, who work in educational settings with newcomer students and their families. CAL encourages teams of educators and practitioners to attend.

Learn more about this institute.

Professional Development Services

CAL can also offer this workshop onsite at your location.
Learn more.

CAL offers a wide range of professional development and technical assistance services for service providers, schools, and communities working with newcomer populations. Based on our decades of experience, CAL can customize our services to meet your needs and budgets.

Email CAL to learn more.

Service Spotlight: New CAL Institute

Newcomers in Your School: Cultural Connections and Instructional Strategies
December 6-7, 2016 Washington, DC
Given the increasing tide of newcomer youth entering U.S. schools, it is critical to address the cultural, social, and academic needs of these students and their families. CAL offers professional development that includes practical resources for building a welcoming environment, both socially and instructionally, for all students.

This institute is designed for PreK-12 teachers, administrators, and practitioners, such as social workers, counselors, and after-school specialists, who work in educational settings with newcomer students and their families. CAL encourages teams of educators and practitioners to attend.

Learn more about this institute.

Professional Development Services

CAL can also offer this workshop onsite at your location.
Learn more.

Learn effective strategies and activities to increase your newcomer students' inclusion and learning in the classroom.

The Cultural Orientation Resource (COR) Center, housed at CAL from 2000 to 2015, provided technical assistance regarding the cultural and community orientation refugees receive, either before their resettlement in the United States or after their arrival, as well as about their likely resettlement needs.

Developed as a companion to the DVD Refugee Families and Youth in the United States, this informative guide incorporates segments of the video into engaging activities. Connecting Diverse Cultures features practical and effective activity plans designed to help facilitators, teachers, and trainers increase understanding of and appreciation for other cultures and beliefs.

The Welcome to the United States guidebook provides valuable information to help refugees prepare for the first few months in the United States.

Learn effective strategies and activities to increase your newcomer students' inclusion and learning in the classroom.

A Tallahassee group recently started a youth literacy program for sixth- through 12th-graders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help them settle into the community.

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Each year the United States accepts hundreds of thousands of newcomers, either as immigrants or refugees. Recent arrivals often have very specific language needs, as well as orientation and resettlement needs. Given opportunity, newcomers become significant contributors to our society, sharing linguistic and cultural assets, as well as innovative ideas, entrepreneurial skills, and drive, all of which make our communities stronger.

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New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

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New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

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Welcome to Our Schools | Programs | Refugee Services

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Programs that Help Low-income New Yorkers Make Ends Meet. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance supervises support programs for families and individuals.

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While CCSD welcomes over 320,000 students each year to our schools, there is a special group of approximately 5,000 students entering U.S. schools for their first or second year. The Newcomer Framework addresses the needs of these students.

The Clark County School District (CCSD) Newcomer Model creates a safe and respectful learning environment that welcomes students with cultural and linguistic diversity. In partnership with schools, this framework will provide recently arrived students with opportunities and supports to engage in grade-level curriculum. The ultimate goal is to empower newcomers to graduate college- and career-ready.

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Newcomer Toolkit | Teaching and Learning

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While CCSD welcomes over 320,000 students each year to our schools, there is a special group of approximately 5,000 students entering U.S. schools for their first or second year. The Newcomer Framework addresses the needs of these students. Welcoming Practices (Intake) Student/family questionnaires, adaptable PowerPoints,...

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For Refugees in America, an Unfulfilled Dream

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How can teachers educate refugee students for lifelong success, while still preparing them for inevitable challenges?

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Look Beyond Borders: a 4 minute experiment

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The Harrowing Personal Stories of Syrian Refugees, in Their Own Words

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Syrian Refugees: A Human Crisis Revealed in a Powerful Short Film | Short Film Showcase

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What does it mean to be a refugee? - Benedetta Berti and Evelien Borgman

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Toolkit for "Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide for Educators and School Support Staff"

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Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.