This section introduces the basics of refugee resettlement to institutions and campus communities. Below, you can access information on how resettlement works in the U.S., including an overview of the main agencies and organizations involved in the process.
The January 20th, 2025 executive order (EO) “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program” imposed an indefinite suspension of all refugee admissions. Although the EO was set to take effect on January 27th, refugee admissions were halted immediately, and planned resettlement flights were canceled as soon as the EO was signed. The suspension will remain in place until a “better program” is established, with the Secretary of Homeland Security required to submit progress reports every 90 days.
Resources on refugees and resettlement via the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency:
- Understanding who is a refugee and other statuses a displaced person may hold, here.
- Understanding what resettlement is and how it works, here.
- Understanding who are U.S resettlement partners, here.
Federal and international agencies involved in Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.
- DHHS – Department of Health & Human Services
- DHS – Department of Homeland Security
- IOM – International Organization for Migration
- PRM – Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Refugee
- RAs – Resettlement Agencies (see below)
- RPC – Refugee Processing Center
- ORR – Office of Refugee Resettlement within DHHS
- UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Data on admission and arrivals in the U.S.
You can also access the latest Refugee Processing Center’s reports on admissions and arrivals through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for the current fiscal year here
The Department of Homeland Security’s annual Refugees and Asylees Annual Flow Reports are available here.
In addition to the suspension of refugee admissions (see details in the section above), the State Department terminated all contracts with Resettlement Agencies.
Refugees arriving in the United States are assigned to one of the 10 national Resettlement Agencies (RAs) and one of their 300+ local affiliates. They are tasked with for providing basic services and assistance to the newcomers. Below is the list of current RAs and their webiste for more information
- Bethany Christian Services (BCS)
- Church World Service (CWS)
- Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM)
- Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)
- HIAS
- International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- Global Refuge (formerly known Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service (LIRS))
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
- World Relief (WR)
The Reception and Placement Affiliates Sites Map
The map is available here
You can access the full and updated list of Reception & Placement Agency Contacts here. In addition, you can access ECAR’s Partnerships for Establishing Resettlement Campuses (PERC) Map Tool which shows potential partnerships between local resettlement agencies, colleges and universities, refugee service providers, and advocacy organizations to facilitate the development of local ecosystems for refugee resettlement support as well as the creation of ECAR Chapters (campuses hosting refugees on campus grounds under the ECAR model). Additional background information is available here.
Between 1990 and 2022, the United States welcomed over 2.1 million refugees and accepted over 800,000 asylees. While the purpose of granting visas to refugees and asylees is humanitarian, they do impact the United States economically. This analysis estimates the fiscal impact of refugees and asylees on federal, state, and local governments from 2005 to 2019. Read more and download the document here.
The Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE), a technical assistance program, connects and supports refugee resettlement staff globally to deliver effective Cultural Orientation which helps refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders achieve self-sufficiency in the United States. Through CORE, Cultural Orientation providers can:
- Participate in online and in-person learning opportunities
- Download resources to deliver Cultural Orientation
- Utilize refugee resources in multiple languages and multimedia formats
CORE is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and administered by the International Rescue Committee. Contact CORE here
Refugee Advocacy Lab is an initiative hosted at Refugees International and co-founded with the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Refugee Congress. Our priorities are driven by and grounded in the perspectives of refugee leaders, and we collaborate with a wide range of partners who power our work. Contact RAL, or subscribe to their newsletter here.
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) is a coalition of more than thirty U.S.-based nonprofit organizations supporting and protecting the rights of forcibly displaced people. Their work focuse on advocacy, strategic communications, and programmatic coordination. Since 2000, they serve as the only national coalition devoted to forcibly displaced people in the United States. As a thought leader and convener, They advance collective learning and action to respond to crises, transform humanitarian systems, and help affected communities thrive. Contact RCUSA here or at info@rcusa.org
Refugee Congress was established in 2011 when UNHCR brought together former refugees and asylum-seekers from across the U.S. for a convening focused on ensuring refugee and asylee input in planning and programming impacting our communities. Today, RC is an independent nonprofit built and led by refugees, asylees, and other vulnerable migrants. With members in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, RC uses their voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical issues that affect our communities. Contact RC.
Refugee Housing Solutions (RHS) provides technical housing support to resettlement practitioners, landlords and property managers, refugees, and volunteers across the United States and partners with them to develop and implement cohesive strategies to increase the availability and affordability of housing. RHS works collaboratively with resettlement practitioners by engaging key stakeholders as the organization innovates and expands affordable housing solutions across the U.S. Addressing the housing crisis will take multiple solutions, policy changes, and a collaborative effort to increase access to affordable housing. Contact RHS here or and sign up for updates here.
The Refugee Welcome Collective (RWC) is a community sponsorship (CS) technical assistance (TA) and training provider funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). We aim to improve outcomes for refugees resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions program by building capacity and expanding community sponsorship.
The Refugee Welcome Collective collaborates with partners to provide in-depth training programs, weekly learning sessions, learning resources, and on-demand technical assistance for sponsors, community sponsorship staff, refugees paired with sponsors, and community and institutional partners to support quality community sponsorship programs across the United States.
RWC training, technical assistance, learning sessions, and resources are designed based on input from national and local resettlement agencies, sponsors, and refugees paired with sponsors. We work closely with a network of national and local community sponsorship experts to identify priority areas. Contact RWC.
Settle In digital platforms provide hundreds of resources (including videos, podcasts, and fact sheets) for newcomers on different topics about life in the United States, Topics include cultural adjustment, employment, housing, U.S. laws, and more. Content is available in multiple language including Arabic, Burmese, Dari, English, Farsi, Kinyarwanda, Pashto, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, and Ukrainian.
Switchboard provides comprehensive support and guidance to professionals and organizations involved in refugee resettlement. Through our inclusive and diverse approach, they aim to empower and equip service providers with the tools they need to facilitate successful and sustainable integration for newcomers in their new communities. Switchboard is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Contact Switchboard.
Welcome.US launched in response to the extraordinary challenge of resettling first our Afghan allies after the fall of Kabul in 2021, and then Ukrainian newcomers displaced by war, Welcome.US mobilizes Americans to help resettle newcomers seeking safety in the U.S. The Welcome Campus Network, housed at Welcome.US, is a community of colleges, universities, student campus leaders, and nonprofit organizations working with institutes of higher education that amplifies the work of colleges and universities in welcoming and supporting newcomers seeking safety from across the globe. Welcome Campus Network members are messengers of welcome. They can also be actors in welcome, from providing community, scholarships, housing, community sponsorship, pathways to education, and other support to thousands of newcomers. Contact Welcome.US
Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Through the Welcoming Network, composed of over 300 nonprofits and local governments Welcome America works to build more inclusive and welcoming communities in the United States. Contact Welcoming America.