Refugee 101

Who are refugees?
The U.S. definition of a refugee is: "Any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion." 
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Who are asylum seekers?
Asylum seekers are people who are in the U.S., or are received at a point of entry into the U.S., who cannot or will not return to their country of origin due to fear of persecution. Like refugees, the fear of persecution must be based on the asylee’s race, nationality, political opinions or membership in a particular social group. Asylum seekers undergo the process of legalization while in the U.S.
Asylee Eligibility for Resettlement Assistance
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How long have refugees been resettling in Idaho? 
Idaho entered the refugee resettlement arena in 1975, when Governor John Evans established the Indochinese Refugee Assistance Program in response to the need for all states to participate in the resettlement of refugees fleeing the overthrow of U.S. supported governments in Southeast Asia. The Refugee Act of 1980 was passed to set up systems to deal with the increasing number of refugees from Vietnam, and other countries of the world. In Idaho, the process of resettlement became more formalized under this Act.
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Where do refugees come from?
Refugees come to our community from all over the world.

The top five countries of origin for refugees resettled in Idaho in FY 2022 are Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Syria, and Burundi.

For more details on refugees in Idaho, CLICK HERE.
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Do refugees choose their resettlement city?
Refugees do not choose their resettlement city. Unless there is a family member they are reunifying with, refugees are subject to the process of resettlement on the national level and have no choice where they are initially settled. They are, however, able to move from their initial resettlement city to another one should they choose to.
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Who works with refugees in Idaho?
To learn more about the Idaho resettlement agencies and English Language Center, CLICK HERE!
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How are refugee service agencies connected in Idaho?
Click here for an organizational chart
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Where can I find more information on English Language Learners?
The National Center for Family Literacy has many resources on their website, including information regarding Culture and English Language Learners, Principles of Adult Learning, Working with Adult Literacy Learners, and Working with Refugee Families. 
Visit their website here.
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What services are provided by the resettlement programs?
Idaho Office for Refugees: Core Services & Extended Services
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How are refugees resettled in the U.S.? 
To read more about the security screening process, CLICK HERE.
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How can I learn more about refugees who are coming to Idaho?
Below you will find links to more information about refugees who have resettled in Idaho.
*This list is not intended to be all encompassing, and the information provided on these links is the intellectual property of the organizations who produced the materials. 
If you have a resource we should add, please email us by clicking HERE.

Search profiles by country from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

Refugees from Ukraine
UNHCR Country Operations Profile
Idaho Alliance for Ukrainian Immigrants & Refugees
Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship program
Reference list for displaced Ukrainians and Idahoans who want to help

Refugees from Afghanistan:
UNHCR Country Operations Profile
AI: Refugees From Afghanistan: The World's Largest Single Refugee Group 
Settle In resources from CORE in Dari and English
Sponsor Circles
Click here for Idaho resources, including assistance with immigration forms

Refugees from Iraq:
UNHCR Country Operations Profile
COR Refugee Backgrounder: Refugees from Iraq (pdf download)
Refugees International: Iraq

Refugees from Bhutan:
COR Refugee Backgrounder: Bhutanese Refugees from Nepal (pdf download)
COR Backgrounder Supplement: Bhutanese Refugees from Nepal

Refugees from Burma/Myanmar:
UNHCR Country Operations Profile
COR Refugee Backgrounder: Refugees from Burma (pdf download)
Refugees International: Myanmar

Refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo: 
UNHCR Country Operations Profile
COR Refugee Backgrounder: Refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo
COR Refugee Backgrounder: Banyamulenge Tutsi

For backgrounders on other cultures, visit CAL's Refugee Backgrounder Webpage.
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