Understanding the Refugee Settlement Program in the US
And Clarifying Some Misinformation About It
Being in the online immigration advocacy space and hosting my podcast, where I speak with immigrants, I felt a nudge to get more involved in person. Last summer, the Women of Welcome community hosted a book club for Solito by Javier Zamora. After everyone read the book, they hosted a Zoom call to discuss it, and during the call, I connected with someone who also lived in Central Florida.
We met up for lunch one day, and as we were talking and getting to know each other, she told me she volunteers with Bethany Christian Services for their Refugee Resettlement Program. She told me about her experience at the airport welcoming refugees. She also mentioned that some volunteers help take refugees to their appointments, grocery shopping, job search, and apartment setup.
I wanted to sign up! She emailed the coordinator with my information. I had to submit an application, share why I wanted to volunteer, get a background check, and provide references for them to verify. Once I got clearance, I had to go for training. During the training, they explained the program, how they help refugees, and ways for me to be supportive but compassionate towards refugees.
Bethany Christian Services is one of ten US organizations that provides resettlement services for refugees. However, they partner with the global organization UNHCR.
What Is the Refugee Resettlement Program
The refugee settlement program helps resettle individuals forced to flee their countries. Refugees must meet the definition established by the UNHCR and U.S. law: individuals who cannot return home due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) works with the UNHCR and other agencies to identify and resettle eligible refugees.
How Does the Refugee Settlement Process Work?
There are about four steps to complete for the whole resettlement process.
1. Referral
Most refugees are referred to the US by UNHCR or US embassies located abroad. These referrals are based on vulnerability and urgent protection needs.
2. Application and Processing
Refugees then submit an application through USRAP (the link for the website is not included due to the government website shut-down), which includes personal and family information. This process also includes extensive background checks and documentation.
3. Resettlement Agency
Once approved, refugees are connected with resettlement agencies like Bethany Christian Services or World Relief. From there, the agencies and volunteers help with housing, employment, school enrollment if there are children, and integration.
4. Adapting into Society
Once refugees arrive in the U.S. (sometimes this can be after they’ve been waiting for years), the resettlement agencies help them with language training, job placement support, and even culture orientation to help them adapt to the U.S.
Process for Vetting Refugees
Before arriving in the US, refugees must undergo one of the most rigorous screening processes of any other immigrant group. Here are the steps:
Biometric and Biographical Checks
Refugees provide fingerprints, photos, and personal histories, which are thoroughly examined.
2. Interview
DHS or the Department of Homeland Security officers conduct an in-depth interview to verify refugees’ stories.
3. Security Screenings
Multiple agencies conduct background checks on all refugees. Some agencies include the FBI, intelligence agencies, and the Department of Defense.
4. Health Screenings
Refugees are screened for contagious diseases to ensure public safety.
This process can take two years or more to complete, but it’s necessary to ensure the safety of the US and the protection of those seeking refuge.
The complete timeline of refugee resettlement can vary from 18 months to multiple years because of different factors like:
Refugee’s country of origin
The complexity of their case and background
Global crises affecting how many refugees need assistance.
Volunteering with Bethany Christian Services
Since I started volunteering for Bethany Christian Services, I’ve attended two airport receptions. The first one was for a family arriving from Afghanistan. They traveled for about three days, first to Dubai, then to New York, and finally to Central Florida. They were exhausted from all the traveling, and unfortunately, some of their luggage was lost in transit. So, we assisted them with filing a claim.
The second airport reception was for a couple from Nicaragua, who looked relieved to have finally arrived in the US. I welcomed them in Spanish, and they asked me if it was usually cold in Central Florida. I explained that we were dealing with a cold front at that moment, but it was not typically cold.
Because of my limited schedule, I haven’t been able to attend more airport receptions. The Trump administration has currently halted the refugee resettlement program, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go again. I pray I’ll get the chance to welcome more refugees because they deserve a safe place to live.
During training, I’ve met with other volunteers and heard their stories about what it’s like to help refugees and why they started volunteering. Some are retired, but all have a heart for the most vulnerable and want to help.
As I’ve learned more about the resettlement process and program, I’ve learned that most displaced people are in countries in Africa and the Middle East. Because the US is in the Western Hemisphere, we aren’t a leading country accepting refugees. In fact, in 2024, we weren’t even in the top 10.
There was, however, an influx of asylum-seekers from Venezuela in 2022 because of the humanitarian and economic crisis ongoing in the country.
Why Was The Resettlement Program Halted?
According to the executive order signed on January 20th by President Trump, over the past four years, the US has been inundated with record levels of migration through the US Refugee Admissions Program. However, the US cannot absorb large numbers of migrants without compromising the availability of resources for Americans. The EO implies that the refugee resettlement program takes resources from US citizens, which is inaccurate.
During the election, there was a lot of misinformation being reported about the refugee resettlement program. For example, I came across this article and the video within the article from a comment on Substack. The person who posted the article was very frustrated that “undocumented immigrants” (although another word was used, I refuse to use dehumanizing language) are receiving benefits while our disabled veterans are not.
After reading the article and listening to the video, I responded this:
In response to the part of your comment about undocumented immigrants receiving rent and utility-free apartments, I read the article and saw the videos within the article, and it’s very misleading. It talks about undocumented immigrants (I will not use the dehumanizing term), but the rep from Catholic Charities Maine mentioned “refugees.” The report is very misleading because they are using immigration terms interchangeably when migrants, undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees are NOT the same. We need to be extremely careful when reading news articles like this and watching the news. What the rep of Catholic Charities Maine in the video was talking about sounds like the same program I volunteer with for Bethany Christians Services, where they welcome VETTED refugees into the United States and help them get situated here. They do find housing for them, usually furnished by donations. They help them with job training, interview practices, getting their kids enrolled in schools, etc. But these are VETTED REFUGES. They usually have been waiting 10+ years to get into a country that will accept them (it’s not only the US that accepts refugees either). There is a limited number of refugees that the United States accepts each year and that number was actually lowered during the Trump administration. So please understand that yes, there are non-profit organizations that do help vetted refugees get settled into the US and this doesn’t take away from our veterans.
Because misinformation like this is being reported by the “news,” people unaware of the process or the program will believe it. And then will understandably be upset or frustrated, but the refugee resettlement program isn’t taking away from U.S. citizens, and it’s not for people who unlawfully entered the United States.
I pray that the resettlement program can be restored and that the U.S. will continue to welcome the most vulnerable.
Deuteronomy 10:18 — He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
Hebrews 13:2 — Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
What Can We Do to Help?
We can contact our congressional representatives and senators and let them know our thoughts on the refugee resettlement program. Here is the website where you can find yours.
Follow organizations like We Choose Welcome and Women of Welcome to stay current on non-partisan immigration information.
Donate to World Relief or Bethany Christian Services, whose government funding is currently paused, and they’ve had to furlough staff. There are still refugees in the U.S. who arrived briefly before the new administration came and still need assistance.
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Written With All The Love, Heidy
This article was published in The Antagonist Magazine on Medium.
As always, thank you so much for being here! :)
So helpful, friend! Thank you for being an advocate and sharing the information!
Amen, Heidy. My husband and I worked with a refugee family a few years back, and it was a wonderful experience. We went to their apartment once a week, helped them acclimate, took them to doctors, and became friends. Thankfully, they are doing well to this day. Refugees wait an average of 17 years (I think that's accurate - heard it in church a couple weeks ago) many times in awful conditions. My husband worked for World Relief for 8 years, so we are well aware of the misinformation about refugees. I pray that many will read your article and reassess their views of refugees.