{ "id": "RL31269", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL31269", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 589429, "date": "2018-12-18", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T20:18:36.294572", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy ", "summary": "A refugee is a person fleeing his or her 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. Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. \nFor FY2019, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 30,000. The FY2019 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (11,000), East Asia (4,000), Europe and Central Asia (3,000), Latin America/ Caribbean (3,000), and Near East/South Asia (9,000). This 30,000 ceiling is the lowest annual ceiling since the establishment of the U.S. refugee admissions program in 1980. Refugee admissions in FY2018 totaled 22,491, the lowest annual level of refugee arrivals in the United States in the history of the refugee admissions program.\nThe Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) within the Department of State (DOS) coordinates and manages the U.S. refugee program. Generally, PRM arranges for a nongovernmental organization, an international organization, or U.S. embassy contractors to manage a Resettlement Support Center that assists in refugee processing. \nOverseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum.\nThe Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS\u2019s) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for adjudicating refugee cases. To be eligible for admission to the United States as a refugee, an individual must meet the definition of a refugee, not be firmly resettled in another country, be determined to be of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and be admissible to the United States.\nThe Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) administers a transitional assistance program for temporarily dependent refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others. For FY2018, the Refugee and Entrant Assistance account was funded at $2.051 billion.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31269", "sha1": "988b5ef1877a42448efd1b733d5cee7aa318f7bd", "filename": "files/20181218_RL31269_988b5ef1877a42448efd1b733d5cee7aa318f7bd.html", "images": {} }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31269", "sha1": "79f57f7a2962d7bd75f308e37c2b8a1a6263f879", "filename": "files/20181218_RL31269_79f57f7a2962d7bd75f308e37c2b8a1a6263f879.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4791, "name": "Asylees, Refugees, & Other Humanitarian Concerns" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 585867, "date": "2017-11-07", "retrieved": "2018-10-04T14:01:46.367273", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "A refugee is a person fleeing his or her 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. Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. \nFor FY2018, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 45,000. The FY2018 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (19,000), East Asia (5,000), Europe and Central Asia (2,000), Latin America/Caribbean (1,500), and Near East/South Asia (17,500). Refugee admissions in FY2017 totaled 53,716.\nOn October 24, 2017, a 120-day suspension of the refugee admissions program put in place by President Donald Trump expired. The same day, President Trump issued an executive order that provided for the resumption of the refugee program subject to certain conditions. The executive order referenced \u201cspecial measures\u201d that would be applied to refugees whose entry poses potential threats to the United States. Among other provisions, it directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to determine within 90 days whether any steps that were taken to address the risks posed by the admission of any category of refugees should be modified or terminated. \nThe Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) within the Department of State (DOS) coordinates and manages the U.S. refugee program. Generally, PRM arranges for a non-governmental organization, an international organization, or U.S. embassy contractors to manage a Resettlement Support Center that assists in refugee processing. \nOverseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum.\nThe Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS\u2019s) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for adjudicating refugee cases. To be eligible for admission to the United States as a refugee, an individual must meet the definition of a refugee, not be firmly resettled in another country, be determined to be of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and be admissible to the United States.\nThe Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) administers an initial transitional assistance program for temporarily dependent refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others. For FY2017, the Refugee and Entrant Assistance account was funded at $2.141 billion, which included $1.675 billion appropriated in P.L. 115-31 and $467 million in funds transferred from within HHS.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31269", "sha1": "4e3593b3cc468bbbb6dab17bf29eddad147d6c9f", "filename": "files/20171107_RL31269_4e3593b3cc468bbbb6dab17bf29eddad147d6c9f.html", "images": {} }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31269", "sha1": "51a467769b48529f41ef7ac004bb565cbc0de441", "filename": "files/20171107_RL31269_51a467769b48529f41ef7ac004bb565cbc0de441.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4791, "name": "Asylees, Refugees, & Other Humanitarian Concerns" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 457309, "date": "2016-11-30", "retrieved": "2016-12-09T19:09:29.122594", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "A refugee is a person fleeing his or her 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. Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. \nFor FY2017, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 110,000, with 96,000 admissions numbers allocated among the regions of the world and 14,000 numbers comprising an unallocated reserve. An unallocated reserve is to be used if, and where, a need develops for refugee slots in excess of the allocated numbers. The FY2017 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (35,000), East Asia (12,000), Europe and Central Asia (4,000), Latin America/Caribbean (5,000), and Near East/South Asia (40,000).\nOverseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum.\nThe Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS\u2019s) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for adjudicating refugee cases. To be eligible for admission to the United States as a refugee, an individual must meet the definition of a refugee, not be firmly resettled in another country, be determined to be of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and be admissible to the United States.\nSpecial legislative provisions make it easier for members of certain groups to obtain refugee status. The \u201cLautenberg Amendment,\u201d which was first enacted in 1989, allows certain former Soviet and Indochinese nationals to qualify for refugee status based on their membership in a protected category with a credible fear of persecution. In 2004, Congress amended the Lautenberg Amendment to add the \u201cSpecter Amendment,\u201d which requires the designation of categories of Iranian religious minorities whose cases are to be adjudicated under the Lautenberg Amendment\u2019s reduced evidentiary standard. The Lautenberg Amendment, as amended by the Specter Amendment, has been regularly extended. Most recently, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113) extends the Lautenberg Amendment through September 30, 2016. \nThe Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) administers an initial transitional assistance program for temporarily dependent refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others. The FY2016 appropriation for refugee and entrant assistance in P.L. 114-113 is $1,674,691,000.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31269", "sha1": "cb8e451d3417e051e98feeb33e0a56e38eca99ef", "filename": "files/20161130_RL31269_cb8e451d3417e051e98feeb33e0a56e38eca99ef.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31269", "sha1": "eb3d41734b863ebff059ab65751beb3c6523e2d8", "filename": "files/20161130_RL31269_eb3d41734b863ebff059ab65751beb3c6523e2d8.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4791, "name": "Asylees, Refugees, & Other Humanitarian Concerns" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 449911, "date": "2016-02-16", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T17:10:33.726227", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "A refugee is a person fleeing his or her 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. Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. \nFor FY2016, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 85,000, with 79,000 admissions numbers allocated among the regions of the world and 6,000 numbers comprising an unallocated reserve. An unallocated reserve is to be used if, and where, a need develops for refugee slots in excess of the allocated numbers. The FY2016 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (25,000), East Asia (13,000), Europe and Central Asia (4,000), Latin America/Caribbean (3,000), and Near East/South Asia (34,000).\nOverseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum.\nSpecial legislative provisions make it easier for members of certain groups to obtain refugee status. The \u201cLautenberg Amendment,\u201d which was first enacted in 1989, allows certain former Soviet and Indochinese nationals to qualify for refugee status based on their membership in a protected category with a credible fear of persecution. In 2004, Congress amended the Lautenberg Amendment to add the \u201cSpecter Amendment,\u201d which requires the designation of categories of Iranian religious minorities whose cases are to be adjudicated under the Lautenberg Amendment\u2019s reduced evidentiary standard. The Lautenberg Amendment, as amended by the Specter Amendment, has been regularly extended. Most recently, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113) extends the Lautenberg Amendment through September 30, 2016. \nThe Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) administers an initial transitional assistance program for temporarily dependent refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others. The FY2016 appropriation for refugee and entrant assistance in P.L. 114-113 is $1,674,691,000.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31269", "sha1": "03bc49fc596adcac41508711f2eaa9a801b16884", "filename": "files/20160216_RL31269_03bc49fc596adcac41508711f2eaa9a801b16884.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31269", "sha1": "676c209e930027ea7599981dd69281d4f5c918ea", "filename": "files/20160216_RL31269_676c209e930027ea7599981dd69281d4f5c918ea.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3241, "name": "Global Health, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Policy" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 676, "name": "Immigration Policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503648/", "id": "RL31269_2015Feb18", "date": "2015-02-18", "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "This report discusses the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region that are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150218_RL31269_be2b5558addfaebe375dde0d264bf9231260f4d0.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150218_RL31269_be2b5558addfaebe375dde0d264bf9231260f4d0.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugees", "name": "Refugees" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugee policy", "name": "Refugee policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Right of asylum", "name": "Right of asylum" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc284506/", "id": "RL31269_2014Mar06", "date": "2014-03-06", "retrieved": "2014-05-06T21:21:54", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "This report discusses the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region that are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140306_RL31269_fc3301bfe21473e84272c98e6df7cf7a8271791b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140306_RL31269_fc3301bfe21473e84272c98e6df7cf7a8271791b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugees", "name": "Refugees" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugee policy", "name": "Refugee policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Right of asylum", "name": "Right of asylum" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc227970/", "id": "RL31269_2013Aug08", "date": "2013-08-08", "retrieved": "2013-11-05T18:07:05", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "This report discusses the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region that are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130808_RL31269_33e95fb2443fe63cd53952e173d15ad996d87266.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130808_RL31269_33e95fb2443fe63cd53952e173d15ad996d87266.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugees", "name": "Refugees" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugee policy", "name": "Refugee policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Right of asylum", "name": "Right of asylum" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc86642/", "id": "RL31269_2012Mar07", "date": "2012-03-07", "retrieved": "2012-06-15T10:07:48", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": "Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. For FY2012, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 76,000, with 73,000 admissions numbers allocated among the regions of the world and 3,000 numbers comprising an unallocated reserve. Overseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum. Special legislative provisions facilitate relief for certain refugee groups.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120307_RL31269_5c2abc1dfd1403f18d6b65a755e5ed463caeadd1.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120307_RL31269_5c2abc1dfd1403f18d6b65a755e5ed463caeadd1.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Immigration", "name": "Immigration" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugee policy", "name": "Refugee policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc813651/", "id": "RL31269_2008Jan24", "date": "2008-01-24", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080124_RL31269_9d81df6e08f75a321984ffe48fb97abafbf25e98.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080124_RL31269_9d81df6e08f75a321984ffe48fb97abafbf25e98.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc812104/", "id": "RL31269_2007Jan25", "date": "2007-01-25", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070125_RL31269_cb86e1dc3cd266e5e78edae73c570f1eb15bbe86.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070125_RL31269_cb86e1dc3cd266e5e78edae73c570f1eb15bbe86.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc811594/", "id": "RL31269_2006Jan25", "date": "2006-01-25", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20060125_RL31269_1eb2b6f0767a68e5b1a6fbcdeedbd22ad35d0a67.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20060125_RL31269_1eb2b6f0767a68e5b1a6fbcdeedbd22ad35d0a67.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs3164/", "id": "RL31269 2002-01-22", "date": "2002-01-22", "retrieved": "2005-06-11T20:40:05", "title": "Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20020122_RL31269_1d8e27962eab0543f6172040c1079d3b4b2067c1.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20020122_RL31269_1d8e27962eab0543f6172040c1079d3b4b2067c1.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Immigration", "name": "Immigration" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Refugee policy", "name": "Refugee policy" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Immigration Policy", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }