A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country because they had to escape war, persecution, or a natural disaster. The United States has the largest resettlement program in the world. Refugee resettlement to the U.S. is offered to the most vulnerable refugee cases. There is a process to refugee settlement. It takes about two years and involves many U.S. governmental agencies. Refugees do not choose the country in which they want to live in. According to UNHCR, “UN Refugee Agency identifies the most vulnerable refugees for resettlement and then makes recommendations to select countries.” When a refugee is recommended to the U.S. for settlement, the U.S. government carefully and critically examine each applicant. The process includes many things. According to UNHCR, “Screening by eight federal agencies including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI; Six security database checks and biometric security checks screened against U.S. federal databases; Medical screening; Three in-person interviews with Department of Homeland Security officers.”

If a refugee has been approved and has a relative living in the U.S., then efforts are made to place the refugee near the relative. The State Department’s Reception and Placement Program provides things for refugees. According to the American Immigration Council, “The State Department’s Reception and Placement Program provides funds to cover refugees’ rent, furnishings, food, and clothing for an initial 90-day period.” The Office of Refugee Resettlement also provides for refugees. According to the American Immigration Council, “The Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services provides longer-term cash and medical assistance, along with other social services such as language classes and employment training to support the integration of refugees into local communities.”

The hope for refugees to resettle in the United States changed in 2017. According to the American Immigration Council, “In January of that year, President Trump administration suspended the entire U.S. refugee admissions program for 120 days.” The Trump administration continued lowering the admissions in the following years. Biden changed it. According to the American Immigration Council, “Initially, the Biden administration maintained that ceiling, but later raised it to 62,500.”