Refugees to the USA Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet 

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration 

Washington, DC 

October 1, 2008 

Refugee Admissions Reception & Placement Program 

Each refugee approved for admission to the United States is sponsored by one of ten resettlement agencies participating in the Reception & Placement (R&P) Program under a cooperative agreement with the Department of State.  The sponsoring agency is responsible for placing refugees with one of its affiliated offices and for providing initial services, which include housing, essential furnishings, food clothing, community orientation, and referral to other social, medical and employment services, for the refugees’ first 30-90 days in the United States.  The R&P Program is a public-private partnership, which anticipates that 

sponsoring agencies will contribute significant cash and/or in-kind resources to supplement U.S. Government funding for the program.   

Although refugees are eligible for public assistance when they first arrive, the U.S. Government emphasizes early economic self-sufficiency through employment to speed their integration into American society.  During the refugees’ initial transition period, programs funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement and administered either by the states or resettlement agencies provide cash 

and medical assistance, employment services, English language training, and other support services.   Refugees are admitted to the United States by the Department of Homeland Security. After twelve months of residency, refugees are required to apply for adjustment of status to that of permanent resident alien.  After five years in the United States, refugees may apply for citizenship. 

The voluntary agencies participating in the Refugee Admissions Reception and Placement Program in FY2009 are: 

Church World Service 

Episcopal Migration Ministries 

Ethiopian Community Development Council 

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society 

Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services 

International Rescue Committee 

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service 

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants 

World Relief