Frequently Asked Questions
Who are refugees?
A refugee is someone who, according to the 1951 UN Convention and Protocal Relating to the Status of Refugees, "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it." (Convention and Protocol, pg 16)
In other words, a refugee is someone who is forced to flee their home country because of persecution.
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What's the difference between a refugee and an immigrant?
An immigrant is a person who moves to live in a different country, whether voluntarily or by force, illegally or legally, and for a variety of reasons. A refugee is a specific type of immigrant (see above).
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What is an asylee?
An asylee is someone who is unable to return to their country for the same reasons as a refugee. They entered the borders of the United States in some way (for example through a student visa) and then went through the process by seeking asylum. If granted asylum, they are legal immigrants with legal status to work in the United States.
In other words, an asylee is someone who left their country and afterwards is unable to return for fear of persecution.
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Where do Minnesota's refugees come from?
Minnesota resettles refugees from all over the world. Most come from Somalia, Ethiopia, the countries of the Former Soviet Union, Laos, Sudan, Nigeria, Iraq, Liberia, and Burma.
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How many refugees are there in Minnesota?
The exact number of refugees currently residing in Minnesota is difficult to estimate. However, between 1979 and 2005, 80,426 refugees arrived in MN and in 2005, Minnesota resettled 5,323 refugees(MN Dept of Health). A vast majority of refugees are resettled in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. For more statistics about refugee arrivals in Minnesota, please see the Refugee Health Program's website.
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How many refugees are there in the world?
According to the latest report from the UN (2005), there are 8.4 million refugees in the world protected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A large majority of these refugees reside in Africa and Central/South-West Asia. In addition, there are 4.3 million Palestinian refugees protected under another UN agency, the UNRWA. (UNHCR Statistical Yearbook, pg 3)
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Which countries resettle refugees?
The top ten countries for refugee resettlement are (in order) the United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. (Measuring Protection by Numbers, pg 22).
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How did refugees get their refugee status?
Governments establish status determination procedures to decide a person's legal standing and rights in accordance with their own legal systems. UNHCR may offer advice as part of its mandate to promote refugee law, protect refugees and supervise the implementation of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The agency advocates that governments adopt a rapid, flexible and liberal process, recognizing how difficult it often is to document persecution.
UNHCR's 70-member Executive Committee sets non-binding guidelines; and the agency's "Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status" is an authoritative interpretation of the 1951 Convention. In countries which are not party to international refugee instruments but which request UNHCR's assistance, the agency may determine a person's refugee status and offer its protection and assistance.
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How do refugees get here?
After being identified as refugees by the United Nations and being approved for the US refugee resettlement program, the take out a loan from the government to pay for their plane ticket to America (a loan which they have to start paying back four months after their arrival).
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Why do refugees choose to come to Minnesota?
Some refugees that come to the US come alone and some are joining family members (such as a spouse, parent, or child). Minnesota only takes refugees that are being reunited with family members. So, all of Minnesota's refugees come here because they already have family members here. Also, some ethnic groups already have developed communities in Minnesota. Many people, especially refugees, find comfort in being surrounded by communities of people that share their culture, eat similar foods, and speak their language.
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What does World Relief do when a refugee arrives?
World Relief works very closely with refugees for the first 90 days that they are here. World Relief offers case management services to make sure that they have safe housing, enroll in ESL classes, have all necessary furniture and personal items, and address any medical concerns. World Relief provides financial services through the Refugee Cash Assistance program. World Relief also provides employment counseling through our Refugee Employment Services program. Refugees can learn English through the Somali Adult Literacy Training classes and also valuable employment skills through the Employment Skills Class.
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Are refugees legal? Are they legal to work in the US?
Refugees are granted permanent legal immigrant status from the government. They are legal to work in the United States the minute they arrive.
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Do refugees take jobs away from Americans?
There are not a finite number of jobs available to "take". Refugees have to compete for jobs as a regular person and are not given a special advantage in the hiring process. Many refugees and immigrants work the difficult & low paying but very essential jobs that many Americans are unwilling to take. They are very essential group to our economy.
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Does the government financially support refugees?
The financial assistance that refugees recieve from the government is very minimal. They recieve $425 per person on arrival to cover all of their basic needs (beds, clothes, household goods, furniture, rent, etc).
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Do refugees come alone? Do refugees lose their family?
This depends on the individual; every person's situation is different. Some refugees come alone and some refugees arrive in a family of 13 or more.
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Do you have to be able to speak their language to teach English to refugees?
You don't have to be able to speak your student's language to be a good teacher. Humble yourself and get creative! You can use real objects, act it out, or use pictures. Do whatever you can to put the word or concept into a meaningful context for your student. However, you should learn some of their language because it's fun and it will make your student's day!
