PROPOSED REFUGEE ADMISSIONS

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021

REPORT TO CONGRESS

SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

TO THE

COMMITTEES ON THE JUDICIARY

UNITED STATES SENATE

AND

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF

SECTIONS 207(d)(1) AND (e)

OF THE

IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................4

Who is a Refugee?.....................................................................................................................................4

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic ..........................................................................................................4

Rising Protection Claims and Backlog .....................................................................................................5

Security Vetting in Refugee Admissions....................................................................................................6

DHS/USCIS Credible Fear Caseload FY 2011-2020 ...............................................................................7

DOJ/EOIR Immigration Court Asylum Caseload FY 2011-2020.............................................................8

Refugee Admissions and Asylum Grants Since 1980 ................................................................................9

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS..........................................................................................................10

I. DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF THE REFUGEE SITUATION.......................................11

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMBER AND ALLOCATION OF THE REFUGEES TO BE 

ADMITTED AND AN ANALYSIS OF CONDITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTRIES FROM 

WHICH THEY CAME ............................................................................................................................13

Proposed FY 2021 Allocations ...............................................................................................................13

Country Conditions.................................................................................................................................13

Religious Freedom..................................................................................................................................14

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PLANS FOR THEIR MOVEMENT AND 

RESETTLEMENT AND THE ESTIMATED COST OF THEIR MOVEMENT AND 

RESETTLEMENT ...................................................................................................................................15

Overseas Processing...............................................................................................................................15

Adjudication........................................................................................................................................15

Post-Adjudication Processing.............................................................................................................15

Transportation ....................................................................................................................................15

Cultural Orientation ...........................................................................................................................15

Reception and Placement (R&P)............................................................................................................16

Where are Refugees Resettled?...........................................................................................................16

Executive Order 13888 on Enhancing State and Local Participation in Refugee Resettlement ........17

What Do the Resettlement Agencies Do?............................................................................................17

What Happens When Refugees Arrive? ..............................................................................................17

Beyond Reception and Placement...........................................................................................................18

Estimated Cost for Refugee Processing and Resettlement......................................................................19

IV. ANALYSIS OF THE ANTICIPATED SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND DEMOGRAPHIC 

IMPACT OF THEIR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES.......................................................20
3

V. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES WILL ADMIT AND 

ASSIST IN THE RESETTLEMENT OF SUCH REFUGEES.............................................................21

VI. ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN 

THE RESETTLEMENT OF SUCH REFUGEES ON THE FOREIGN POLICY INTERESTS OF 

THE UNITED STATES ...........................................................................................................................23

VII. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...................................................................................................24

FY 2019 USRAP Admissions by Country of Origin................................................................................24

FY 2019 USRAP Arrivals by State of Initial Resettlement......................................................................26

ANNEX 1: USRAP ACCESS CATEGORIES ......................................................................................28

Priority 1 (P-1): Individual Referrals....................................................................................................28

Priority 2 (P-2): Group Referrals..........................................................................................................28

Priority 3 (P-3): Family Reunification ..................................................................................................29

Following-to-Join Family Reunification Petitions .................................................................................30
4

INTRODUCTION

The United States anticipates receiving more than 300,000 new asylum claimants and 

refugees in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. Pursuant to Section 207(d) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA), the President proposes resettling up to 15,000 refugees under the FY 

2021 refugee admissions ceiling, and anticipates receiving new asylum claims that include

more than 290,000 individuals. This proposed refugee admissions ceiling reflects the 

continuing backlog of over 1.1 million asylum-seekers who are awaiting adjudication of 

their claims inside the United States, and it accounts for the arrival of refugees whose 

resettlement in the United States was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Who is a Refugee?

Under Section 101(a)(42) of the INA, a refugee is an alien who, generally, has experienced past 

persecution or has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, 

membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Individuals who meet the statutory 

definition may be considered for either refugee status under Section 207 of the INA if they are 

outside the United States, or asylum status under Section 208 of the INA, if they are already in 

the United States or present themselves at a U.S. port of entry. Both refugee and asylum status 

are forms of humanitarian protection offered by the United States.

Individuals outside the United States seeking admission as a refugee under Section 207 of the 

INA are processed through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which is managed 

by the Department of State in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Those admitted as refugees are eligible for 

U.S. government-funded resettlement assistance, which is discussed in section III. Individuals in 

the United States seeking asylum status under Section 208 of the INA are processed by DHS 

and, in certain cases, by the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Executive Office for Immigration 

Review (EOIR, also known as the immigration court system). Asylum applicants are not eligible 

for resettlement assistance through USRAP but are eligible for certain other forms of assistance 

and services run by state, private, and non-profit agencies, and they may apply for discretionary 

employment authorization under certain conditions.

Since the passage of the Refugee Act in 1980, which incorporated this definition of refugee into 

the INA, the United States has accepted more than 3.8 million refugees and asylees. In FY 2020, 

the United States anticipates admitting approximately 11,000 refugees for resettlement and 

granting asylum to approximately 31,000 individuals.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Refugee resettlement in the United States decreased significantly in FY 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic. Due to travel restrictions in and out of refugee processing sites worldwide, 

USRAP suspended refugee arrivals from March 19 to July 29, 2020 except for emergency cases. 

USRAP resumed general refugee arrivals July 30, 2020 with additional health measures 

specified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, reduced flight 

availability due to the general decrease in demand for international travel meant a slow pace of 
5

refugee resettlement in the United States through the rest of FY 2020. Almost 7,000 of the 

18,000 refugee numbers available under the FY 2020 Presidential Determination went unused. 

The President’s proposed refugee admissions ceiling for FY 2021 incorporates these places that 

might have been used if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic also decreased the number of aliens seeking humanitarian protection 

at the U.S. southern border. In order to protect public health, CDC issued an order March 20, 

2020 temporarily suspending the introduction of persons into the United States, subject to certain 

exceptions, who would otherwise be introduced into a congregate setting in a land Port of Entry 

or Border Patrol station at or near the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. Since then, 

credible fear1receipts dropped significantly, from over 4,500 per month in January and February 

to approximately 500 to 700 per month in April through August 2020. 

The decreased number of aliens seeking humanitarian protection at the U.S. southern border due 

to COVID-19 pandemic has increased USCIS’s capacity to address its case backlog. However, 

the COVID-19 pandemic also required USCIS to close its asylum offices to in-person services 

for nearly three months. When they re-opened to in-person services, it was with procedural 

changes and administrative controls to protect the health of the public and staff. These necessary 

measures have reduced asylum interview capacity, which may affect the number of asylum cases 

that can be completed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the assimilation of resettled refugees and approved 

asylees into American society and their progress towards self-sufficiency. Widespread hiring 

freezes, layoffs, and reduced hours, wages, and benefits in the hospitality and transportation 

industries hit many refugees, who often find their first jobs in these sectors. The closure of 

schools and childcare centers has also affected working refugees, who now must stay home to 

care for their children. In April 2020, HHS issued several policy letters and program guidelines 

allowing for various waiver and program flexibilities to address the impact of the pandemic. 

HHS also expanded the eligibility period for certain forms of assistance to refugees and provided 

additional funding to for emergency assistance needs. 

Rising Protection Claims and Backlog

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of aliens encountered along or near the 

U.S. southern border with Mexico. (Although the number of such encounters dipped at the 

beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has now returned to its pre-pandemic level.) This trend 

has corresponded with a sharp increase in the number and percentage of those who claim fear of 

persecution or torture when apprehended or encountered by DHS, as shown in the tables below. 

 

1 Asylum Officers of DHS’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conduct a credible fear of 

persecution or torture interview when a person who is subject to expedited removal expresses an intention to apply 

for asylum, expresses a fear of persecution or torture, or expresses a fear of return to his or her country. An 

individual will be found to have a credible fear of persecution if he or she establishes that there is a “significant 

possibility” that he or she could establish in a full hearing before an Immigration Judge that he or she has been 

persecuted or has a well-founded fear of persecution or harm on account of his or her race, religion, nationality, 

membership in a particular social group, or political opinion if returned to his or her country.
6

In FY 2019, DHS received and completed more than 100,000 new credible fear cases, a record 

high since the credible fear process was introduced more than 20 years ago, and an increase of 

more than 113 percent since FY 2015. DHS also received over 148,000 new affirmative asylum2

cases, while the immigration courts3received 213,320 new asylum filings. According to the UN 

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United States led the world in the number of 

new asylum applications received in calendar years 2017, 2018, and 2019.

These new cases added to the lengthy backlog of pending claims, undermining the integrity of 

the asylum system. They delay the grant of asylum to individuals who are legitimately fleeing 

persecution and have valid claims. Further, such delays are a pull factor for illegal immigration. 

By providing protection from removal, they create an incentive for those without lawful status to 

enter and remain in the United States. 

The increasing number of asylum claims also represents a cost to U.S. government benefits 

programs. While asylum applicants are not eligible for the Reception & Placement assistance 

offered to refugees and discussed in section III, those who have been granted asylum status under 

Section 208 of the INA are eligible for other assistance and services funded by the HHS Office 

of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). This is in addition to mainstream federal means-tested public 

benefits for which refugees and asylees are eligible, even ones otherwise unavailable to lawful 

permanent residents, as well as any other assistance they might receive under state law. For FY 

2021, ORR predicts 45,600 asylees will be eligible. 

To address this backlog, DHS has introduced efficiency measures to maximize case processing; 

undertaken regulatory, policy, and procedural changes to deter and screen for non-meritorious

filings; and increased the USCIS Asylum Division’s adjudicative capacity by expanding its field 

office workforce and facilities. 

DOJ continues to hire new immigration judges and support staff to reduce the case backlog in the 

immigration court system, which will include approximately 575,000 pending asylum cases at 

the end of FY 2020. It has hired 274 new immigration judges since the beginning of FY 2018, 

and it continues to seek additional courtroom space to increase its adjudicatory capacity. It has 

also implemented process improvements, such as the use of video teleconferencing, to maximize 

its existing adjudicatory capacity and ensure that the pending caseload does not increase at an 

even faster rate. 

Security Vetting in Refugee Admissions

The December 2017 National Security Strategy says the United States “will enhance vetting of 

prospective immigrants, refugees, and other foreign visitors to identify individuals who might 

pose a risk to national security or public safety” and “will set higher security standards to ensure 

that we keep dangerous people out of the United States.”

 

2 Affirmative asylum applications are filed by asylum-seekers who are not in removal proceedings in the 

immigration court system. USCIS’s Asylum Division is responsible for processing affirmative asylum applications.

3 The DOJ/EOIR immigration court system handles asylum applications filed by aliens who are in removal 

proceedings and asylum applications referred by USCIS.
7

Refugees admitted to the United States are similar to individuals traveling on immigrant visas 

insofar as they are resettling here permanently and are afforded a pathway to U.S. citizenship. 

Refugees may pose an additional risk to the security of the United States because, if it is 

determined after admission that they present a threat to national security or public safety, it is 

extremely difficult to remove certain refugees in immigration proceedings for lack of a country 

to which they can be removed without the possibility of persecution. Due to limits on the 

maximum amount of time such aliens can be held, it is likely that a refugee without a country to 

return to would be released into the interior of the United States.

Pursuant to Executive Order 13780, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the 

Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, developed a model to assess national 

security and public-safety threats for foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States. 

Among the risk factors considered is “whether the country is a known or potential terrorist safe 

haven.” Using that model, which has been updated and refined, the Secretary of Homeland 

Security has recommended, and the President has taken action, to restrict the travel of nationals 

from a number of countries due to, among other factors, a high risk relative to other countries in 

the world of terrorist travel to the United States. Among the countries whose nationals are 

subject to travel restrictions are Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.4

The threat to U.S. national security and public safety posed by the admission of refugees from 

high-risk areas of terrorist presence or control is significant and cannot be fully mitigated at this 

time. As a result, the President proposes not admitting any refugees from such areas, including 

Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, except those refugees of special humanitarian concern listed in the 

proposed FY 2021 allocations, such as those who have been persecuted or have a well-founded 

fear of persecution on account of religion. These narrowly-tailored exceptions are appropriate in 

order to promote family unity and to promote U.S. humanitarian and foreign policy interests. 

DHS/USCIS Credible Fear Caseload FY 2011-2020

Fiscal 

Year

New 

Receipts

Fear 

Found

Fear Not 

Found

Closed Pending at end of 

FY

2011 11,217 9,423 1,054 1,052 295

2012 13,880 10,838 1,187 1,554 1,488

2013 36,035 30,393 2,587 3,194 890

2014 51,001 35,456 8,977 4,204 787

2015 48,052 33,988 8,097 6,330 3,045

2016 94,048 73,081 9,697 10,212 4,420

2017 78,564 60,566 8,245 10,899 1,658

2018 98,078 74,287 9,176 13,298 1,317

2019 105,300 92,623 16,600 10,663 4,683

2020530,113 12,611 16,028 4,520 913

 

4 See Presidential Proclamation 9645, Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry 

into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats, and Presidential Proclamation 9983, Improving 

Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry.

5 As of August 31, 2020.
8

DHS/USCIS Asylum Caseload FY 2011-2020

Fiscal 

Year

New receipts (individuals) Receipts Pending at end of FY (individuals)

2011 44,617 11,520

2012 54,852 19,475

2013 60,829 42,452

2014 80,011 83,071

2015 117,679 154,552

2016 167,867 297,363

2017 208,509 456,816

2018 160,561 507,957

2019 148,956 549,290

20206130,132 598,692

DOJ/EOIR Immigration Court Asylum Caseload FY 2011-2020

Fiscal 

Year

New filings (individuals) Pending at end of FY (individuals)

2011 41,468 94,307

2012 44,589 103,739

2013 43,507 107,095

2014 47,610 116,915

2015 63,746 139,207

2016 82,773 170,890

2017 145,285 267,515

2018 164,381 368,995

2019 213,335 479,662

20207155,029 549,724

 

6 As of August 31, 2020.

7 As of June 30, 2020.
9

Refugee Admissions and Asylum Grants Since 1980

Fiscal Year Refugee Arrivals Individual Asylum Grants8 Annual Totals

1980 207,116 1,104 208,220

1981 159,252 1,175 160,427

1982 98,096 3,909 102,005

1983 61,218 7,215 68,433

1984 70,393 8,278 78,671

1985 67,704 4,585 72,289

1986 62,146 3,359 65,505

1987 64,528 4,062 68,590

1988 76,483 5,531 82,014

1989 107,070 6,942 114,012

1990 122,066 8,472 130,538

1991 113,389 5,035 118,424

1992 132,531 6,307 138,838

1993 119,448 9,543 128,991

1994 112,981 13,828 126,809

1995 99,974 20,703 120,677

1996 76,403 23,532 99,935

1997 70,488 22,939 93,427

1998 77,080 20,507 97,587

1999 85,525 26,571 112,096

2000 73,147 32,514 105,661

2001 69,304 39,148 108,452

2002 27,110 36,937 64,047

2003 28,422 28,743 57,165

2004 52,868 27,376 80,244

2005 53,813 25,304 79,117

2006 41,279 26,352 67,631

2007 48,281 25,318 73,599

2008 60,192 23,022 83,214

2009 74,654 22,303 96,957

2010 73,311 19,771 93,082

2011 56,424 23,569 79,993

2012 58,238 27,948 86,186

2013 69,925 24,996 94,921

2014 69,987 23,369 93,356

2015 69,933 26,011 95,944

2016 84,994 20,340 105,334

2017 53,716 26,568 80,284 

2018 22,491 38,687 61,178

2019 30,000 46,203 76,203

Totals 3,101,980 768,076 3,870,056

 

8 1980-1989 figures exclude grants of asylum by DOJ/EOIR.
10

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

This Proposed Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021 Report to the Congress is submitted in 

compliance with Sections 207(d)(1) and (e) of the INA. This report provides the following 

information required by those sections:

(1) A description of the nature of the refugee situation;

(2) A description of the number and allocation of the refugees to be admitted, and an analysis 

of conditions within the countries from which they came;

(3) A description of the plans for their movement and resettlement and the estimated cost of 

their movement and resettlement;

(4) An analysis of the anticipated social, economic, and demographic impact of their 

admission to the United States; 

(5) A description of the extent to which other countries will admit and assist in the 

resettlement of such refugees;

(6) An analysis of the impact of the participation of the United States in the resettlement of 

such refugees on the foreign policy interests of the United States; and

(7) Such additional information as may be appropriate or requested by such members.

This report also contains information as required by Section 602(d) of the International Religious 

Freedom Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-292, October 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2787) (IRFA), as 

amended, about religious persecution of refugee populations eligible for consideration for 

admission to the United States.

This report also meets the reporting requirements of Section 305(b) of the North Korean Human 

Rights Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-333, October 18, 2004, 118 Stat. 1287), as amended, by 

providing information about specific measures taken to facilitate access to the United States 

refugee program for individuals who have fled “countries of particular concern” for violations of 

religious freedoms, identified pursuant to Section 402(b) of the IRFA.
11

I. DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF THE REFUGEE SITUATION

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there were 26 million 

refugees around the world at the end of calendar year 2019.

9

 This figure includes 5.6 million 

Palestinians under the mandate of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in 

the Near East (UNRWA). It also includes an unknown number of individuals who qualify as 

refugees under UNHCR’s mandate but would not qualify as refugees under U.S. law.

10

Africa: According to UNHCR, the refugee population in sub-Saharan Africa totaled 6.4 million

at the end of 2019. South Sudanese are still the largest refugee population in the region, with 

more than 2.3 million. Most refugees from South Sudan were in Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and 

Kenya. The number of Somali refugees declined from about 774,000 to about 762,000; Ethiopia, 

Kenya, and Yemen, were the main host countries. There were nearly 917,000 refugees and 

asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an increase from 720,000 the 

previous year; Uganda hosted the vast majority, with smaller populations in Rwanda, Burundi, 

and Tanzania. Refugees from Burundi in neighboring countries totaled about 334,000, mainly in 

Tanzania and Rwanda. The number of refugees from the Central African Republic increased 

from 591,000 to over 600,000, almost all of them in neighboring Chad, Cameroon, the DRC and 

the Republic of Congo.

Asia: UNHCR reports there were 4.1 million refugees in Asia at the end of 2019, a decrease of 

almost 4,000 from the end of 2018. Refugees from Afghanistan have been a significant 

population since the 1980s. Despite the voluntary repatriation of millions of Afghan refugees 

since 2002, they are the third-largest group of refugees in the world at 2.7 million. Most were in 

Pakistan, about 1.4 million, while Iran hosted another 951,000. More than 1.1 million people 

from Burma, including more than 710,000 Rohingya fleeing violence and atrocities, have left 

Burma; about the same as last year. The vast majority are in Bangladesh, while India, Malaysia, 

and Thailand host smaller populations.

Europe: According to UNHCR, the refugee population in Europe increased by approximately 

100,000 during 2019, to nearly 6.6 million. The vast majority came from outside the region, 

particularly Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Turkey hosted the largest refugee population in the 

world: approximately 3.9 million, up from 3.7 million. Most were Syrians (3.6 million), with 

much smaller numbers of Afghans, Iraqis, Iranians, and other nationalities. 

 

9 Unless noted otherwise, all figures in this section come from the UNHCR Report Global Trends: Forced 

Displacement 2019. Note that UNHCR counts on a calendar year basis.

10 The definition of refugee at Section 101(a)(42) of the INA is consistent with the 1951 Convention Relating to the 

Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. The United States is a party to the 1967 Protocol. However, UNHCR 

uses a broader definition, and not all of the individuals it counts would qualify as refugees under the INA. 

UNHCR’s figures also include individuals who are recognized under other instruments, such as the 1969 

Organization of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa; 

recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute; granted complementary and temporary forms of protection; and, 

in 15 Latin American countries, covered by the criteria in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees. UNHCR’s 

figure also includes individuals “in refugee-like situations that includes groups of people who are outside their 

country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees but for whom refugee status 

has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained.”
12

Latin America and the Caribbean: UNHCR reports there were about 150,000 refugees in the 

Americas outside of the United States and Canada at the end of 2019. Over the last few years,

Venezuela has gone from becoming a refuge for displaced Colombians to becoming a source of 

displaced people itself, as more than five million Venezuelans have fled political repression and 

economic decline. In addition, poor economic conditions and high levels of generalized 

violence, factors that are not the basis for refugee or asylum status, continued to contribute to 

hundreds of thousands of Central Americans leaving their home countries. At the end of 2019, 

the number of individuals seeking refugee or asylum status included more than 178,000 from El 

Salvador, more than 142,000 from Guatemala, and more than 149,000 from Honduras. The vast 

majority sought protection in the United States. In addition, nearly 100,000 Nicaraguans have 

left their home country since political unrest and economic trouble started there in April 2018.

Near East and North Africa: According to UNHCR, there were about 2.6 million refugees in 

the Middle East and North Africa at the end of 2019, a slight decrease from the end of 2018. 

Syria remained the main country of origin of refugees worldwide due to the ongoing civil war 

that began in 2011; the number of Syrian refugees remained around 6.7 million at end-2019. In 

addition to those in Turkey, Germany, and Sweden, who are counted as part of the Europe figure 

above, there were nearly 915,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon, nearly 655,000 in Jordan, nearly 

247,000 in Iraq, and 129,200 in Egypt. 
13

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMBER AND ALLOCATION OF THE REFUGEES TO 

BE ADMITTED AND AN ANALYSIS OF CONDITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTRIES 

FROM WHICH THEY CAME

Proposed FY 2021 Allocations

Population of special humanitarian concern Admit up to

Refugees who:

 have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear of 

persecution on account of religion; or 

 who are within a category of aliens established under 

subsection (b) of Section 599D of Title V, P.L. 101-167, as 

amended (the Lautenberg and Specter Amendments).

5,000

Refugees who are within a category of aliens listed in Section 

1243(a) of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007, Title XII, 

Div. A, P.L. 110-181, as amended.

4,000

Refugees who are nationals or habitual residents of El Salvador, 

Guatemala, or Honduras.

1,000

Other refugees in the following groups: 

 Those referred to the USRAP by a U.S. embassy in any 

location. 

 Those who will be admitted through a Form I-730 

following-to-join petition or who gain access to the USRAP 

for family reunification through the P-3 process.

 Those currently located in Australia, Nauru, or Papua New 

Guinea who gain access to USRAP pursuant to an 

arrangement between the United States and Australia. 

 Those who are nationals or habitual residents of Hong 

Kong, Venezuela, or Cuba.

 Those in the USRAP who were in “Ready for Departure” 

status as of September 30, 2019.

5,000

Total proposed refugee admissions in FY 2021 15,000

Country Conditions

The Department of State’s annual Country Reports on Human Right Practices 

(www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/) and annual Report to Congress on International Religious 

Freedom (www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/) include information about conditions in every country in 

the world, including those from which the United States resettles refugees. It is important to 

note, however, that not all the practices described in these reports would be recognized as 

“persecution” under Section 101(a)(42) of the INA.
14

Religious Freedom

The United States is committed to advancing international religious freedom, including the 

protection of religious minority groups, across the globe. To this end, the Administration 

proposes a dedicated allocation for refugees who suffered or fear persecution on account of 

religion and refugees who are within the categories established through the Lautenberg and 

Specter amendments.

On December 18, 2019, Secretary of State Pompeo designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, 

North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular 

Concern (CPCs) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for engaging in or 

tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The Secretary also 

placed Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch 

List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.

The USRAP provides access in various ways to refugees who suffer religious persecution, 

including from CPC countries:

 Priority 1, Individual Referrals: Nationals of any country, including CPCs and Special 

Watch List countries, may be referred to the USRAP through a Priority 1 referral for 

reasons of religious persecution.

 Priority 2, Groups of Special Concern: Under the Lautenberg and Specter Amendments, 

religious minorities designated as Priority 2 category members, including from Iran, 

Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, are considered under a reduced 

evidentiary standard for establishing a well-founded fear of persecution.

 Priority 3, Family Reunification: Refugees from certain countries listed in Annex 1 with 

certain refugee or asylee family members in the United States have access to the USRAP 

through Priority 3.

.
15

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PLANS FOR THEIR MOVEMENT AND 

RESETTLEMENT AND THE ESTIMATED COST OF THEIR MOVEMENT AND 

RESETTLEMENT

Overseas Processing

The Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) works closely 

with U.S. diplomatic missions, UNHCR, and other partners to identify candidates for 

resettlement through USRAP. When an applicant is referred to USRAP for consideration, the 

case is received and processed by a Resettlement Support Center (RSC). PRM funds seven

RSCs around the world operated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or international 

organizations. 

Adjudication

Under PRM’s guidance, RSCs collect biographic and other information from the applicants to 

prepare cases for security screening, interview, and adjudication by DHS’s U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS). The Secretary of Homeland Security has delegated to USCIS 

the authority to determine eligibility for refugee status under the INA. Refugee determinations 

under the INA are entirely discretionary. USCIS officers review the information that the RSC 

has collected and the results of security screening processes and conduct an in-person interview 

with each refugee applicant before deciding whether to approve him or her for classification as a 

refugee.

Post-Adjudication Processing

If an applicant is conditionally approved for resettlement by USCIS, RSC staff guide the refugee 

applicant through post-adjudication steps, including a health screening to identify medical needs 

and to ensure that those with a contagious disease do not enter the United States. The RSC also 

obtains a “sponsorship assurance” from a U.S.-based resettlement agency that receives funding 

from PRM for Reception and Placement (R&P) assistance. Once all required steps are 

completed, the RSC refers the case to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for 

transportation to the United States.

Transportation

The Department of State funds the international transportation of refugees resettled in the United 

States through a program administered by IOM. The cost of transportation is provided to 

refugees in the form of a no-interest loan. Refugees are responsible for repaying these loans over 

time through their R&P providers, beginning six months after their arrival. 

Cultural Orientation

The Department of State strives to ensure that refugees admitted to the United States are 

prepared for the changes they will experience by providing cultural orientation programs prior to 
16

departure. Every refugee family is offered a copy of “Welcome to the United States,” a book 

developed with contributions from refugee resettlement workers, resettled refugees, and 

government officials that provides accurate information about initial resettlement. In addition, 

the Department of State funds one- to five-day pre-departure orientation classes for eligible 

refugees at sites throughout the world. Refugees may also access cultural orientation 

information through a website that is translated into eight languages and provides information in 

numerous modes to meet all literacy levels, as well as a mobile application. 

In order to reach Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, a population that does 

not routinely have access to pre-departure classroom cultural orientation, the Department of State 

also created a series of four videos in Dari and Arabic.

In addition, the Department of State offers a curriculum for cultural orientation after refugees’ 

arrival in the United States. This includes a model assessment tool for domestic orientation 

providers to assess refugee understanding of orientation topics during the R&P period.

Reception and Placement (R&P)

Unlike asylees, who arrive in the United States on their own, refugees selected for resettlement 

through USRAP are eligible for R&P assistance. Each refugee approved for admission to the 

United States is sponsored by a resettlement agency. Nine non-profit resettlement agencies 

currently participate in the R&P Program under a cooperative agreement with the Department of 

State. 

Where are Refugees Resettled? 

Representatives from the resettlement agencies meet frequently to review the biographic 

information and other case records sent by the RSC, seeking to match the particular needs of 

each incoming refugee with the specific resources available in U.S. communities. Through this 

process, they determine which resettlement agency will sponsor and where each refugee will be 

initially resettled in the United States.

Many refugees have family or close friends already in the United States, and resettlement 

agencies make every effort to reunite them. Those without U.S. ties are placed where they have 

the best opportunity for success through employment with the assistance of strong community 

services. Agencies place refugees throughout the United States. Through its local affiliates, 

each agency monitors the resources that each community offers (e.g., interpreters who speak 

various languages, the size and special features of available housing, the availability of schools 

with special services, medical care, English classes, employment services, etc.).

Information about the states where refugees admitted to the United States in FY 2019 were 

initially resettled is available in section VII. 
17

Executive Order 13888 on Enhancing State and Local Participation in Refugee Resettlement 

On September 26, 2019, President Trump signed Executive Order 13888 on Enhancing State and 

Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement, which provides that refugees should be resettled 

only in U.S. jurisdictions where both the state and local governments have provided their 

consent. Close cooperation with state and local governments ensures that refugees are resettled 

in communities that are eager and equipped to support their successful integration into American 

society. Implementation of Executive Order 13888 currently is enjoined due to a January 15, 

2020 preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court in HIAS v. Trump, PJM 19-3346. 

The Administration has appealed the court’s decision and, if successful on appeal, will

implement Executive Order 13888 swiftly thereafter.

What Do the Resettlement Agencies Do?

The sponsoring resettlement agency is responsible for placing refugees with one of its local 

affiliates and for providing initial services. The Department of State’s standard cooperative 

agreement with each of the resettlement agencies specifies the services the agency must provide, 

which include housing, essential furnishings, food, necessary clothing, orientation, and 

assistance with access to other social, medical, and employment services. The R&P Program 

provides resettlement agencies a one-time payment per refugee to assist with expenses during a 

refugee’s first three months in the United States, but the program anticipates that sponsoring 

agencies will contribute significant cash or in-kind resources to supplement U.S. government 

funding.

What Happens When Refugees Arrive?

Upon arrival in the United States, all refugees are met by someone from the local resettlement 

affiliate or a family member or friend. They are taken to their housing, which has basic 

furnishings, appliances, climate-appropriate clothing, and some food typical of the refugee’s 

culture. Shortly after arrival, refugees are helped to start their lives in the United States. This 

includes applying for a Social Security card, registering children in school, arranging medical 

appointments, and connecting refugees with necessary social, employment, and language 

services.

Under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, refugees 

are eligible for public assistance when they first arrive. Nevertheless, the U.S. government seeks 

to promote early economic self-sufficiency through employment to speed integration into 

American society.11 Refugees receive employment authorization upon arrival and are 

encouraged to become employed as soon as possible.

 

11 Economic self-sufficiency is defined at 45 CFR 400.2 as “earning a total family income at a level that enables a 

family unit to support itself without receipt of a cash assistance grant.” Cash assistance includes Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), refugee cash assistance, and general 

assistance, but not other forms of public assistance, such as housing and medical assistance.
18

Beyond Reception and Placement

Beginning with arrival in the United States, and continuing after the R&P period ends, refugees,

approved asylees, and other eligible groups benefit from special programs funded by the 

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR) and 

administered by the states, resettlement agencies, or community organizations.12

Up to eight months of Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) is available for refugees, approved 

asylees, and other ORR-eligible groups who are not eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Refugees not eligible for Medicaid 

can receive up to eight months of Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) upon arrival. In addition, 

each refugee receives a medical screening within the initial resettlement period. ORR also 

provides health and mental health services through the Survivors of Torture and Refugee Health 

Promotion grant programs.

The Matching Grant Program through the R&P resettlement agencies is an alternative to public 

cash assistance. It aims to enable certain refugees, approved asylees, and other ORR-eligible 

groups to become economically self-sufficient within six months of eligibility. Participating 

agencies provide case management, employment services, maintenance assistance, and cash 

allowance.

ORR distributes Refugee Support Services (RSS) grants based on arrival numbers of ORReligible populations in each state. Refugees, approved asylees, and other ORR-eligible groups 

can access RSS services up to five years after arrival. These services may include employment 

services, on-the-job training, English language instruction, vocational training, case 

management, translation, social adjustment services, health-related services, childcare, and 

transportation. Citizenship and naturalization services provided under RSS may be provided to 

eligible populations who have been in the United States for more than five years.

Refugee School Impact grants are available to support regions with high concentrations of 

refugees and other ORR-eligible children in local schools. This program funds activities that 

aim to strengthen academic performance and facilitate social adjustment. Set-aside funds also 

support youth mentoring activities and specialized services for elderly refugees.

ORR also funds non-profit agencies to carry out special initiatives or programs for refugees, 

approved asylees, and other ORR-eligible groups including: case management, ethnic 

community development, career pathways, individual development accounts, microenterprise 

development, and agricultural projects.

 

12 HHS/ORR refugee benefits and services are available to refugees, approved asylees, Iraqi and Afghan Special 

Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, Cuban and Haitian 

entrants, certain Amerasians immigrants from Vietnam, victims of a severe form of trafficking who have received 

certification or eligibility letters from ORR, trafficking victims family members with “T” nonimmigrant visas, and 

some victims of torture. 
19

Estimated Cost for Refugee Processing and Resettlement

Agency FY 2020 Availability 

(in millions)

FY 2021 Estimated 

Availability

(in millions)

DHS/USCIS

USRAP processing13

$38 $41

Department of State/PRM 

USRAP admissions14

$333 $343

HHS/ORR benefits and 

services15

$561 $430

Totals $932 $814

 

13 These FY 2020 and 2021 figures include cost factors to reflect Headquarters facilities rent related to the refugee 

resettlement program, staffing, general expense and following-to-join refugee processing, in addition to certain 

International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) and Capital Security Cost Sharing (CSCS) 

costs. The figures also include personnel salary and benefits for refugee officers detailed to the Asylum Division or 

assigned to Asylum workloads.

14 This FY 2020 figure includes FY 2020 Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) appropriation of $251 million, 

$25.3 million in MRA carryover from FY 2019, $50.7 million in projected IOM loan collections/carryover, and an 

estimate of $6 million in prior-year MRA recoveries. A portion of these funds will be carried over into FY 2021. 

This FY 2021 figure includes FY 2021 MRA budget request of $253.8 million, $41.5 million projected MRA 

carryover from FY 2020, $42 million in projected IOM loan collections/carryover, and an estimate of $6 million in 

prior-year MRA recoveries. 

15 HHS/ORR refugee benefits and services are available to refugees asylees, Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant 

Visa (SIV) holders and their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, Cuban and Haitian entrants, 

certain Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam, victims of a severe form of trafficking who have received certification 

or eligibility letters from ORR, trafficking victims family members with “T” nonimmigrant visas, and victims of 

torture. The estimated funding for these groups is included here. None of these additional groups is included in the 

refugee admissions ceiling. This category does not include costs associated with the Unaccompanied Alien 

Children’s Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income 

(SSI) programs, or the Victims of Trafficking or Survivors of Torture. These estimates do not include any prior year 

carryover funding. The estimated FY 2021 figures above reflect the President’s FY 2021 Budget request.
20

IV. ANALYSIS OF THE ANTICIPATED SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND 

DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACT OF THEIR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES

In accordance with the Refugee Act of 1980, ORR produces an Annual Report to Congress that 

presents ORR’s activities, expenditures, policies, and information about the individuals receiving 

ORR benefits and services, which addresses this issue in greater detail. The Annual Report to 

Congress also includes data from the Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR), which tracks the 

progress refugees make towards integration during their first five years in the United States and 

thus provides insight into the social, economic, and demographic impact of refugee admissions. 

The ASR collects basic demographic information such as age, level of education, English 

language proficiency and training, job training, labor force participation, work experience, and 

barriers to employment. It collects other data by family unit, including information on housing, 

income, and public benefits use.

ORR published the results of the most recent ASR in the 2017 Annual Report to Congress, 

covering refugee arrivals FY 2012 to FY 2016. Its findings include: 

Education level: Respondents age 25 or older averaged 8.4 years of education before arrival; 

about half did not have a high school diploma upon arrival; and 31 percent of refugees age 25 or 

older listed their prior educational attainment as “none.” Among respondents age 18 and older, 

17 percent were pursuing a degree of some kind, with most seeking high school equivalency.

English language proficiency: Respondents improved their English over time, but deficits 

remained. Among refugees age 18 or older who had lived in the United States between 4.5 and 

6.5 years, 45 percent spoke English “not well” or “not at all,” based on self-assessments.

Employment: Among respondents ages 16 to 64, 66.2 percent were in the labor force, of whom 

88.8 percent were employed; this is slightly lower than the comparable rates for native-born 

members of the U.S. population: 73.9 percent in labor force, of whom 94.1 percent were 

employed. However, male respondents were employed at a rate roughly on par with that of the 

U.S. population after being in the United States for only two years. Employed refugees age 18 or 

older earned $12.27 per hour on average.

Public benefits use: Two percent of respondent households reported public assistance as their 

only source of income; 29 percent received cash welfare of some kind, most often Supplemental 

Security Income (SSI); and 56 percent received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 

(SNAP) benefits. Among respondents age 18 or older, 61 percent reported having health 

coverage throughout the previous year, while 29 percent reported no health coverage. Among 

those with coverage, about half received Medicaid or Refugee Medical Assistance.

ORR is overseeing a multi-year review of the data collected through the ASR, including 

revisions that improved the design of the 2016 ASR, to ensure the survey offers representative 

data on the refugee population. ORR will release the results of the most recent Annual Survey of 

Refugees in its forthcoming 2018 Annual Report to Congress.
21

V. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES WILL 

ADMIT AND ASSIST IN THE RESETTLEMENT OF SUCH REFUGEES

The number of individuals forcibly displaced worldwide, over 79 million, vastly exceeds the 

number that could be resettled or granted asylum in host countries each year. The United States 

and UNHCR recognize that most desire safe, voluntary return to their homes. Therefore, the 

United States seeks to promote this durable solution for displaced people, including refugees. 

When safe and voluntary return is not possible, the United States promotes self-sufficiency and 

local integration in countries of first asylum. Supporting refugees as close to their homes as 

possible facilitates their return when conditions permit. The United States encourages host 

governments to protect refugees and to allow them to integrate into local communities, as 

appropriate; in many cases, we also provide financial support, through contributions to 

humanitarian organizations, to support and encourage host countries in these activities.

Africa: A number of African countries were among the top ten refugee-hosting countries 

worldwide.16 According to UNHCR, Uganda hosted about 1.4 million refugees as of June 2020, 

mostly from South Sudan, but also sizable populations from the DRC, Burundi, Somalia, and 

Rwanda. The refugee population in Sudan exceeded 1 million; most were South Sudanese, with 

an additional population of Eritreans. Ethiopia hosted over 700,000 refugees, most from South 

Sudan, with additional populations from Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. 

East Asia: Countries in the region traditionally have been reluctant to integrate refugees, and 

the vast majority do not have asylum systems, although Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand host 

nearly 1.1 million Burmese refugees. According to UNHCR, Bangladesh hosted over 780,000

refugees at the end of 2019, most of them Rohingya fleeing violence and atrocities in Burma’s 

Rakhine State. Thousands more refugees of other nationalities are in the regional capitals of 

Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta, including Afghanis, Iranians, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Somalis, 

Syrians, and Yemenis. UNHCR and international partners continue to encourage Bangladesh, 

Malaysia, and Thailand to expand humanitarian protection and assistance for refugees and 

asylum seekers, and those countries have made efforts to improve refugee self-reliance and 

inclusion. 

Europe: According to UNHCR, at the end of 2019, Turkey hosted more refugees than any other 

country in the world – about 3.9 million, the vast majority from Syria. Syrians in Turkey receive

“Temporary Protection” status, which does not normally include a path to citizenship or 

permanent residence. Non-Syrian asylum-seekers receive “International Protection,” which does 

not provide a pathway to long-term residency, citizenship, or protection from deportation. 

Germany hosted 1.1 million refugees, most from Syria, while other major sources were Iraq and 

Afghanistan. Other European countries host hundreds of thousands of refugees, including 

France (408,000), Italy (208,000), the Netherlands (94,000), Spain (58,000), Sweden (254,000), 

and the United Kingdom (133,000).

Latin America and the Caribbean: According to UNHCR, a number of countries in the region 

have provided asylum and alternative legal forms of stay for over 2.4 million Venezuelans, 

 

16 Unless noted otherwise, all figures in this section come from the UNHCR Report Global Trends: Forced 

Displacement 2019. Note that UNHCR counts on a calendar year basis.
22

mostly in Colombia but also in Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Costa 

Rica, and Uruguay. Peru was the second largest recipient of asylum applications globally in 

2019, with nearly all claims (almost 260,000) submitted by Venezuelans. 

With support from the United States, provided through UNHCR and other partners, Mexico is 

improving its ability to adjudicate asylum claims and support asylum-seekers, including those 

from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, and hosted nearly 102,000 asylum-seekers at the 

end of 2019. The U.S. government also has increased support through UNHCR to strengthen 

asylum capacity in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Furthermore, in addition to the 

United States, other countries such as Canada, Australia, Uruguay, and Brazil have resettled 

small numbers of refugees from the Northern Triangle via the Protection Transfer 

Arrangement.17

Near East and South Asia: At the end of 2019, Lebanon hosted almost 1 million refugees 

overall,18 including over 914,000 Syrians, the second-highest number after Turkey. In addition, 

Lebanon provided protection to thousands of non-Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, mostly 

from Iraq and Sudan. Jordan had the eleventh-largest refugee and asylum seeker population in 

the world at nearly 745,000; the vast majority of the refugees were from Syria, while more than 

67,000 were from Iraq. Neither Jordan’s nor Lebanon’s laws provide for the granting of asylum 

or refugee status, and both lack a formal system for protecting refugees. By agreement with 

UNHCR, Jordan allows recognized refugees a maximum stay of one year, during which period 

UNHCR must find a durable solution. This period is renewable, however, and Jordan generally 

does not force refugees to return to their countries of origin. By contrast, Lebanon does not 

automatically grant legal stay to UNHCR-registered refugees, who generally must apply for 

Lebanese residency on a recurring basis under Lebanon’s immigration law. According to 

UNHCR, Pakistan hosted the world’s third -largest refugee population at the end of 2019: 1.4 

million refugees, almost all of them Afghans. Iran ranked seventh among refugee-hosting 

countries worldwide, with 979,000, the vast majority of them Afghans. 

Third-Country Resettlement: Third-country resettlement is an option for certain individuals 

who cannot return to their home countries or remain in the countries of first asylum. According 

to UNHCR, 26 countries admitted 107,800 refugees for resettlement during 2019. Other than the 

United States, the top resettlement countries were Canada (30,100 resettled) and Australia 

(18,200 resettled). Among European countries, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the 

United Kingdom resettled he highest number of refugees, with over 22,000 resettled to these five 

countries in 2019.

 

17 In 2016, Costa Rica entered into a Protection Transfer Arrangement (PTA) with UNHCR and IOM. After prescreening in the refugee applicant’s home countries, the PTA allows UNHCR and IOM to transfer applicants from 

the Northern Triangle in need of immediate protection to Costa Rica, where they undergo refugee processing before 

being resettled to a third country. 

18 Current numbers for Lebanon only include refugees registered prior to 2015, at which point the Government of 

Lebanon restricted UNHCR from registering new refugees.
23

VI. ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THE UNITED 

STATES IN THE RESETTLEMENT OF SUCH REFUGEES ON THE FOREIGN 

POLICY INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES

The United States seeks to enable the safe and voluntary return of refugees to their home 

countries – the solution that most refugees prefer. This reflects our commitment to achieving the 

best humanitarian outcomes while advancing the foreign policy interests of the United States. 

To this end, the U.S. National Security Strategy says that we will continue to lead the world in 

humanitarian assistance, that we will continue to catalyze responses to man-made and natural 

disasters, and that we will support displaced people as close to their homes as possible to help 

meet their needs until they can safely and voluntarily return home. 

By focusing on ending the conflicts that drive displacement in the first place, and by providing 

assistance overseas to prevent further displacement, we can help prevent the destabilizing effects 

of such displacement on affected countries and their neighbors. This is why we pursue 

diplomatic efforts around the world to find solutions to crises, like our support for the legitimate 

government in Venezuela against Maduro’s tyranny.

Also, the United States is the largest single provider of humanitarian assistance worldwide, 

funding the programs of UNHCR, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), IOM, the 

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Food Programme (WFP), and a 

number of other international and non-governmental organizations. Total U.S. humanitarian 

assistance was nearly $9.3 billion in FY 2019, including funding from PRM and the U.S. Agency 

for International Development (USAID). 

U.S. humanitarian assistance reaches tens of millions of displaced and crisis-affected people 

worldwide, including those who will never be considered or qualify for resettlement in a third 

country. It provides urgent, life-saving support and services, including food, shelter, health care, 

education, and access to safe drinking water. U.S. support for host countries, provided through 

contributions to humanitarian organizations, encourages those countries to continue sheltering

those fleeing persecution and increases their access to work, education, and public services. 

The U.S. approach allows us to help many more vulnerable people, and do so much more 

rapidly, than we could ever hope to help through resettlement in the United States. In addition, 

helping displaced people in areas close to their homes facilitates their return when conditions 

allow. This enables them to participate in rebuilding their homelands, promoting recovery and 

long-term stability of those countries and their neighbors – which also serves long-term U.S. 

foreign policy and national security interests.

Even as we remain the world’s largest humanitarian contributor, the United States expects other 

governments to share in the burden. We will use our diplomatic influence to expand the number 

of donors and increase global contributions to humanitarian appeals and responses. We will 

work to better target the application of our humanitarian assistance funds. Also, as part of our 

broader UN reform agenda, we will seek to maximize the value of U.S. contributions to 

humanitarian organizations by driving reforms to make such organizations more effective, 

efficient, transparent, and accountable. 
24

VII. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FY 2019 USRAP Admissions by Country of Origin

Country of Origin Individual 

Arrivals

Percentage of Total 

Arrivals

Dem. Rep. Congo 12,958 43.19 %

Burma 4,932 16.44 %

Ukraine 4,451 14.84 %

Eritrea 1,757 5.86 %

Afghanistan 1,198 3.99 %

Syria 563 1.88 %

Iraq 465 1.55 %

Sudan 382 1.27 %

El Salvador 311 1.04 %

Colombia 298 0.99 %

Pakistan 264 0.88 %

Ethiopia 247 0.82 %

Central African Republic 244 0.81 %

Somalia 231 0.77 %

Iran 199 0.66 %

Burundi 196 0.65 %

Russia 184 0.61 %

Moldova 120 0.40 %

Guatemala 118 0.39 %

Belarus 96 0.32 %

Vietnam 94 0.31 %

Rwanda 91 0.30 %

Honduras 74 0.25 %

Ivory Coast 62 0.21 %

Kyrgyzstan 46 0.15 %

Republic of South Sudan 42 0.14 %

Liberia 37 0.12 %

Armenia 33 0.11 %

Bhutan 32 0.11 %

Palestine 30 0.10 %

Cameroon 28 0.09 %

Georgia 26 0.09 %

Uganda 24 0.08 %

Turkmenistan 18 0.06 %

Kenya 17 0.06 %

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) 17 0.06 %
25

Senegal 14 0.05 %

Nepal 13 0.04 %

Uzbekistan 12 0.04 %

Guinea 10 0.03 %

Chad 8 0.03 %

Kazakhstan 8 0.03 %

Jamaica 6 0.02 %

Jordan 5 0.02 %

Egypt 4 0.01 %

Bangladesh 3 0.01 %

Benin 3 0.01 %

Congo 3 0.01 %

Mali 3 0.01 %

Yemen 3 0.01 %

Cuba 2 0.01 %

Ghana 2 0.01 %

Sierra Leone 2 0.01 %

Zimbabwe 2 0.01 %

Cambodia 1 0.00 %

China 1 0.00 %

Gambia 1 0.00 %

Indonesia 1 0.00 %

Israel 1 0.00 %

Korea, North 1 0.00 %

Kuwait 1 0.00 %

Lebanon 1 0.00 %

Malawi 1 0.00 %

Togo 1 0.00 %

Turkey 1 0.00 %

United Arab Emirates 1 0.00 %

Totals 30,000 100.00%
26

FY 2019 USRAP Arrivals by State of Initial Resettlement

State Total

Refugees Arrivals

Percentage of 

Total Arrivals

Texas 2,456 8.19%

Washington 1,947 6.49%

New York 1,845 6.15%

California 1,841 6.14%

Ohio 1,426 4.75%

Kentucky 1,421 4.74%

North Carolina 1,256 4.19%

Arizona 1,216 4.05%

Georgia 1,189 3.96%

Michigan 1,146 3.82%

Pennsylvania 1,092 3.64%

Illinois 1,005 3.35%

Indiana 865 2.88%

Minnesota 848 2.83%

Maryland 764 2.55%

Iowa 747 2.49%

Missouri 680 2.27%

Florida 666 2.22%

Tennessee 653 2.18%

Colorado 635 2.12%

Wisconsin 596 1.99%

Oregon 556 1.85%

Virginia 548 1.83%

Idaho 523 1.74%

Massachusetts 515 1.72%

Utah 463 1.54%

Nebraska 443 1.48%

Kansas 407 1.36%

New Jersey 250 0.83%

New Hampshire 248 0.83%

Nevada 224 0.75%

Oklahoma 223 0.74%

South Carolina 189 0.63%

Connecticut 142 0.47%

Maine 140 0.47%

New Mexico 132 0.44%

South Dakota 129 0.43%

North Dakota 127 0.42%

Vermont 114 0.38%
27

Montana 97 0.32%

Rhode Island 89 0.30%

Alaska 47 0.16%

Arkansas 46 0.15%

Alabama 22 0.07%

Louisiana 12 0.04%

Mississippi 10 0.03%

Delaware 4 0.01%

District of Columbia 4 0.01%

West Virginia 2 0.01%

Totals 30,000 100.00 %
28

ANNEX 1: USRAP ACCESS CATEGORIES

Section 207(a)(3) of the INA says that USRAP shall allocate admissions among refugees “of 

special humanitarian concern to the United States in accordance with a determination made by 

the President after appropriate consultation.” There are three categories of individuals eligible to 

enter USRAP, known as “priorities”19:

 Priority 1: Individual cases referred by designated entities to the program by virtue of 

their circumstances and apparent need for resettlement.

 Priority 2: Groups of special concern designated by the Department of State as having 

access to the program by virtue of their circumstances and apparent need for resettlement.

 Priority 3: Individual cases from designated nationalities granted access for purposes of 

reunification with family members already in the United States.

Priority 1 (P-1): Individual Referrals

P-1 allows consideration of refugee claims from persons of any nationality, usually with 

compelling protection needs, for whom resettlement appears to be the appropriate durable 

solution. P-1 cases are identified and referred to the USRAP by a U.S. embassy, UNHCR, or a 

designated non-governmental organization (NGO). UNHCR has historically referred the vast 

majority of P-1 cases; however, USRAP will no longer request or accept referrals from UNHCR 

except in the categories listed in this year’s Presidential Determination. Some NGOs providing 

humanitarian assistance in locations where there are large concentrations of refugees are eligible 

to provide P-1 referrals. A U.S. ambassador may make a P-1 referral for persons still in their 

country of origin if the ambassador determines that such cases are in need of exceptional 

treatment, and the Department of State and DHS concur. 

Priority 2 (P-2): Group Referrals

P-2 includes specific groups identified by U.S. law. The open-access model allows individuals 

to access the program directly, on the basis of certain criteria. The Resettlement Support Centers 

(RSCs) responsible for handling open-access P-2 applications, working under the direction of 

PRM, make a preliminary determination as to whether individual applicants qualify for access 

and should be presented to DHS for interview. Applicants who clearly do not meet the access 

requirements are “screened out” before the DHS interview.

Once an individual gains access to USRAP processing via a P-2 designation, all other processing 

steps are the same as for those referred by P-1, including individual pre-screening and DHS 

interviews, and all security and medical checks.

 

19 Entering USRAP under a certain “priority” does not establish precedence in the order in which cases will be 

processed. Once cases are established as eligible for access under one of the three processing priorities, they all 

undergo the same processing steps.
29

Open-access P-2s inside their country of origin:

 Certain Members of Religious Minority Groups in Eurasia and the Baltics: Jews, 

Evangelical Christians, and Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox religious adherents 

identified in the Lautenberg Amendment, Section 599D of Title V, P. L. 101-167, as 

amended (the Lautenberg Amendment), with close family in the United States. Based on

the annual statutory renewal of the Lautenberg Amendment, these individuals are 

considered under a reduced evidentiary standard for establishing a well-founded fear of 

persecution.

 Certain Iraqis Associated with the United States: Employees of the U.S. government, 

U.S. government-funded contractors or grantees, U.S. media, or U.S. NGOs working in 

Iraq, and certain family members of such employees eligible under Section 1243(a) of the 

Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007, Title XII, Div. A, P. L. 110-181, as amended.

Open-access P-2s outside their country of origin:

 Certain Members of Religious Minority Groups in Iran: Jews, Christians, Baha’is, 

Sabaean-Mandaeans, and Zoroastrians are considered under a reduced evidentiary 

standard for establishing a well-founded fear of persecution pursuant to the annual 

renewal of the Lautenberg Amendment, as amended in 2004 by Section 213 of Title II, 

Division E, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, P. L. 108-199 (the Specter 

Amendment).

 Certain Iraqis Associated with the United States: Employees of the U.S. government, 

U.S. government-funded contractors or grantees, U.S. media, or U.S. NGOs working in 

Iraq, and certain family members of such employees eligible under Section 1243(a) of the 

Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007, Title XII, Div. A, P. L. 110-181, as amended. This 

program operates in Jordan and Egypt in addition to the in-country program in Iraq.

Priority 3 (P-3): Family Reunification

P-3 provides USRAP access to members of designated nationalities who have immediate family 

members in the United States who entered as refugees or were granted asylum (even if they 

subsequently gained LPR status or naturalized as U.S. citizens). Parents, spouses, and unmarried 

children under the age of 21 of the U.S.-based asylee or refugee can participate. For FY 2021, P3 processing is available to individuals of the following nationalities:

 Afghanistan 

 Burundi

 Central African Republic

 Cuba

 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

 El Salvador

 Eritrea

 Ethiopia

 Guatemala

 Honduras

 Iran
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 Iraq

 Mali

 Somalia

 South Sudan

 Sudan

 Syria

Following-to-Join Family Reunification Petitions

A refugee admitted to the United States may request “following-to-join benefits” for his or her 

spouse and/or unmarried children under the age of 21 who were not previously granted refugee 

status. Within two years of admission, the refugee may file a Form I-730 Refugee/Asylee 

Relative Petition with DHS for each eligible family member. 

Individuals who gain access to the USRAP through the Form I-730 petition process are 

interviewed by DHS or Department of State consular officers to verify the relationships claimed 

in the petition, as well as to examine any applicable bars to status and admissibility. 

Beneficiaries of I-730 petitions are not required to establish past persecution or a well-founded 

fear of persecution, as they derive their status from the petitioner. Beneficiaries of I-730 

petitions may be processed within their country of origin or in other locations.

Certain relatives in the United States may file an I-730 petition and simultaneously seek Priority 

3 access for their qualifying family members (if eligible). In some cases, the I-730 petition will 

be the only option as the family members are still in their country of origin. Unlike the P-3 

process, the I-730 process does not allow the relative in the United States to petition for parents.