Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982
PL 97-363 (H.R.5879), enacted 10/25/1982

96 STAT. 1734 
PUBLIC LAW 97-363—OCT. 25, 1982 
Public Law 97-363 
97th Congress 
A n Act 
Oct 25 1982 
'-— 
To amend chapter 2 of title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend for 
[H.R. 5879] 
one year the authorization of appropriations for refugee assistance, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Refugee 
United States of America in Congress assembled. 
Assistance 
Amendments of 
1982. 
SHORT TITLE 
SUSCiioinote. 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Refugee Assistance 
Amendments of 1982". 
EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 2. Subsection (a) of section 414 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1524) is amended to read as follows: 
"(a)(1) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 1983 such sums as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying 
out the provisions (other than those described in paragraphs (2) and 
(3)) of this chapter. 
"(2) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
1983 $100,000,000 for the purpose of providing services with respect 
8 use 1522. 
to refugees under section 412(c). 
"(3) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
1983 $14,000,000 for the purpose of carrying out section 412(b)(5).". 
CONGRESSIONAL INTENT RESPECTING REFUGEE ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 3. (a) Section 412(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C 1522(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating clauses (A) through (D) £is clauses (i) 
through (iv), respectively, 
(2) by inserting "(A)" after "(1)", and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: 
"(B) It is the intent of Congress that in providing refugee assist-
ance under this section— 
"(i) employable refugees should be placed on jobs as soon as 
possible after their arrival in the United States; 
"(ii) social service funds should be focused on employment-
related services, English-as-a-second-language- training (in non-
work hours where possible), and case-management services; and 
"(iii) local voluntary agency activities should be conducted in 
close cooperation and advance consultation with State and local 
governments.", 
(b) Section 413 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1523) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
Study. 
"(c)(1) The Director shall study the feasibility and advisability of 
providing— 
PUBLIC LAW 97-363—OCT. 25, 1982 
96 STAT. 1735 
"(A) for interim support (to refugees who are not employment-
ready upon arrival in the United States) for a period deter-
mined on a case-by-case basis through a mechanism (other than 
public assistance) that recognizes the primary role of case man-
agement through voluntary agencies at the local level, and 
"(B) a mechanism (other than one associated with the provi-
sion of cash assistance) through which refugees, requiring medi-
cal (but not cash) assistance, are provided medical assistance, 
and shall report to Congress on the study not later than January 1, 
1983. 
"(2) The Director shall study and report to the Congress, not later 
than September 30, 1983, on the feasibility and advisability of 
providing for the establishment of special refugee centers in various 
locations at which refugees would receive orientation, training, and 
education in English and in the legal governmental, monetary and 
economic systems, history, culture, and geography of the United 
States before resettlement in the United States.". 
Report to 
Congress. 
Study and report 
to Congress. 
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 4. (a) Paragraph (2) of section 412(a) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(a)) is amended— 
(1) by inserting "(A)" after "(2)", and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: 
"(B) The Director shall develop and implement, in consultation 
with representatives of voluntary agencies and State and local 
governments, policies and strategies for the placement and resettle-
ment of refugees within the United States. 
"(C) Such policies and strategies, to the extent practicable and 
except under such unusual circumstances as the Director may 
recognize, shall— 
"(i) insure that a refugee is not initially placed or resettled in 
an area highly impacted (as determined under regulations pre-
scribed by the Director after consultation with such agencies 
and governments) by the presence of refugees or comparable 
populations unless the refugee has a spouse, parent, sibling, son, 
or daughter residing in that area, and 
"(ii) provide for a mechanism whereby representatives of local 
affiliates of voluntary agencies regularly (not less often than 
quarterly) meet with representatives of State and local govern-
ments to plan and coordinate in advance of their arrival the 
appropriate placement of refugees among the various States 
and localities.", 
(b) Paragraph (3) of such section is amended by inserting after the 
first sentence the following new sentence: "The Director shall com-
pile and maintain data on secondary migration of refugees within 
the United States and, by State of residence and nationality, on the 
proportion of refugees receiving cash or medical assistance described 
in subsection (e).". 
INITIAL RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM 
SEC. 5. Section 412(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1522(b)) is amended— 
(1) by striking out the last sentence of paragraph (IXA); 
(2) by adding at the end of paragraph dXA) the following new 
sentences: "Funds provided to agencies under such grants and 
Grants and 
contracts. 
96 STAT. 1736 
PUBLIC LAW 97-363—OCT. 25, 1982 
contracts may only be obligated or expended during the fiscal 
year in which they are provided (or the subsequent fiscal year 
or such subsequent fiscal period as the Federal contracting 
agency may approve) to carry out the purposes of this subsec-
tion. Such grants and contracts shall provide that the agency 
shall provide (directly or through its local affiliate) notice to the 
appropriate county or other local welfare office at the time that 
the agency becomes aware that a refugee is offered employment 
and provide notice to the refugee that such notice has been 
provided. Such grants and contracts shall also provide that the 
agency shall assure that refugees, known to the agency as 
having been identified pursuant to paragraph (4)(B) as having 
medical conditions affecting the public health and requiring 
treatment, report to the appropriate county or other health 
agency upon their resettlement in an area."; 
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
"(5) The Director is authorized to make grants to, and enter into 
contracts with. State and local health agencies for payments to meet 
their costs of providing medical screening and initial medical treat-
ment to refugees."; and 
Annual audits. 
(4) by adding after such paragraph the following new 
paragraph: 
"(6) The Comptroller General shall conduct an annual audit of 
funds expended under grants and contracts made under this 
subsection.". 
CASH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 6. (a) Paragraph (1) of section 412(e) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(e)) is amended by striking out "up to" 
before "100 per centum". 
(b) Paragraph (2) of such section is amended— 
(1) by striking out the semicolon at the end of subparagraph 
(B) and all that follows through the end of such paragraph and 
inserting in lieu thereof a period; 
(2) by striking out "and" at the end of subparagraph (A); 
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) 
and (iii), respectively, by inserting "(A)" after "(2)", and by 
inserting after clause (i) (as so redesignated) the following new 
clause: 
"(ii) on the refugee's participation in any available and appro-
priate social service program (funded under subsection (c)) pro-
viding job or language training in the area in which the refugee 
resides; and"; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
Hearing. 
"Such cash assistance provided to such a refugee shall be termi-
nated (after opportunity for an administrative hearing) with the 
month in which the refugee refuses such an appropriate offer of 
employment or refuses to participate in such an available and 
appropriate social service program. 
(B) Cash assistance shall not be made available to refugees who 
are full-time students in institutions of higher education (as defined 
by the 
Director 
after 
consultation 
with 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Education).". 
(c) Such section is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
"(6) As a condition for receiving assistance, reimbursement, or a 
contract under this subsection and notwithstanding any other provi-
PUBLIC LAW 97-363—OCT. 25, 1982 
96 STAT. 1737 
sion of law, a State or agency must provide assurances that when-
ever a refugee applies for cash or medical assistance for which 
assistance or reimbursement is provided under this subsection, the 
State or agency must notify promptly the agency (or local affiliate) 
which provided for the initial resettlement of the refugee under 
subsection (b) of the fact that the refugee has so applied.". 
STUDY OF NEED FOR REFUGEE IMPACT AID PROGRAM 
SEC. 7. Section 413 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1522), as amended by section 3(b) of this Act, is further Ante, p. 1734 
amended by adding after subsection (c) the following new subsection: ^ ^SC 1523. 
"(d) The Director shall study, and report to Congress not later Study and report 
than January 1, 1983, on the feasibility and advisability of establish- ^ Congress. 
ing a program providing payments to States, counties, cities, and 
other units of local government to reflect a net increase in outlays 
on educational, health, criminal justice, and other governmental 
services resulting directly from the initial resettlement of refugees 
in, or secondary migration of refugees to, that State, county, city, or 
other unit. Such study shall include an examination of the extent to 
which the programs and assistance described in section 412 (particu- 8 USC 1522. 
larly under subsection (c) thereof) provide for such payments to 
impacted areas and the extent to which increased outlays in these 
impacted areas are offset by the provision of additional Federal 
funds under other programs or authority or by increased taxes, 
revenues, or other economic activity resulting from refugee resettle-
ment in, or migration, to these areas.". 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 8. The amendments made by— 
8 USC 1522 notei. 
(1) sections 303), 4, 5(3), 5(4), 6(a), and 7 take effect on October 
1,1982, and 
(2) sections 5(2), 6(b), and 6(c) apply to grants and contracts 
made, and assistance furnished, on or after October 1, 1982. 
Approved October 25, 1982. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5879: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 97-541 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
SENATE REPORT No. 97-638 (Cbmm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
June 21, 22, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 1, considered and passed Senate.