In the early years of the [refugee] program, large numbers of relatively few nationalities located in a limited number of countries dominated the program. Many of the resettled refugees had family members already in the United States. Over the past decade, however, the United States has worked closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to make third country resettlement a viable, durable solution for increasing numbers from a broader representation of the world's refugee population, which currently stands at over 10 million. While we have again resettled large numbers of Iraqis, Burmese, and Bhutanese this year, the USRAP has admitted refugees from over 60 nationalities who were processed in some 90 countries. Over 80 percent of these applicants were referred to us by UNHCR either individually or in groups. Relatively few have family members resident in the United States. The Administration has worked closely with the Congress to invest the resources necessary to reach smaller numbers of the most desperate populations who find themselves in seemingly forgotten locations. This excerpt, from the interagency report Proposed Refugee Admissions for FY201 1 , suggests the extent of the challenge facing the U.S. government as it resettles a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of needs. A set of refugee resettlement assistance programs, administered by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (HHS/ACF), provides transitional assistance to refugees and other designated groups. These programs are intended to help the beneficiaries (who are referred to collectively as "refugees" in this report) achieve economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible after their arrival in the United States. Achievement of self-sufficiency has been more difficult in recent years in the face of the economic recession. In light of the economic situation and obstacles to employment facing arriving refugees, HHS requested additional ORR funding for FY2011. Separate from the ORR program, the Department of State (DOS) administers a program of initial resettlement for newly arriving refugees known as the Reception and Placement Program. Under this program, public and private, nonprofit entities provide arriving refugees with initial resettlement services and referrals to other services, as needed. To provide the required services, the participating agencies use Reception and Placement Program funds and contributions from other sources. In 2010, DOS increased the Reception and Placement grant provided to these agencies from $900 to $1,800 per refugee. These recent steps by HHS and DOS to provide additional resources for refugee resettlement reflect a larger view on the part of many observers that the refugee resettlement assistance system is in need of reform. The Obama Administration has initiated an interagency review of refugee resettlement, which is being lead by the National Security Council (NSC). There is little public information about the review. A June 2010 article in the Los Angeles Times described it as "the first thorough review of refugee resettlement in 30 years," and reported that the NSC had consulted with federal agencies, including HHS and DOS, and refugee advocates. It is not known when the results of the review will be made available. They have been widely anticipated, however, and may further energize reform efforts. To help inform possible future efforts to reform the refugee resettlement assistance system, this report discusses existing resettlement assistance programs, key issues and challenges in providing effective assistance, and policy options to reform the current system. While the refugee admissions process is briefly described and referenced in parts of this report, as relevant, the focus of this report is on resettlement assistance to refugees in the United States. The admission of refugees to the United States and their resettlement here are authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended by the Refugee Act of 1980. Refugees are one of the main categories of foreign nationals admitted on humanitarian grounds to live permanently in the United States. Humanitarian admissions represent one stream of permanent admissions under U.S. immigration law. The INA, as amended, sets forth procedures for determining refugee admissions levels and criteria for admitting refugees to the United States. It also requires refugees to apply to adjust to legal permanent resident (LPR) status after one year in refugee status in the United States. In addition to establishing admissions procedures, the INA, as amended by the Refugee Act of 1980, authorizes federal assistance to resettle refugees and promote their self-sufficiency. It authorizes several refugee assistance programs, as discussed below. The Refugee Act of 1980 also amended the INA to establish ORR at HHS to administer the refugee assistance programs. Refugee assistance programs are not limited to individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees. Rather, as detailed below, refugee assistance and benefits are available to various categories of humanitarian admissions. The following groups are eligible, by law, for certain types of refugee resettlement assistance: Refugees Under the INA, a refugee is a person who is outside his or her country and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In special circumstances, a refugee may also be a person who is within his or her country and who is persecuted or has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Excluded from the definition of a refugee is any person who participated in the persecution of another. Asylees An alien in the United States or at a port of entry who establishes that he or she is a refugee under the INA, as defined above, may be granted asylum. A person granted asylum is referred to as an asylee. Cuban and Haitian Entrant s A Cuban and Haitian entrant is (1) any individual granted parole status as a Cuban/ Haitian Entrant (Status Pending) or granted any other special status subsequently established under the immigration laws for nationals of Cuba or Haiti, regardless of the status of the individual at the time assistance or services are provided; and (2) any other national of Cuba or Haiti (A) who (i) was paroled into the United States and has not acquired any other status under the INA; (ii) is the subject of removal proceedings under the INA; or (iii) has an asylum application pending; and (B) with respect to whom a final, nonappealable, and legally enforceable order of removal has not been entered. Trafficking Victims A victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons is a person who has been subjected to a severe form of trafficking as set forth in P.L. 106-386 , such as sex trafficking, and who either (1) is under age 18 or (2) is an adult who obtains certification from the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Amerasians An Amerasian is an alien who, as of December 22, 1987, is residing in Vietnam and who establishes to the satisfaction of a consular officer or an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officer that the alien (1) was born in Vietnam after January 1, 1962, and before January 1, 1976, and was fathered by a citizen of the United States (referred to as a "principal alien"); (2) is the spouse or child of a principal alien and is accompanying, or following to join, the principal alien; or (3) is subject to further requirements, either (A) is the principal alien's natural mother (or is the spouse or child of such mother), or (B) has acted in effect as the principal alien's mother, father, or next-of-kin (or is the spouse or child of such an alien), and is accompanying, or following to join, the principal alien. Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants Iraqis and Afghans are admitted to the United States as legal permanent residents (LPRs) under several special immigrant programs. One of these programs, known as the Section 1059 program for the provision that established it, authorizes DHS to grant LPR status to certain nationals of Iraq and Afghanistan who have worked directly with the U.S. Armed Forces, or under Chief of Mission authority, as translators or interpreters. Another special immigrant program, known as the Section 1244 program, covers Iraqi nationals who are or were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq on or after March 20, 2003, for not less than one year; provided documented valuable service to the U.S. government; and have experienced "an ongoing serious threat" as a result of their employment by the U.S. government." A parallel special immigrant program for Afghans covers nationals of Afghanistan who are or were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan on or after October 7, 2001, for not less than one year; provided documented valuable service to the U.S. government; and have experienced "an ongoing serious threat" as a result of their employment. As noted above, the resettlement assistance system seeks to promote the rapid economic adjustment and self-sufficiency of refugees. During the 30 years since the establishment of the current refugee resettlement assistance programs in 1980, there have been many developments that have affected the ability of refugees to achieve self-sufficiency. These developments include changes in the refugee population and in the resettlement assistance programs as well as other policy shifts and broader economic developments. This section highlights selected changes during the last 30 years that are relevant to the economic adjustment of refugees.