Once refugees have escaped the immediate crisis they faced at home, they are met by an uncertain future. They are often traumatized by the experiences that caused them to flee their homelands; they have only those possessions they could carry with them, and they suddenly find themselves dependent on others for their very survival. Although they may be out of immediate danger, their lives are untenable; their future uncertain. In most cases, refugees flee to countries with fragile economic and political systems that lack the infrastructure to absorb thousands of refugees long-term basis.

Unfortunately, however, many refugees end up spending several years, even decades, in refugee camps where they face overcrowding, lack of privacy, and shortages of basic necessities like food, water, medical care and sanitation. Refugees languish in camps without the right to work, farm, or otherwise provide for their own livelihood. Children lack sufficient educational opportunities.

The solutions available to these refugees are limited. As you might imagine, most refugees wish to return to their homes, but this is often too dangerous to be a viable option. Some refugees are able to leave the camps while remaining in the countries to which they first fled. In most cases, however, refugees flee to countries with fragile economic and political systems that lack the infrastructure to absorb thousands of refugees on a long-term basis. If neither of these solutions work, resettlement to a third country is the only alternative left. Tragically, less than 1% of refugees are able to avail themselves of this option.

Only a few countries resettle refugees, and the United States resettles more than any other country in the world. However, in recent years, we have been accepting fewer refugees than the number that the President, in consultation with Congress, determined could resettle in the U.S. In 2005, 70,000 persons could have been admitted to the U.S. but the number of opportunities for admission were not achieved because an insufficient number of persons were designated for resettlement and other circumstances prevented the movement of refugees to the U.S. Annual admission numbers not used are not carried over to the next year, so EMM vigorously advocates for the full utilization of admission numbers so that every opportunity to rescue refugees is seized.

If refugees overseas can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution under one of the 5 grounds (race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion) and fit one of several categories of eligibility for the U.S. resettlement program, they are granted permission to resettle in the U.S. Most refugees are first designated as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees and then referred to the U.S. resettlement program. Each refugee coming to the United States is then interviewed by a representative of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to meet security requirements as well as the eligibility standards for resettlement established by our Government. Resettlement agencies such as EMM can sponsor refugees for resettlement only if they are approved by the U.S. Government.