Refugees and Asylum

WHAT'S NEW

U.S. Refugee Program Admissions & Funding

For FY 2007, the President set a target of 70,000 refugee admissions. However, only a total of just over 48,000 were admitted last year under the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which fell short of the President’s target and our request of 90,000 for FY 2007.

For FY 2008, the Presidential set a target of up to 80,000 refugee admissions.
The 80,000 admissions numbers will be allocated among refugees of special
humanitarian concern to the United States in accordance with the following regional allocations:

Africa.............................16,000
East Asia........................20,000
Europe and Central Asia.....3,000
Latin America/Caribbean....3,000
Near East/South Asia........28,000
Unallocated Reserve.........10,000

The most notable increase in regional allocation is the allocation of 28,000
refugee admission slots to refugees from the Near East/South Asia, which
includes Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, and other countries in the region. The Department of State’s Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account helps the United States meet its domestic and international obligations to protect
and assist refugees and, in some cases, internally displaced persons. MRA
funding also helps relieve explosive international tensions and sets an example
for the rest of the world.

The two major line-items within MRA are overseas refugee assistance and U.S. refugee admissions. Funding for the MRA account in FY2008 is expected to be nearly $1.3 billion, which is an increase of nearly $200 million over the FY2007 funding level for this account.

Click here to read the Presidential Determination for FY2008 Refugee Admissions

HIAS Calls on DHS to Reverse Course on New Harmful Asylum Policy

HIAS called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to rescind its new
policy that makes it more difficult for non-criminal asylum seekers to be
released from the jails and jail-like facilities used by the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). The new policy will not only increase detention costs
to taxpayers, but will also further traumatize those who fled persecution in
their homelands to seek asylum and freedom in the United States.

Click here to read HIAS’ statement on the new asylum policy

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

HIAS Statements and Press Releases

HIAS: Department of Homeland Security Issues New Asylum Policy; More Likely that Victims of Persecution will Remain in Jail, November 14, 2007.

HIAS Policy Resolutions

Refugee Protection: Providing Assistance and Safe Haven to the World's Most Vulnerable, Updated June 28, 2005
Protecting Political Asylum in America, Updated June 28, 2005
Refugee Protection, Updated March 3, 2003

Community Statements and Sign-On Letters

Interfaith Statement in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Addendum on Asylum, July 13, 2006.

Issues Policy Resolutions Action Alerts Advocacy Updates
Immigration Reform Immigration Services and Naturalization Refugees and Asylum Material Support SSI for Refugees Religious Workers	Refugees and Asylum WHAT'S NEW U.S. Refugee Program Admissions & Funding For FY 2007, the President set a target of 70,000 refugee admissions. However, only a total of just over 48,000 were admitted last year under the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which fell short of the President’s target and our request of 90,000 for FY 2007. For FY 2008, the Presidential set a target of up to 80,000 refugee admissions. The 80,000 admissions numbers will be allocated among refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States in accordance with the following regional allocations: Africa.............................16,000 East Asia........................20,000 Europe and Central Asia.....3,000 Latin America/Caribbean....3,000 Near East/South Asia........28,000 Unallocated Reserve.........10,000 The most notable increase in regional allocation is the allocation of 28,000 refugee admission slots to refugees from the Near East/South Asia, which includes Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, and other countries in the region. The Department of State’s Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account helps the United States meet its domestic and international obligations to protect and assist refugees and, in some cases, internally displaced persons. MRA funding also helps relieve explosive international tensions and sets an example for the rest of the world. The two major line-items within MRA are overseas refugee assistance and U.S. refugee admissions. Funding for the MRA account in FY2008 is expected to be nearly $1.3 billion, which is an increase of nearly $200 million over the FY2007 funding level for this account. Click here to read the Presidential Determination for FY2008 Refugee Admissions HIAS Calls on DHS to Reverse Course on New Harmful Asylum Policy HIAS called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to rescind its new policy that makes it more difficult for non-criminal asylum seekers to be released from the jails and jail-like facilities used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The new policy will not only increase detention costs to taxpayers, but will also further traumatize those who fled persecution in their homelands to seek asylum and freedom in the United States. Click here to read HIAS’ statement on the new asylum policy BACKGROUND INFORMATION HIAS Statements and Press Releases HIAS: Department of Homeland Security Issues New Asylum Policy; More Likely that Victims of Persecution will Remain in Jail, November 14, 2007. HIAS Policy Resolutions Refugee Protection: Providing Assistance and Safe Haven to the World's Most Vulnerable, Updated June 28, 2005 Protecting Political Asylum in America, Updated June 28, 2005 Refugee Protection, Updated March 3, 2003 Community Statements and Sign-On Letters Interfaith Statement in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Addendum on Asylum, July 13, 2006.