Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is a Refugee?
A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has the mandate to provide international protection to refugees. UNHCR determines if an individual qualifies as a refugee and, if so, works toward the best possible durable solution for each refugee: safe return to the home country, local integration, or third-country resettlement.
- Why are they in United States? Every year, the president and Congress meet to set refugee quotas for citizens of specific countries that face some kind of adversaries or unrest.
- Are refugees migrants? What is the difference between a migrant and a refugee?
United States. Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their countries
because they have been persecuted and are granted the rights to rebuild their
lives in a new country.
- Do refugees take jobs away from citizens? Refugees compete for jobs as everyone else. Since they flee their countries, they hardly have anything to begin their new life. So they have to depend on donations or purchase limited household goods, clothing, etc. until they can find a job to sustain them.
- Can they become American citizens? Yes, they can become American citizens. They have to go through the legal channel of becoming citizens. See our Path to Citizenship page.
- How can they possibly contribute to the community or economy?
countries; have qualifications that are not recognized in the United States; or do not
speak English. As a result, they have to go through a period of adjustments. They
purchase food, goods, etc, which give jobs to those who produce these goods. They
also work, pay taxes, open businesses, and purchase homes - all of this contributes
to the vibrancy and richness of our economy, and the nation, as a whole.
