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, if so, it works toward the best possible durable solution for each refugee: safe return to their 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 adversary or unrest.
  
  • Are refugees migrants? What is the difference between a migrant and a refugee?                  
      Migrants are people who decide or make a conscious choice to travel to the
      United States. Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their
      countries because they have been persecuted and are granted the right 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 have very little 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 themselves.    
                                                                         
  • 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?              
    A majority of the refugees were educated middle class people in their home
    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, personal items, necessities to sustain
    themselves, as we all do. They also work, pay taxes, open businesses, and
    purchase homes - all of which contributes to the vibrancy and richness of our
​    economy, and the nation, as a whole.

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