Refugee Resettlement

Who is a Refugee?

The 1951 Refugee Convention established the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which states that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country."

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), under U.S. law, a refugee is an individual who:

	Is located outside of the United States,
	Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States,
	Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group,
	Is not firmly resettled in another country, and
	Is admissible to the United States.

Related Links:
US Refugee Resettlement Program
Institute Resettlement Program
Refugee Act of 1980
How Refugees Get to America Chart
How Refugees Get to the International Institute
Yearly Refugee Arrivals to the US by State and Country of Origin
Rainbow Welcome Initiative (LGBT Refugees and Asylees)
Overview of Immigrant Eligibility for Federal Programs
Cultural Orientation Resource Center
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
Cultural Orientation Resource Center – videos of interviews with different refugees
Migration Experiences of Many Countries Around the World
Migration Facts and Stats for Missouri
East-West Gateway - The Strategic Assessment of the St. Louis Region