The Frontlines:

Refugees are people who are forced to leave their homes, crossing an international border to escape real or perceived persecution based on race, ethnicity, social class, religion, or politics. People who are resettled as refugees in the US are legal permanent residents, and have gone through an extensive interview process and security clearance to prove that they are who they say they are, and that their claims of persecution are true.

Each year the President signs a determination that sets the number of refugees the US will receive (usually between 50,000 – 70,000). Resettlement agencies like World Relief contract with the state department to provide all the services refugees need for their first ninety days.  The state department pays each agency $425 per refugee.  This must cover all expenses for ninety days including:  security deposit, rent, all the household items and furniture needed to set-up an apartment, food to last until food stamps are active, and any other basic needs.  Most agencies rely heavily on volunteers, donations, and grants.

When refugees come to the US they are given a travel loan for the cost of their airplane tickets, which they are expected to pay off within three years.  Failure to pay will result in a mark against their credit, which will affect their ability to purchase a house or car in the future.

TRAF partners with World Relief Aurora to help fill in some gaps with services World Relief is not funded to provide.