 Annual ORR Reports to Congress - 1999
I. ORR'S REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
Admissions
To be admitted to the United States, refugees must be determined by an officer of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to meet the definition of refugee as defined in the Refugee Act of 1980. They also must be determined to be of special humanitarian concern to the U.S., be admissible under U.S. law, and not be firmly resettled in another country. Special humanitarian concern generally applies to refugees with relatives residing in the U.S., refugees whose status as refugees has occurred as a result of their association with the U.S., and refugees who have a close tie to the U.S. because of education here or employment by the U.S. government. In addition, the U.S. admits a share of refugees determined by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to be in need of resettlement in a third country outside the region from which they have fled.
The ceiling for the number of refugees to be admitted each year is determined by the President after consultation between the Executive Branch and the Congress. The President has authority to respond beyond the ceiling in cases of refugee emergencies. The table at right shows the arrivals and ceilings in FY’s 1983-1999.
For FY 1999
the refugee ceiling was 91,000. During FY 1999, 84,777 refugees and
241
Amerasians were admitted to the U.S. In addition, 20,681 Cuban and 1,233 Haitian entrants and humanitarian parolees were admitted to the U.S.
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1998
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83,000
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90,628
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109.2
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1997
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78,000
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81,760
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104.8
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1996
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90,000
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75,728
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84.1
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1995
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112,000
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99,553
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88.8
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1994
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121,000
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112,065
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92.6
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1993
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132,000
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119,050
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90.2
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1992
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142,000
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131,749
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92.8
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1991
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131,000
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113,980
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87.0
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1990
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125,000
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122,935
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98.3
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1989
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116,500
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106,932
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91.8
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1988
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60,500
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76,930
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127.2
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1987
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70,000
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58,863
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84.1
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1986
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67,000
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60,559
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90.4
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1985
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70,000
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67,166
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96.0
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1984
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72,000
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70,604
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98.1
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1983
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90,000
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60,040
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66.7
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Source: Reallocated
ceilings from Department of State (except for FY 1989 in which the
reallocated ceiling was revised from 94,000 to 116,500). Admissions
based on ORR data system, as of May 12000
Includes Private Sector Initiative admissions and Amerasians.
The Population Profile section and associated tables in Appendix A of this report provide refugee (including Amerasian) and entrant arrival numbers by country of origin and State of initial resettlement for the period FY 1983 through FY 1999.
Reception and Placement
Most persons eligible for ORR's refugee program benefits are the refugees resettled through the Department of State's refugee allocations system under the annual ceiling for refugee admissions. Upon arrival, refugees are provided initial services through a program of grants, called Cooperative Agreements, made by the Department of State to qualifying agencies. In FY 1999 the following agencies participated: Church World Service, Episcopal Migration Ministries, Ethiopian Community Development Council, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Iowa Refugee Service Center, International Rescue Committee, Immigration and Refugee Services of America, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, United States Catholic Conference, and World Relief Refugee Service.
These grantee agencies are responsible to provide initial "nesting" services covering basic food, clothing, shelter, orientation, and referral for the first 30 days. In FY 1999, the agencies received a per capita amount of $720 from the State Department for this purpose. After this period, needy refugees are eligible for the assistance provided under ORR's program of domestic assistance.
ORR Assistance and Services
All persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum while in the U.S. are eligible for refugee benefits described in this report. Certain other persons admitted to the United States under other immigration categories are also eligible for refugee benefits. Amerasians from Vietnam and their accompanying family members, though admitted to the U.S. as immigrants, are entitled to the same social services and assistance benefits as refugees. Certain nationals of Cuba and Haiti, such as public interest parolees and asylum applicants, may also receive benefits in the same manner and to the same extent as refugees if they reside in States with an approved Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program.
Cuban and Haitian Arrivals in FY 1995 through FY 1999
In FY 1999, 21,916 Cuban and Haitian entrants arrived in the U.S. Eighty-three percent initially resettled in Florida. In FY 1998, 14,136 Cuban and Haitian entrants arrived in the U.S. Eighty-seven percent initially resettled in Florida. In FY 1997, 5,340 Cuban and Haitian entrants arrived in the U.S, with 89 percent initially resettling in Florida. In FY 1996, 17,361 Cuban and Haitian entrants arrived in the U.S., with 74 percent initially resettling in Florida. In FY 1995, 32,238 arrived in the United States with 82 percent initially resettling in Florida. This was the largest wave of Cuban and Haitian refugees/entrants to arrive since the 1980 Mariel boat lift.