 Repatriation
Program Goal
The U.S. Repatriation Program is committed to helping eligible repatriates referred from the U.S. Department of State by providing them with effective and efficient temporary assistance necessary for their transition and reestablishment in the United States
Program Description
The United States (U.S.) Repatriation Program was established by Title XI, Section 1113 of the Social Security Act (Assistance for U.S. Citizens Returned from Foreign Countries) to provide temporary assistance to U.S. citizens and their dependents who have been identified by the Department of State (DOS) as having returned, or been brought from a foreign country to the U.S. because of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, or a similar crisis (http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title11/1113.htm ).
Temporary assistance is defined as money payments, medical care, temporary billeting, transportation, and other goods and services necessary for the health or welfare of individuals (including guidance, counseling, and other welfare services), furnished to United States (U.S.) citizens and their dependents who are without available resources in the U.S. upon their arrival from abroad and for such period after their arrival, not exceeding 90 days asmay be provided in regulations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Certain temporary assistance may be furnished beyond the 90 day period in the case of any citizen or dependent upon a finding by the HHS Secretary that the circumstances involved necessitate or justify the furnishing of such assistance beyond such period in that particular case (42 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1313). http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl42/ch7/subchXI/ptA/sec1313.html).
Under Title XI, Section 1113, 42 U.S.C. 1313, HHS is authorized to develop plans and make arrangements (e.g. Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding) with States, Federal agencies and local providers for the provision of temporary assistance within the United States.
This program is also guided by 45 Code of Federal Agency (CFR) 211 (http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/cfr/title45/part211.html ), 45 CFR 212 (http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/cfr/title45/part212.html , and three Action Transmittals (AT) (AT 90-1 dated May 1984; AT 89-B dated April 1989; and AT 84-A dated November 1990). These ATs contain policies and procedures for the administration and coordination of the Program. Presently, the Program is revisiting these documents.
All temporary assistance provided under the Program and allocable to individual recipients is repayable to the Federal Government. HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers debt collection for these repayments. HRSA performs this collection through its contract agency, Program Support Center (PSC).
Eligible U.S. citizens are referred by DOS, which requests assistance from the U.S. Repatriation Program for individual, group and national emergency evacuations. DOS also certifies that citizens and their dependents are eligible for repatriation assistance and is responsible for bringing them to U.S. soil. Upon arrival in the U.S., services for repatriates are the responsibility of the Secretary of HHS. The Secretary has delegated these responsibilities to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within ACF.
History
In 1935, when Section 1113 of the Social Security Act was enacted, international travel for business or pleasure was limited by cost to an elite group of U.S. citizens; ocean vessel was the primary mode of intercontinental transportation; most travel was between the U.S. and Europe with New York as the major port; worldwide communication networks were sparse and unreliable; and federal social services programs were just beginning. It was in this climate that Congress established the Program to provide repayable assistance to eligible citizens and their dependants. This repayable assistance available through the Program served to keep the small number of repatriated citizens and their dependents from temporary poverty.
Yet, since 1935, the international-traveling U.S. public, global interactions in general, and the deferral approach to socials services have changed. Today, speedy and abundant flights, lower international airfares, instant global communications and financial networks, and worldwide trade patterns have contributed to the increase of U.S. citizens and their dependents living, visiting, and traveling in foreign countries.
Simultaneously, world events have caused an increase in the number of nationals or geographically localized natural crises such as hurricanes that threaten the safety of U.S. citizens and dependents living abroad. Furthermore, annual costs of temporary assistance have augmented significantly as the number of repatriates with serious conditions such as medical and mental conditions and/or criminal histories have increased resulting in a higher demand for assessment time, case planning, implementation and monitoring. Host countries bearing these high costs, like long term care or incarceration of U.S. citizens convicted of crimes overseas, are more frequently requesting the return of U.S. citizens than in the past.
Today’s profile of repatriates requiring Program assistance could qualify for mainstream public or private social assistance programs. These cases are similar to the client population of many current federal social services programs. This is not the profile of Americans who were international travelers in the 1930s and these services were not available at the inception of the Program. Individual repatriates today are not merely waiting to locate and liquidate their financial resources but are often totally rebuilding their lives, a circumstance which may require training and counseling as well as financial assistance.
Although not all individuals will require every service available, the Program has to be prepared at all times to provide effective and efficient services to eligible individuals. Many repatriates have the financial means to arrange their own transportation and may not need any temporary assistance. For those repatriates who are without available resources, the Program arranges for all the required services. The Program, through its cooperative agreement with International Social Services (ISS), coordinates with the State of final destination to provide any appropriate temporary assistance for the eligible individual and dependent/s.
Program Activities
The Program has four separate activities:
1. The Individual Repatriation Activity provides temporary assistance to repatriates who are returned to the U.S. individually and in families by DOS. The program is authorized under Section 1113 of the Social Security Act.
2. The Group Repatriation Activity also provides temporary assistance to groups of individuals and families who are returned to the U.S. from foreign countries under conditions of war, threat of war, invasion or natural disaster. This activity is also authorized by Section 1113 of the Social Security Act.
3. The Mentally Ill Activity provides for the care and treatment of legally insane or otherwise mentally ill persons who are returned to the U.S. from foreign countries. This program is authorized under 24 U.S.C. 321. (http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/24/chapters/9/toc.html).
4. The Emergency Repatriation Activity provides for temporary assistance to individuals and families who are returned to the U.S. from foreign counties under a Presidential Declaration of National Emergency. This activity is authorized under Executive Order (E.O.) 12656, as part of the HHS’ responsibilities for national security emergencies. (http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/EO12656.htm). This E.O. was amended by:
- E.O. 13074, February 9, 1998 http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13074.htm.
- E.O. 13228, October 8, 2001 http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13228.htm.
- E.O. 13286, February 28, 2003 http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13286.htm.
Operationally, these types of activities involve different kinds of preparation, resources and execution. However, the core program policies and administrative procedures are essentially the same for each.
Please be advised that Program documents are being revised, including the Manual and the Emergency Repatriation Guide.
Other Information
- Draft National Emergency Repatriation Plan, Operational Guide (pdf 4.9MB)
- Internal Analysis and 2006 Lebanon Emergency Repatriation (pdf 2MB)
- Other Resources (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and NEO Tracking System - ppt 1.0MB)
- Repatriation and State TANF Letter (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/repatri.htm)
- Repatriation and Citizens’ right to move and live in different States (http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1967/1967_9/)
Services Provided
Temporary assistance, which is defined as cash payment, medical care (including counseling), temporary billeting, transportation, and other goods and services necessary for the health or welfare of individuals, is given to eligible individuals in the form of a loan and must be repaid to the U.S. Government. Temporary assistance is available to eligible individuals for up-to 90 days.
Certain temporary assistance may be furnished beyond the 90 day period if ORR determines that the circumstances involved necessitate or justify the furnishing of such assistance to repatriates and their dependents beyond the 90 day limit. In addition, under the Program legislation, eligible individuals are entitled to apply for debt waivers and deferrals.
2006
From July 19 to August 2, 2006, ORR offered social services to over 12,400
During Emergency or Group Repatriation
In the event of a massive evacuation from overseas, 50 or more eligible repatriates, HHS is the lead agency responsible for arranging through State agencies for the reception, temporary care, and onward transportation to the final destination of non-combatant evacuees returned to the U.S. from a foreign country. While HHS is responsible for the National Emergency Repatriation planning and implementation of the emergency plan, provision relies on States and local government to carry out operational responsibility for the reception, temporary care, and onwards transportation for the non-combatant evacuee.
Funding Opportunities
Repatriation Program Grantee
International Social Services-USA Branch
http://www.iss-usa.org
Contact Information
Elizabeth Russell
Director, Repatriation Program
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families
Phone: 202.401.9246
Fax: 202.401.5487