QUESTION: Who is a refugee?
ANSWER: The US Office of Refugee Resettlement defines a refugee as someone who is living in a country that is not his or her own and is unable or unwilling to return to their own country because of fear of unrest or persecution.

QUESTION: Who is allowed to resettle? What is the process?
ANSWER: Each year, the United States gives visas to a designated number of people living in refugee camps. The US State Department selects refugees and assigns them to a city in the US. After the State Department decides where the refugee will be resettled, the refugee’s case is passed on to a Voluntary Resettlement Agency, or VOLAG, which provides assistance to refugees upon their arrival in the city that will be their new home. The US Government gives refugees direct assistance for only 90 days.

QUESTION: What is a VOLAG?
ANSWER: A Voluntary Resettlement Agency, or VOLAG, is an organization that provides resettlement services to refugees in the United States. The United States Office of Refugees Resettlement (ORR) contracts with ten non- governmental organizations to work closely with new refugees in their new communities. A VOLAG’s responsibility is to welcome and assist new refugees in navigating life in America. This organization meets them at the airport, sets up an apartment for them, enrolls the children in school, enrolls the adults in English classes, and helps them register for county services. Some VOLAG’s provide job assistance and orientation classes. The VOLAG is contracted by ORR to provide these services for 90 days.

QUESTION: Which VOLAGS work in Minnesota?
ANSWER: Six of the ten VOLAGs are present in Minnesota through five branch organizations. They are Catholic Charities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, International Institute of Minnesota, Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, the Minnesota Council of Churches, and World Relief Minnesota.

QUESTION: What are the initial steps in resettlement?
ANSWER: When a refugee arrives in the United States, they are picked up at the airport by the resettlement organization assigned to them. The organization will have an apartment and basic amenities such as groceries, furniture, and household items ready. During the first two weeks, the VOLAG assists the individual or family in attending their mandatory medical exams, registering for a social security card, enrolling their children in school, enrolling adults in English classes, and attaining county benefits. Organizations are also responsible for providing an orientation course, which covers topics like shopping in American stories, using public transport, and when (and when not) to call 911.

QUESTION: Who decides where refugees are resettled?
ANSWER: The US Office of Refugee Resettlement, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, decides where refugees will be resettled. Communities are chosen based on their ability to provide services to new refugees. The department attempts to balance the number of refugees being resettled in a certain area so that resources are not overwhelmed.

QUESTION: What is secondary migration?
ANSWER: Secondary migration is when a family chooses to move to another city that is closer to their own community, has better jobs, or offers better services. The concern with secondary migration is that many people use up their resettlement money for the move. Once these individuals or families arrive in their new city, they have used all their resources and are still not properly prepared to work or go to school.

QUESTION: What resources are available to the VOLAG for resettlement during the first 90 days?
ANSWER: Each refugee is given a low interest, long term loan that covers their airfare. The US Government gives the VOLAG $900 for each refugee (including minor children) when they arrive in the USA. The money is used for resettlement costs such as housing, furniture, basic household items, orientation courses, and further assistance. For example, a VOLAG receives $3,600 to resettle a family of four, with two parents and two minor children. That $3600 is used for rent, furniture, initial household items, and general assistance.

QUESTION: What services are available to refugees after their relationship with the VOLAG ends?
ANSWER: If after 90 days, a new arrival is not able to support herself and her family, she must rely government assistance programs. The Minnesota Department of Human Services administers the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)—which a refugee must apply for. Teams of caseworkers serve refugees, with a different advocate for each part of the process. Communication is difficult for limited-English speakers and navigating the bureaucracy presents challenges even for native English speakers.

QUESTION: How has the resettlement situation changed in Minnesota?
ANSWER: Before 2009, family reunification was the model for East African refugee resettlement in Minnesota. Now, about 60% of Somali cases are free cases, and roughly 1/3 are single women with small children. In family reunification, refugees have family already living in Minnesota who can assist them after the 90-day orientation period. They can move in with their sponsors if money is tight; use family connections to get jobs and their knowledge to find services. In contrast, free cases come to the United States without knowing anyone and without a safety net.