Refugee Resettlement Program

Who is a ‘Refugee’?

• Refugee was defined by the 1951 Refugee Convention as a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, and natural disaster.

The Process: 

• Must first register with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the country to which they have fled.
• UNHCR will determine if an individual meets the international definition of a refugee.
• A qualified refugee will be referred to United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)
• Refugees selected for resettlement through the USRAP are eligible for Reception and Placement (R&P) assistance upon arrival in the U.S. 

IRR’s R&P program was obligated to suspend in 2019 due to low on refugee arrivals. The R&P Program is reinstated on October 1^, 2024. Again, R&P program is terminated on 02/27/2025.

IRR’s R&P program is funded by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).