1. Home
  2. Slideshows
  3. Afraid of Middle Eastern refugees? Fight fear with facts!

Afraid of Middle Eastern refugees? Fight fear with facts!

Published November 22nd, 2015 - 04:17 GMT

The US House of Representatives last week approved legislation that would stall America's program for accepting refugees, demanding stricter security provisions on the screening of Iraqi and Syrian refugees. To date, 32 American governors (out of 50) have issued statements saying they would bar Syrian refugees from settling in their states, citing risk of violent extremism, fears fanned by the recent Paris terror events.  (Symbolic, as they lack rights to do so.)

The US vetting process for Middle Eastern refugees is perhaps the most stringent on the planet, suggesting that "security" isn't the only fuel powering the anti-refugee movement. See some of the hurdles a refugee must pass and learn how irrational it is to fear them. 

 

View as a slider
View as a list
UNHCR processing facility

The US screening process is tough to pass. Start by registering with UNHCR which assesses where best to place you, often based on where your family is. US entry requires you to be vetted by the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI Terrorist Screening Center, and Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security. It could take years.

refugees walking to border

You don’t walk to a refugee camp, flash an ID and say fly me to NYC. First, UNHCR (working with authorities and NGOs) signs you up to receive basic benefits while your case is processed. Syrian? Undergo more screening to check where you came from and why you fled. Many refugees don’t pursue resettlement, rather wait it out to one day go home.

refugee children

Hooray! You're designated as a refugee. Now face interviews by the US Refugee Admissions Program (run jointly by the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and offices from Department of Homeland Security). Families often add more babies in the time it takes to process approvals (18-24 months), which can reset the clock.

refugee family reunion

All refugees aren't created equal. Priority goes to those who suffered persecution and lack options, as defined by UNHCR and their partners. Next are people from nations of “special concern” to the US, as defined by the State Dept. (e.g., Iraq and Iran). Then come parents, spouses, and minor children of refugees already living in the US.

refugee processing

Just because you meet one of those categories doesn’t guarantee US admission. There is fingerprint analysis and medical evaluation. Regional Refugee Coordinators and overseas Resettlement Support Centers will determine whether you’ve already “firmly resettled” (a legal term) in an interim place, which also disallows your US move.

what refugees are fleeing

The process is full of challenges often impossible to overcome without access to personal documents that may no longer exist. You'll undergo multiple interviews, be interrogated on discrepancies. Health issues, criminal records, polygamy, and anything that flags a security risk may drop you from US resettlement. You can appeal, but it takes time.

refugee detention

Mabruk! You’ve been conditionally accepted for resettlement. The Refugee Processing Center now decides which state you'll move to. You'll register for that state’s welfare system, get job-training, and learn English – a fiscal burden that has 26 governors saying they won't let you in.

refugee migration

Fearmongering is nonsensical. No screening system can be 100% foolproof, but the refugee vetting process is exponentially more stringent than the checks required to hop an international flight, cross Mexican and Canadian borders, or be employed in maritime shipping - each of which have been ways for people (posing security risks) to enter the US.

refugee children

For Americans bemoaning the cost of humanitarian aid, did you know that refugees sign promissory notes to repay the US for their travel costs? Payback on this interest-free travel loan begins six months after arriving in the country. Different nonprofit groups (not government agencies!) help refugees find homes, furniture, school supplies and jobs.

refugee children

The fact is that about half of all refugees are children, another quarter are elderly. Almost all of the adults are either moms or couples coming with children. Do these people scare you? American reaction to their humanitarian plight is what's terrifying.

UNHCR processing facility
refugees walking to border
refugee children
refugee family reunion
refugee processing
what refugees are fleeing
refugee detention
refugee migration
refugee children
refugee children
UNHCR processing facility
The US screening process is tough to pass. Start by registering with UNHCR which assesses where best to place you, often based on where your family is. US entry requires you to be vetted by the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI Terrorist Screening Center, and Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security. It could take years.
refugees walking to border
You don’t walk to a refugee camp, flash an ID and say fly me to NYC. First, UNHCR (working with authorities and NGOs) signs you up to receive basic benefits while your case is processed. Syrian? Undergo more screening to check where you came from and why you fled. Many refugees don’t pursue resettlement, rather wait it out to one day go home.
refugee children
Hooray! You're designated as a refugee. Now face interviews by the US Refugee Admissions Program (run jointly by the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and offices from Department of Homeland Security). Families often add more babies in the time it takes to process approvals (18-24 months), which can reset the clock.
refugee family reunion
All refugees aren't created equal. Priority goes to those who suffered persecution and lack options, as defined by UNHCR and their partners. Next are people from nations of “special concern” to the US, as defined by the State Dept. (e.g., Iraq and Iran). Then come parents, spouses, and minor children of refugees already living in the US.
refugee processing
Just because you meet one of those categories doesn’t guarantee US admission. There is fingerprint analysis and medical evaluation. Regional Refugee Coordinators and overseas Resettlement Support Centers will determine whether you’ve already “firmly resettled” (a legal term) in an interim place, which also disallows your US move.
what refugees are fleeing
The process is full of challenges often impossible to overcome without access to personal documents that may no longer exist. You'll undergo multiple interviews, be interrogated on discrepancies. Health issues, criminal records, polygamy, and anything that flags a security risk may drop you from US resettlement. You can appeal, but it takes time.
refugee detention
Mabruk! You’ve been conditionally accepted for resettlement. The Refugee Processing Center now decides which state you'll move to. You'll register for that state’s welfare system, get job-training, and learn English – a fiscal burden that has 26 governors saying they won't let you in.
refugee migration
Fearmongering is nonsensical. No screening system can be 100% foolproof, but the refugee vetting process is exponentially more stringent than the checks required to hop an international flight, cross Mexican and Canadian borders, or be employed in maritime shipping - each of which have been ways for people (posing security risks) to enter the US.
refugee children
For Americans bemoaning the cost of humanitarian aid, did you know that refugees sign promissory notes to repay the US for their travel costs? Payback on this interest-free travel loan begins six months after arriving in the country. Different nonprofit groups (not government agencies!) help refugees find homes, furniture, school supplies and jobs.
refugee children
The fact is that about half of all refugees are children, another quarter are elderly. Almost all of the adults are either moms or couples coming with children. Do these people scare you? American reaction to their humanitarian plight is what's terrifying.

You may also like

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content
Subscribe Now
Loading content ...