Asylum is a form of protection granted to individuals who have fled their home country due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on specific grounds—race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Key Aspects of Asylum Protection from Persecution: Asylum seekers must demonstrate that they have suffered persecution […]
Category: USCRI Programs
Refugee-Led Organizations: Support and Challenges in the Uganda Response
Refugee-led organizations, civil society groups formed and managed by refugees themselves, are a growing actor in displacement responses across the world. Ranging from large, professional networks to handfuls of volunteers, these groups channel their talent and past trauma into providing services, promoting livelihoods, and giving other essential support to their neighbors. But these groups face […]
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Written by: Rosalind Ghafar Rogers, PhD, LMHC, Clinical Behavioral Health Subject Matter Expert with USCRI’s Refugee Health Services in Arlington, VA July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and USCRI recognizes the importance of enhancing public awareness of the unique strengths and mental health challenges that underrepresented and underserved communities of color face and […]
Call to Action: Submit Public Comments Speaking up for Asylum Seekers
Earlier this month, the President issued a Proclamation on “Securing the Border,” which effectively closed the southern U.S. border to asylum seekers and other migrants. The proclamation limits and suspends the entry of any noncitizen into the United States across the southern border—unless they meet an exception—and went into effect on June 5, 2024. Along […]
World Refugee Day & International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Written by: Rosalind Ghafar Rogers, PhD, LMHC, Clinical Behavioral Health Subject Matter Expert with USCRI’s Refugee Health Services in Arlington, VA June 20th is World Refugee Day and June 26th is the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. In recognition of both, USCRI celebrates the strength, resilience, and courage of millions […]
Violence in Myanmar Intensifying Humanitarian Needs
The following was written as a blog post for InterAction by USCRI policy analyst Aaron Nodjomian-Escajeda in his role as the co-chair for InterAction’s Myanmar Bangladesh Working Group. Since October 2023, resistance forces in Myanmar have gained territorial control across different parts of Myanmar. Expanded resistance has been accompanied by increased losses for the […]
Looking Beyond Legal Complexities: A Discussion with USCRI Mexico Staff on the Impact of Changes to U.S. Border Policy on Asylum Seekers
Over the past two years, the Biden administration has made considerable changes to asylum and migrant processing at the southern U.S. border. Most recently, President Biden issued a Proclamation on “Securing the Border,” which effectively closed the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers and other migrants. Along with the Proclamation, the Administration announced an interim final […]
USCRI’s Comment: Application of Certain Mandatory Bars in Fear Screenings
On May 13, 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled “Application of Certain Mandatory Bars in Fear Screenings.” If finalized, the NPRM would impact various populations that USCRI serves. The Proposed Rule allows Asylum Officers to apply certain asylum eligibility bars earlier in the process, making initial fear […]
Refugee Warehousing
Definition: The practice of keeping refugees in protracted situations of restricted mobility, enforced idleness, and dependency. Background: When people are displaced across international borders, governments and the United Nations typically work to achieve one of three ‘durable solutions’ for refugees and others: Improving conditions in countries of origin so refugees can safely and voluntarily return […]
Displaced and Alone: Protections for Unaccompanied Children from Haiti
This month, the global community will mark World Refugee Day to honor and stand in solidarity with refugees and those forced to flee their homes. Over 110 million people are forcibly displaced around the world; 40 percent of those people are children. As conflicts and crises become increasingly protracted and new escalations of violence erupt, […]
