Today all around the world, there are millions of refugees that are displaced from their countries and hundreds more displaced daily. Refugees all around the world often face numerous amounts of challenges from being uprooted from their indigenous homes. This issue has created an idea referred to as the durable solutions, which is aimed to help refugees through this phase of their life. Durable solutions are ways to finding solutions that enable refugees to live their lives in dignity and peace, rather than solutions that disturb their lives. The durable solutions were drawn in the 1951 refugee Convention, which placed ‘forced displacement’ as one of the four core elements to be discussed in the convention. Today, currently 97% of total displaced refugees and asylum seekers have no solution, 2.3% were voluntarily repatriated, 0.3% were locally integrated, and 0.4% were resettled in a host country (Class PowerPoint). Durable solutions are met to be solutions until the refugee can return home or be permanently reintegrated elsewhere. The three durable solutions to displacement are voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement.
The first durable solution is voluntary repatriation. Voluntary repatriation solves displacement by returning refugees to their country but voluntarily. Refugees may choose repatriation over the other two solutions if: the decision to repatriate brings safety and order to live in dignity, the circumstances which caused them to leave have changed or have been resolved, there is a enjoyment of normal and peaceful life upon return, and the rendering of every possible assistance. There are many advantages that come with voluntary repatriation. One advantage is that refugees aren’t putting any stress on resources or financial aspects of other countries, which makes this cost effective on other countries.
Next, is that host countries will feel a sense of relief when refugees return because means the refugee has regained their normal way of life and find happiness being home. Finally, the biggest advantage is that voluntary repatriation allows refugees to go back to their native country. Voluntary repatriation also has its own risks and concerns. The first problem is that refugees may be pressured to return to their countries which may result in a forced/involuntary return, which refugees do not want. Next, once refugees return home, they could be faced with spontaneous or unassisted repatriation, where they are given little or no assistance to settling back home. Finally, the movement back home may not be the end but merely more of a new beginning.
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The second and most durable solution is local integration. Local integration solves displacement by allowing refugees to integrate into a host country when they are unable to be returned to their home country. Local integration allows refugees to become part of that host country by granting them a progressively wider range of rights and entitlements. Rights and entitlements that allow refugees to seek employment, engage in activities, own and dispose of property, freedom of movement, and access to public services like education. There are a few advantages that come with local integration, one being that are that it allows refugees to remain in close proximity to their displaced country and also their culture.
The other advantage as mentioned above, is that integration endows refugees with rights and autonomy from the country that they are integrated into. Local integration also as a few risks and concerns. First one being that displacement puts a disproportionate amount of burden on neighboring states because of the amount of refugees settling in their country. Another concern is the systemic evasion by the host government basically meaning that the host governments are avoiding the evasion of refugees. Next is that its changing norms away from local integration. Finally local integration sets a trend toward a self-settlement, where refugees settle themselves in a host country.
The final durable solution is resettlement. Resettlement solves displacement by giving refugees permission to resettlement in host country permanently if governments and agencies deem that the refugee can’t return home due to circumstances. One advantage of resettlement is that it is very effective and safes refugees from being displaced. Another advantage is that it gives special opportunities for refugees, which in turn benefits to host states economically and culturally. Resettlement has plenty of concerns, one being that the demand for resettlement outweighs the supply because there are few countries that accept resettled refugees due to the process being expensive and logistically complicated. With it being expensive and complicated, resettlement fluctuates based on domestic policies in host states. Finally, resettlement can pose many challenges for refugees including the cultural separation/isolation that they endured during the transition.
According to the UNHCR website resettlement is described as “the careful selection by governments-for the purpose of lawful and secure admission- of the most vulnerable refugees who can neither return to their home country nor live in safety in their current home country” (UNHCR). The resettlement system is a life-saving way to help displaced refugees get back on their feet by giving them safety from the violence or torture they were enduring, receive better opportunities, start a new beginning, and to ultimately live in peace. Unfortunely, not every refugee is able to benefit from the resettlement system, but if the individual fits in 1 of the 4 categories according the UNHCR they are able to resettle. The four vulnerability categories include: urgent medical needs, survivors of violence/torture, women and children at risk, and/or children at risk.
In order for a refugee to be resettled in the United States, they have to fall under 1 of the 4 vulnerable categories that UNHCR has set. Some hurdles that refugees can undergo include: numerous interviews with refugee officers, extensive medical screenings, and extensive background checks all which refugees have to pass with flying colors in order to be allowed to resettle in the United States. Refugees with a criminal background or pose a threat would not be referred for resettlement in the U.S. For the refugees that don’t pass the medical examinations, they can’t be approved for resettlement until they have been treated which will put a delay on their resettlement process. Another hurdle many refugees face is the length of time it takes to actual be resettled in the U.S., which can range from several months to years.
In order for the resettlement system to be beneficial, it takes the works of multiple offices and agencies. The first is the United States Resettlement Support Centers (RSC), which are centers abroad that process refugee cases and to coordinate administrative aspects of the program (Refugee Council USA). After the support centers hear the cases, next involved is the State’s Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). The PRM is the first point of contact that the U.S government has with refugees. They coordinate with other agencies to provide protection to refugees until they are permanently resettled in the United States or another country. The next agency is the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and immigration services (USCIS), which is the agency that determines the approval or denial of the resettlement cases. If approved they go through extensive interviews with refugee officers from DHS/USCIS.
Once the refugee has been accepted by DHS/USCIS, the RSC than sends a request for sponsorship to the United States where it is received by the Refugee Processing Center (part of the State Department). During this time, The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of performing the extensive background checks. The DHS uses other agencies including Counterterrorism Center, FBI, Department of Defense, and other U.S. intelligence agencies for the security reviews of each refugee (Felter and McBride, 2018). Along with the background checks is also medical checks, which is the role of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS role is to make sure the refugees are screened thoroughly so they don’t bring tuberculosis and other venereal diseases into the United States (Refugee Council USA).
Once assurance and all other checks are completed and passed, is when travel arrangements can be made for the refugees to come into the United States. Travel arrangements are coordinated by the International organization for Migration (IOM), which works for the RSCs.
Works Cited
- Felter, Claire, and James McBride. “How Does the U.S. Refugee System Work?” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 10 Oct. 2018, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/how-does-us-refugee-system-work.
