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1 [1] (July 24, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/siugh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service lnforrning the legislative debate since 1914 S Updated July 24, 2025 Global Refugee Resettlement: Background and Selected Issues During the past decade, the global number of refugees (including asylum-seekers-those who have applied for refugee status but whose claim has not yet been definitively evaluated) more than doubled to over 45 million people worldwide. Congress funds and oversees U.S. humanitarian assistance to refugees, and some Members have demonstrated an ongoing interest in the policies and practices that govern refugee resettlement at the global and domestic levels. Global Displacement and Resettlement As of June 2025 (latest data available), the United Nations estimated that 122.1 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide due to armed conflict, widespread violence, or human rights violations. Those displaced include refugees, asylum seekers, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Displaced populations may be separated from their homes for long periods, particularly in instances of large-scale, protracted crises or ongoing armed conflicts where political solutions have proven elusive. According to the United Nations, on average, a person is displaced as a refugee for 20 years. Some refugees are able to return to their country of origin and others integrate with local populations in the country to which they fled; however, for millions of refugees without these options, less than 1% may be eligible for refugee resettlement in another country. Refugee resettlement is the transfer of refugees from a host country where they have received temporary asylum to another country that has agreed to admit them and usually grant them permanent settlement with legal and physical protection, including access to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals. Generally, resettlement eventually leads to permanent resident status or even citizenship in the resettlement country. Although the number of global resettlement spots available is significantly smaller than the refugee population, experts view resettlement as an important tool of refugee protection and response. Resettlement is a way for governments to demonstrate that they are carrying some of the burden of the impact of refugees, even symbolically. UNHCR cooperates with countries that may also support refugees through complementary pathways (CPaths), such as humanitarian admission programs, individual sponsorship, and admission of relatives beyond existing family reunification programs. Other approaches include labor mobility and private investor schemes, and student scholarships. CPaths initiatives provide solutions for many thousands more refugees than are reflected in UNHCR's refugee resettlement data. Key Entities and Mechanisms Several global entities and mechanisms play key roles in refugee resettlement. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Established by the UN General Assembly in 1950, UNHCR is mandated to lead and coordinate international action for the protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems worldwide, including the global refugee resettlement program (see below). The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Convention) and its 1967 Protocol. The Convention outlines the standards for the rights and protection of refugees; it is also the primary legal instrument related to global refugee resettlement. Its 1967 Protocol removed geographic and time-based limitations in the Convention, expanding the scope to apply universally to persons fleeing conflict and persecution. A cornerstone of the Convention is the principle of non-refoulement, which means that a refugee should not be returned to a country where he or she faces serious threats to his or her life or freedom. The Convention defines a refugee as a person fleeing his or her country because of persecution or owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside of the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country. Once an individual is considered a refugee, that individual automatically has certain legal rights, and States Parties to the Refugee Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol are obligated to provide certain resources and protection. The United States has not ratified the Convention; however, it is party to the 1967 Protocol. Refugee Status Determination (RSD). RSD is the administrative process governments or UNHCR use to determine whether a person seeking international protection is a refugee under international, regional, or national law. Host countries have the primary responsibility for determining the status of asylum-seekers; UNHCR may do so when countries are unable or unwilling. During mass movements of refugees, individual asylum interviews cannot be conducted for everyone who has crossed the border, and with the agreement of the host country, these groups are often declared prima facie refugees. Processes for Refugee Resettlement The global refugee resettlement process typically involves the following steps, which are coordinated between UNHCR and the government of the resettlement country: 1. UNHCR registration (includes taking biometrics, such as iris scans, digital photos, and fingerprinting); 2. UNHCR conducts RSD or confirms host country RSD; 3. UNHCR identification of a need for resettlement; 4. UNHCR confirmation of resettlement country; 5. Resettlement country RSD/admissibility determination; 6. Resettlement country clearances; and 7. Travel to and reception in resettlement country. https://crsreports.congress.gov