I've heard arguments about whether it is wise to allow immigrants – refugees in particular – into the United States. A common theme I've heard is that not enough is done to know if they would be a threat. I decided to take to the reputable corners of the internet and find out as much as I could about the path to the U.S. for today's refugees.

If you just want the bullet points, that's straight below. You want to learn a little more, scroll down to where I've broken the four milestones of the process down in a bit more depth.

The No-Explanation List Version

Geographically-Specific Trauma
(not so much a step as a reality they couldn't avoid)
Registration for refugee status with The United Nations Refugee Agency, which includes…
Complete in-depth, lengthy application
Multiple interviews to verify application
Home visits to verify application
Relationship checks to verify application
Being photographed
Biological data gathered
Receive referral from The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the United States (a small % receive this)
Begin screenings by The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which include...
Complete in-depth, lengthy application
Provide proof of persecution
Provide a detailed affidavit explaining what happened and why they’re afraid to return to their home country
Application review from nine government agencies (including FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center)
Multiple interviews to verify application
Fingerprints taken to rule out national safety threat
Medical examinations to rule out national safety threat
Comparison of application to other family members’ applications to find contradictions / verify truth
Cultural orientation classes
Receive approval to travel to the U.S., before which, more screenings will occur (less than 1% of global refugee population gets resettled)

Extra: Refugees must apply for a green card within first year in the U.S., which triggers a new set of security procedures

Sources: TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, The UN Refugee Agency, U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services, The White House, U.S. Department of State

The Detailed, Major Milestones Version

Immense, Geographically-Specific Trauma
“When our 7-day-old son died while receiving treatment for jaundice in a Damascus hospital, my husband and I decided to flee the country with our daughters.” - Linda, Syrian Refugee (Source)

By definition, a refugee has no choice but to leave their country of origin in order to escape immense trauma, like that caused by war, persecution or a natural disaster. These are not people seeking to take advantage of or take over the United States. These are people looking for a solid foundation to rebuild their lives.
Register for refugee status with The United Nations Refugee Agency
“[W]e were thoroughly vetted before we came here, just like other refugees — exhaustively, endlessly vetted.” - Linda, Syrian Refugee (Source)

People who want refugee status must be able to get to a location where they can apply, with the help of an official of The United Nations Refugee Agency. The information gathered and verified includes:

Name • Date and place of birth • Existing identity documents • Marital status • Special protection and assistance needs • Level of education • Occupational skills • Ethnic origins • Religion • Language • Household and family composition, including parents’ names (how many people, depth on relationships and roles, ages, location[s], etc.) • Date of arrival • Current location and address • Place of origin • Photograph • Biological data

If a birth, death, divorce, location change, etc. happens during the time of application, the application must be updated. Applicants experience interviews, home visits, and relationship checks.
Referral from The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
“After a year, I received a call from the United Nations asking if my family would like to resettle somewhere else. Based on our documents, stories and circumstances — our large family, five girls, my husband’s potential as a healthy worker — we had been deemed eligible to apply for refugee status.” - Linda, Syrian Refugee (Source)

The UNHCR registers around 15 million people seeking asylum around the world. A small percentage of those who register and pass background checks are referred for overseas resettlement.
Screenings by The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)
“…[A]t least five in-person interviews with each of us and countless phone conversations. The questions were very detailed: about my family, my friends, how I spent my time. The interviewers often knew the answers to the questions before they asked them.” - Linda, Syrian Refugee (Source)

Our government’s screening process involves consultations from nine government agencies (including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center), who meet weekly to review refugee case files and determine where in the U.S. they should be placed.

Applicants must provide proof of persecution, a detailed affidavit explaining what happened and why they’re afraid to return to their home country, participate in multiple sessions of intense questioning to verify who they are, and even undergo medical examinations. The interviews are often compared to the interviews of their family members; if there is any contradiction the process ends here. The process can also be set to restart at several points if some type of new information surfaces or flags are raised.

This part of the process commonly takes 18-24 months. Just over half of the individuals who make it this far pass the screening process. Less than 1% of registered refugees are resettled in any country, let alone the U.S.

If approved, the applicant will receive a visa. If denied, there is no opportunity for appeal.

More screenings occur between the time that a visa is given and the refugee(s) travel to the U.S.

Extra: Refugees must apply for a green card within first year in the U.S., which triggers a new set of security procedures.

Sources: TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, The UN Refugee Agency, U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services, The White House, U.S. Department of State

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