U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
| Motto | Protecting Refugees, Serving Immigrants, and Upholding Freedom |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1911 |
| Type | Non-Profit Organization |
| Headquarters | 2231 Crystal Drive Suite 350 |
| Location |
|
| Website | www.refugees.org |
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is an international advocacy and domestic refugee resettlement organization, headquartered in Washington, DC. According to the organization's mission statement, USCRI was established "To address the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide by advancing fair and humane public policy, facilitating and providing direct professional services, and promoting the full participation of migrants in community life." In addition, the organization defends the rights of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide.
USCRI offers programs for resettlement and placement, grants, financial literacy, citizenship, health and nutrition, as well as programs for refugees with disabilities and refugees from Burundi.[1][2]
Activities
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) administers domestic programs related to refugee resettlement and placement, foreign-born victims of human trafficking, and unaccompanied immigrant children. Its international programs focus on defending the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. It is a partnership between USCRI and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Each child helped by the Center is under age 18 and without a parent or resources in the United States. The Center holds pro bono trainings throughout the United States for potential volunteer attorneys.
World Refugee Survey
The World Refugee Survey is an annual USCRI report presenting information on refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers. The country-by-country analysis is based on information collected from governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and field visits. Each country profiled in the Survey is given a grade. Countries are rated according to refugees' enjoyment of rights under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and are graded on: 1) Refoulement/Physical Protection 2) Freedom of Movement and Residence 3) Detention/Access to Courts 4) Right to Earn a Livelihood and 5) Public Relief and Education.
On June 19, 2008, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and its research partners released the World Refugee Survey 2008 with events around the world. Within the annual publication, USCRI released a list of the Ten Worst Places for Refugees. Countries and regions were graded based on their commitment to standards outlined in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. As determined by the Committee, the 'Ten Worst Places' were: Bangladesh, China, Europe, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Russia, Sudan, and Thailand.[3] Sixty countries hosting the largest numbers of refugees were profiled in the 2008 survey. In 2009, the 'Worst Places for Refugees' were South Africa, Gaza, Thailand, Kenya, Malaysia, Egypt and Turkey "World Refugee Survey 2009" (PDF). U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.
On June 20, 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia stated, "Malaysia strongly disagrees with the newly released World Refugee Survey 2008."[4]
References
- ↑ "Participate". USCRI. 2008-06-24.
- ↑ "Health and Human Services Division". USCRI. 2008-06-24.
- ↑ "World Refugee Survey 2008". U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 2008-06-19.
- ↑ "Malaysia Disagrees With World Refugee Survey". Bernama.com. 2008-06-20.