Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's - PowerPoint Presentation

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Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's Changing Cultural Landscape

Alana Schriver, MPH OPS Refugee Specialistalana.schriver@ops.org 531-299-9580Speaking of Children Conference April 4th, 2019

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Kiswahili:

How

are

you = Habari gani Thank you = AsanteKaren: Good morning = Gaw luh a’ghay (Good Afternoon = Nee luh a’ghay) Thank you = Taw blu’tNepali: Peace be upon you =Namaste Thank you = Dhanyabhad Arabic: Peace be upon you = Asalamu alaikum Thank you = Shukran

Quid Pro Quo

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Status

With Path to Citizenship

Refugee

AsyleeSpecial Immigrant Visa (SIV)Family-Based VisaDiversity Lottery VisaNo Path to CitizenshipUndocumentedTemporary Protected StatusTemporary Work VisaDACA / DreamersVisitor VisaStudent VisaWho Are Our We Talking About?Immigrant - Person who moves to another country permanentlyMigrant - Person who has moved recently/moves frequently - May or may not have legal status

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Refugee

A person fleeing his or her country because of war, violence, persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group

No one chooses to be a refugee

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Asylum Status

Asylum is a form of protection available to people who:

- Meet the definition of refugee

- Are already in the United States, or - Are seeking admission at a port of entryAsylum Seeker: Protection claim has not yet been determinedAsylee: Protected status has been granted

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Person who worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan

Arrive through the Refugee Resettlement ProgramSIVs receive their “green card” shortly after arrival, whereas refugees must wait one year to apply

Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)

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Current Trends

68.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide – highest ever recorded

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people are newly displaced every minute 25.4 million refugees have refugee status60% of refugees eking out survival in urban areas of initial ‘host’ countrieshttp://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2017/ Nebraska resettled more refuges per capita than any other state in 2016

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“Forcibly Displaced”

Persecution, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations…

What hard truths are these words attempting to sanitize for the comfort of the American news consumer?

Is it fair not to look?

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Ethnic Cleansing

Rohingya crisis: Tula

Toli

massacre - BBC NewsnightStart at 15:13-End at 17:52https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRp0o0fzB2I

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Not a movie. Not a video Game.

Real lives, real deaths, real horrors.

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5 year old boy in Yemen where war has caused extreme famine

12 year old forced into prostitution to support orphaned siblings

No sanitation, electricity, plumbing in camps

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W

hat happens in the mind of a child gathering the pieces of a person they love in a box?

Mogadishu hotel bombing – over 500 lives lost

What kind of adult might they become? What kind of world will their generation shape?

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Refugee Camps

Often fenced and patrolled; refugees may not travel freelyLimited contact with outside world

Limited opportunity for employment and education

Limited healthcareAverage stay in a refugee camp globally is 20 years3 potential options: Repatriation, Integration, Resettlement

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Refugee Resettlement

Less than 1%

of the global refugee population accepted

Trading everything you know for the completely unknown

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Resettlement Application Process

Verify refugee status with UNHCRPaperwork

Interviews

US Security checks FBI, DHS, State Department, National Counterterrorism Center, Intelligence agencies…Biometrics Fingerprints & iris scansMedical clearanceOrientationsTravel arrangements/loanhttps://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/admissions/

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Refugees in the US

Legal and employment authorized from arrival date in U.S.; refugee status does not expire Have the same rights and are eligible for same assistance programs (including DHHS and FAFSA) as U.S. citizens

Expected to follow the same laws and receive the same punishment as U.S. citizens

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Resettlement Agency’s Core Services

The federal resettlement period is 30-90 days

A

llotted a one time payment of $925 from federal government; Given to the resettlement agency to spend at their discretion.Pre-ArrivalPreparation of housing, utilities, and foodPost-ArrivalAirport pickupCultural OrientationDHHS application3 basic medical appointmentsReferral to ESL & schoolReferral to employment servicesCaseworker teaching about the stove

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Resettlement “R&P”

All resettlement cases are closed at 90 days, period.

An overwhelming, exhausting, confusing period for

refugees Often hard to realize some feelings may be more serious mental health concerns

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The 1%

International Rescue Committee (organization)

https

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WeKQtuUog8

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What types of trauma might refugees experience, either before or after flight, that native born Americans might not?

Sentence Frames:

I learned that _____________ .

I was surprised that _______________.

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Refugee Encounters With Trauma

Pre-flight: The initial threats to a person’s safety in their home country

Flight:

The dangers and insecurity faced on the journey towards refuge and/or while living in a refugee campPost-flight: Difficult resettlement adjustments

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Financial/Employment Stressors

Must accept first job offerLittle time for English classes or cultural assimilation

Overseas degrees or skillsets may not be recognized in U.S.

Often lower wage, physically strenuous, and repetitive workOften 2nd or 3rd shift Not home or sleeping when children are out of schoolNot accustomed to 40 hour+ work week

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“Bad” Neighborhoods

Limited pool of landlords upon arrival due to:No SSN yetNo current employment

No rental history

“Slumlords” take advantage of refugee tenants due to:Refugees often prioritize proximity to their community over quality of living conditions for both familiarity and survival (car-pooling to work, groceries, laundry, etc.)Often unaware of tenant rights History of oppression; tend to be non-confrontational. Fear backlash/eviction if they “make trouble”Often lack the English and technology skills to advocate for themselves

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Fear of People in Uniform

Persecutors in home countries often wear uniformsUniforms = absolute power; not held accountable for abusesOfficers often expect bribes in home countries

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Health System Differences

Many refugees come from a “one stop shop” clinic background; if health services were available they were

in a centralized location with

little to no costRefugees are often unaware of the extent of healthcare services available in the U.S., let alone how to navigate/access

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Mental Health Complications

Many cultures do not have a formal concept of mental illness (other than “crazy”)Many languages lack complex emotional vocabularyLack of treatment resources back homeSymptoms connected to spirituality or the supernatural

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Family Struggles

3

rd

Culture Kids – Not feeling fully Home Culture or American Pop Culture Confusion – Entertainment versus realityParentization – Role confusion in the homeParents rely on English speaking children who can often driveParents feel responsible for the difficult situation their children are inParents want to give children things they didn’t haveParents unable to give advice/guidance for unfamiliar systemLack of Appropriate Discipline – parents told what

not

to

do by authorities,

but not given useful replacement suggestions

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Refugees are often unaware of what services exist in America.

As such, they typically do not seek out services.

Services need to be introduced and

proactively offered.Make Good Happen

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Coming to America

“Lost Boys” of South Sudan resettled in the U.S.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Giwujxh2No

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El Salvador

Syria

Burma (Myanmar)

Camps in Thailand and MalaysiaBhutanCamps in NepalIraqAfghanistanEritreaSudanEthiopiaSomaliaSouth SudanBurundiDemocratic Republic of the CongoAnd from camps hosted in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt…

Resettlement Countries

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Aware of Your Own Cultural Lens

Your own culture is often invisible to you

We tend to think of our own culture as

human natureNo culture is the standard-bearer of the human experienceCulture should not be considered “exotic” or about “others”

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“Under the Surface” U.S.A. Culture

Clock TimeIndividualisticIdentity chosenControl vs. Fate

Dates of birth/Legal names

Direct eye contactLabels/Feeling wordsTechnology based “Newer is better”

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Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

“The capability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts

”

Mental flexibilitySelf educationMeet clients where they are – literally and figuratively Ask how clients would handle the issue “back home”If they say they wouldn’t have the issue back home, and “why not?”Provide culturally and linguistically diverse materials if applicableEnsure mutual understanding before moving onAsk questionshttp://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20171013-the-hidden-talent-that-determines-success

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Step out of your comfort zone!

By placing yourself in situations that cause a sense of cultural disequilibrium, you can better understand how immigrants feel when they

first arrive.

Explore experiences outside of your own culture and take note of how you are feeling.

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Refugees: Redefine By Hope

Resilient and resourceful survivors

Strong

(maybe different) skillsetsDiffering cultures in a community should not be seen as an obstacle to overcome, but rather as inspiration Those who’ve seen real darkness most appreciate the light

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Questions and Thoughts?

www.omaharefugees.com