U.S. Resettlement Policies and Their Impact on Refugee Wellbeing: Perspectives of Service Providers in New York City

Abstract

Policies and programs in resettlement countries, such as the United States, influence refugees’ wellbeing depending on the support they receive from governments. This qualitative case study analyzes the wellbeing of refugees resettled in New York City by examining the impact of organizational, city, state, and federal welfare policies on refugees from the perspective of service providers working at different policy implementation levels, including state and local government, and non-for-profit organizations. The study used a purposive and convenience sample of 12 semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that the U.S. refugee resettlement system is operating based on the Elizabethan Poor Laws of 1601 and securitization theory ideology, prioritizing self-sufficiency over social support, holding states and local governments responsible for the resettlement programs, and treating refugees as security threats. Future studies may explore the subjective wellbeing of refugees and the mechanisms that address refugees’ needs and lived experiences from their perspectives.

Keywords:

• Refugee
• refugee wellbeing
• resettlement policies
• refugee service providers
• securitization

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.

Notes

1 Institutions referred here include Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration- Refugee Processing Center, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.