Our Cup of

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Syrian Refugee Influx Calls for U.S. Refugee Policy

Change
Sarea Recalde Phillips

April 2016

Since the beginning of its civil war in 2011, the Syrian refugee crisis has
spiraled and culminated one of todays societys most displaced group of people,
with more than 13.5 million having been displaced or classified as refugees to
date.1 However, these displaced people helped to propagate a major fallacy in
United States policy: immigration. Specifically regarding refugee and asylees,
U.S. immigration policy is not fully equipped to handle the global crisis that
sudden violence and wars like the Syrian civil war presents on a worldwide level. It
is necessary for the national government to rewrite its policies and enable more
refugees the opportunity to relocate within the country. As a nation, immigration
policy should be reevaluated before tackling this crisis; policies should be made to
expedite the refugee and asylee process in order to be proactive before influxes
of people like the Syrian refugees are left in political limbo regarding their safety
and a place that could provide some amount of shelter to them. Along with this,
more opportunities should be accessible to the general public in involving

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themselves in sponsoring refugees who can contribute to the nations economy

upon arrival.

Why Focus On Refugees Now?

According to a survey conducted in 2014, more than 16.7 million people
around the globe are classified as refugees.2 Currently, Syrian refugees hold a
fourth of the people classified in that group, with 4.8 million living in various
refugee camps as of now.3 A crisis of this magnitude has not been presented to
the world in previous years, and countries such as Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon
have risen to the occasion and have provided shelter to over one million refugees
each.4 However, most of what these countries can provide are refugee camps,
most of which are
becoming too
crowded. The arrival
of the refugees has

put strain upon these

countries economies
as well. Other
countries have been
able to supply some
economic aid to these
refugees, with the

29

Figure 1

United States allotting 4.1 billion dollars towards the Syrian refugee crisis since
2012.5 While Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon remain the highest-populated
countries with Syrian refugees, more than 970,000 have filed for asylum or
refugee status in European countries, with 61 percent of these applications
directed towards Serbia and Germany.6 Despite these applications and the
subsequent admissions processes into these European countries, the volume of
refugees aside from the Syrians that need to be relocate must be dispersed in

more countries than those that are providing shelter. In the case of the United
States, if the government is providing financial support towards Syrian relief
programs, why should the country not open its borders to the refugees that need
assistance?7

U.S. Immigration Policy

The definition of the term refugee was established in classifying
individuals that met the qualifications of a refugee to apply for that status in the
United States, and it encompasses any person who faces persecution within their
home country, whether it be because of ethnic, national, political, or religious
views.9 Much of todays refugee policy has been shaped on two acts passed, the
latter of which ties into the definition of what a refugee is: The Immigration and
Nationality Act of 1952, and The Refugee Act of 1980.8 The first act, also referred
to as the McCarran-Walter Act, was influenced by post World War II and Cold War
mentality. The U.S. government, as well as most of the general public, was wary
of communistic views possibly presenting themselves within the country, so
Congress passed The Immigration and Nationality Act to limit entry of
immigrants from communist countries. The international politics and hostilities
among nations shaped a policy that affected the entry of hundreds of thousands
of people for almost three decades. This discriminatory act was revised and
replaced with The Refugee Act of 1980.10 This act, which has set the precedent of
how the government facilitates todays refugee screening process, was
influenced by the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and
international conference held in 1951.11 From this enacted policy, the nations
previously discriminatory policy was replaced by one that would allow more
people from various walks of life to be able to apply for refugee and asylee status.
Since the 1980 acts enactment the U.S. has sheltered around three million
refugees, and with world crises like the Syrian civil war, the need to
accommodate an influx of the existing refugees located across the globe

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increased tremendously.12 Annually, the United States government sets a cap on

the amount of visas distributed to immigrants, along with the overall number of
applicants they are able to accept as refugees. This could vary due to funding and
political situations during the time at with the cap is formulated. Allotments to
refugee admissions from 2013 to 2015 were an average of 70,000, a near 10,000
decrease in previous years caps. With the sudden influx in global refugees and
displaced peoples because of civil war in Syria, however, the projected 2016
refugee and asylee cap was increased to 85,000, thus reflecting some
government initiative to aid in the Syrian crisis.13

Refugee Processing in the U.S.

Becoming a classified refugee in the United States is an intense and
extensive governmental process. Processing can take at least 18 months, and this
is if clearance protocols are done without any hitch and if all of the proper
paperwork is filed.14 Refugee candidates are subject to multiple background
checks by government agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and others meant to ensure that they
are of no risk to national security.15 Through this phase of background checks, all
biometric information of the candidates are collected and are constantly cross
referenced with security databases in order to ensure that the candidate is not
affiliated with any terrorist activities or other criminal activities. Along with the
biometric security checks, candidates are subject to interviews conducted by the
DHS, which are subsequently followed by a medical screening.
If a refugee candidate raises any suspicion or uncertainty in any of these
steps, their application is subject to further review, which could lead to a longer
processing time, or their application is terminated altogether. Concerns can arise
from past criminal activities or health reasons, anything that could be a potential
threat to the United States general public. If a refugees background check is
cleared, then that individual can continue and be assigned somewhere within the

United States. Despite some form of clearance to enter the United States,
refugee candidates are required to go through another screening process upon
arriving in U.S. Customs. Those that pass this point will arrive in the United States
under refugee status, and can subsequently file and I-485 form for permanent
residency after a year of living within the country.16
Once granted refugee status, newly arrived refugees are given automatic
access to the labor force, healthcare, and social security.17 Although it is not
required, refugees may show employers the Employment Authorization
Document (EAD) in substitution of a Form I-9 to verify that they are able to work.
Refugees have temporary access to medical services like Medicaid, welfare, food
stamps, and other federal
services accessible to
United States citizens.
These services are
accessible to refugees for
seven years.18 As for
Social Security, refugees
are immediately able to
apply as long as they have
an I-94 present upon their
application.19
Despite the
benefits that refugees,
there are some
restrictions that they face
upon arrival. For example,
male refugees between
the age of 18 and 26 must

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register in the army under

Figure 2 30 31

Selective Service.20 This restriction is the only one that is pertains to a particular gender,
but the others regarding traveling in and outside of the United States applies to all that
have refugee status. If refugees relocate anywhere within the United States, they must
notify the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) as soon as possible.
For international endeavors, refugees must file an I-131 form 2 months prior in
attempting to leave the United States. The latter presents the possibility of an
individuals refugee status being revoked. Especially if the international destination is to
the place in which they are being persecuted, the question of whether their status as a
refugee or asylee must be asked by the federal government. Overall, international travel
presents a risk in the safety and security US refugee status provides an individual.

What U.S. Policy Should Implement

While the United States cap for refugee admission has increased and
President Barack Obama stating an initiative in bringing 10,000 Syrian refugees
into the country, there is still more that the government, as well as the general
public, can do to assist in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis.21 The president as
well as the rest of the government has not yet fulfilled this promise in the
proposed Syrian refugee number, this goal cannot be fully accomplished without
public help in alleviating the financial burden that this endeavor takes on the
governmental body. By the end of this year, the United States government
should advocate for more community involvement in relocating Syrian refugees
into the country. More involvement through sponsoring a refugee should be
encouraged among the United States population, and this action would be
twofold: not only would it alleviate some of the financial burden off of the
government, but private and public organizations would be able to contribute
towards allowing a displaced person safety that should be allotted to every
human being.

Governments in countries such as Canada have been able to increase the

amount of Syrian refugees within their borders through the help of public
support. In Canada, the government has implemented temporary exceptions in
their refugee policy for Syrian refugees.22 Along with this, its citizens as well as
Canadian organizations and groups have three methods with which they can
sponsor one or more refugees: Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs), Groups
of Five (G5), and Community Sponsors (CSs).The latter two are the methods that
take more time to process because these are more independent fashions of
assisting refugees in coming into Canada. Regardless of the processing time, all
three methods require sponsors to show a capability in being able to financially
support incoming refugees as well as provide community support for them for a
12-month period.23
Along with these initiatives, the Canadian government has the Blended
Visa Office-Referred program (BVOR), which can be thought of as a hybrid
initiative that integrates independent groups and governmental support to Syrian
refugees. With this policy, the government will financially match whatever the
individual, group, or organization can provide for a refugee within a six month
period. This program, along with the other three methods that Canadian citizens
can use to sponsor Syrian refugees, allows for community involvement to
experience how much influence a single country can have in alleviating the
pressure that civil war can place on its inhabitants. With this humanitarian
approach to relocating refugees, individuals will be able to build community
bonds and understand the meaning of the phrase it takes a village when caring
for those who cannot help the circumstances in which they were placed.24
United States government should replicate some of the refugee policies
that countries like Canada have implemented in response to the Syrian refugee
crisis. More agencies and program that make sponsorship more accessible to the
public should be invested in. In the long-term, the government would be able to

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stay true to their statement of allowing more Syrian refugees into the country
because the financial stress of caring for them will be dispersed between the
government and group or individual sponsorship. With more community
involvement, the devastation of war would become more apparent to individuals
who only view the tragedy through the news and other forms of media, thus
instilling a revamped sense of empathy for other on the global scale.

Why Current Policy Has Not Changed

The need for the United States to support and provide relief toward the
Syrian refugee crisis is apparent.
Yet, despite the blatant urgency
of this crisis, many in the United
States are hesitant or outright
unwilling to allow the refugees in
the country.25 Many are wary of
the potential security risks their
presence may bring to the
country. Others, on the other
hand, are hesitant in refugee
entry because they are uncertain
of the direction which this
situation will go, thus opting to
wait before making any decision
towards their entry. Although
these concerns are plausible,
refugee resettlement in the U.S.
would prove to have some merits
that would benefit United States
society as a whole.
Upon arrival in the United
States, refugees are able to join

Figure 3 32

the workforce.26 Economically, the rate of employment relatively matches that

of U.S. citizens, thus indicating that refugees are capable of contributing (a lot
of open space)to the economy just as much as their citizen counterpart. Along
with economic contribution, refugees add more to the national population

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pursuing some type of education.27 In fact, 26 percent pursue more education

ranging from secondary to graduate level education upon arrival to the United
States, and two percent even go on to receive a degree.28 Overall, refugees
have demonstrated that they have been able to assimilate and prosper in the
United States, and the addition of Syrian refugees would prove the same result
if more states and states inhabitants are more open to the idea of providing
these refugees with the opportunity.

Concluding Remarks on Syrian Refugees and

U.S Policy
It has been nearly five years since the beginning of the Syrian civil crisis,
and multiple measures should have been implemented to aid the individuals who
have become refugees or displaced within the country. From this event, it shed
light on the United States broken and inefficient immigration policies. In order to
alleviate the burden that refugees face globally, the United States should adopt a
proactive approach towards resolving and assisting refugees. To do this, the
annual cap allowed into the country should increase, and more opportunity for
individuals and organizations within the community to sponsor should be more
accessible and advocated. With these changes to policy, the United States and its
inhabitants will improve humanitarian conditions globally as well as adding more
to its own economy.

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Endnotes
1

"Syria's Refugee Crisis in Numbers." Syria's Refugee Crisis in Numbers. February 3, 2016. Accessed
April 16, 2016. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/02/syrias-refugee-crisis-in-numbers/. 2
"World Refugee Day: Global Forced Displacement Tops 50 Million for First Time in Post-World War II
Era." UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency. June 20, 2014. Accessed April 11, 2016.
http://www.unhcr.org/53a155bc6.html.
3
"UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response." 3RP: Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan In Response to
the Syria Crisis. 2016. Accessed April 8, 2016. http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php. 4
Batsheva Sobelman. "Which Countries Are Taking in Syrian Refugees." Los Angeles Times. September
8, 2015. Accessed April 12, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-migrantsscorecard20150908-story.html.
5
Los Angeles Times, Sept. 8, 2015.
6
"UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response," http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php.
7
Los Angeles Times, Sept. 8, 2015.
8
"An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy." American Immigration Council. November 18, 2015.
Accessed April 10, 2016. http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/refugees-fact-sheet. 9
Johnson, Wade, "1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (McCarran-Walter Act),"
http://library.uwb.edu/static/USimmigration/1952_immigration_and_nationality_act.html. 10
Johnson, Wade. "1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (McCarran-Walter Act)." U.S. Immigration
Legislation. Accessed April 12, 2016.
http://library.uwb.edu/static/USimmigration/1952_immigration_and_nationality_act.html. 11
"An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy,"
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/justfacts/refugees-fact-sheet.
12
"History of the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program." Refugee Council USA. Accessed April 12, 2016.
http://www.rcusa.org/history.
13
"An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy," http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/justfacts/refugeesfact-sheet.
14
"Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees." U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. July 14,
2015. Accessed April 10, 2016. https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/asylum/benefitsandresponsibilities-asylees.
15
"The White House." The White House. Accessed April 12, 2016. https://www.whitehouse.gov/.
16
"Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees,"
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugeesasylum/asylum/benefits-and-responsibilities-asylees.
17
Ibid.
18
"An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy," http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/justfacts/refugeesfact-sheet.
19
"Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees,"
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugeesasylum/asylum/benefits-and-responsibilities-asylees.
20
Ibid.

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21

"The White House," https://www.whitehouse.gov/.

"Sponsoring Syrian Refugees." Government of Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada,
Communications Branch. Accessed April 12, 2016.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/sponsor.asp.
23
"Sponsoring Syrian Refugees, http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/sponsor.asp.
24
Ibid.
22

11
25

Ong, Jennifer. "US States That Will Not Accept Syrian Refugees (INFOGRAPHIC)." Morning News
USA. November 23, 2015. Accessed April 12, 2016. http://www.morningnewsusa.com/us-statesthatwill-not-accept-syrian-refugees-infographic-2344630.html.
26
"Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees,"
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugeesasylum/asylum/benefits-and-responsibilities-asylees.
27
"Office of Refugee Resettlement Annual Report to Congress 2011." Office of Refugee and
Resettlement. Accessed April 10, 2016. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/officeofrefugee-resettlement-annual-report-to-congress-2011.
28
Ibid.
29
Bowden, George,"6 Infographics That Lay Bare the Brutal Reality of Europe's Refugee Crisis,"
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/27/europe-refugee-crisis-graphicslatestdevelopments_n_8398868.html.
30
"An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy," http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/justfacts/refugeesfact-sheet.
31
"UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response," http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php.
32
Ong, Jennifer, "US States That Will Not Accept Syrian Refugees (INFOGRAPHIC),"
http://www.morningnewsusa.com/us-states-that-will-not-accept-syrian-refugeesinfographic2344630.html.