Proposed Refugee Admissions for FY 2003 — Report to Congress

Reports on the nature of the refugee situation in the United States, as mandated by the Immigration and Nationality Act. Submitted to Congress in September 2002, the congressional report discusses conditions within refugees’ countries of origin; describes plans for and estimated costs of resettlement; examines the anticipated social, economic, and demographic impact of refugee admission to the United States; identifies other countries that will admit and resettle these refugees; and analyzes the foreign-policy considerations of refugee resettlement in the United States. Also addressed are: (1) the refugee admissions program for fiscal year (FY) 2003, including proposed ceilings, admissions procedures, Immigration and Naturalization Service adjudications, and processing activities of the U.S. Department of State; and (2) regional programs in Africa, East Asia, Europe, Southeastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Near East and South Asia, with attention to such issues as religious freedom, third-county resettlement outside the region, and FY 2003 resettlement priorities in the region. Tighter global security measures will affect refugee admissions into the United States. The Administration proposes a ceiling of 70,000 admissions for FY 2003 and pledges continued collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify new populations for processing. TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD I. OVERVIEW OF U.S. REFUGEE POLICY II. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM FOR FY 2003 A. Proposed Ceilings B. Admissions Procedures 1. Eligibility Criteria 2. The Worldwide Priority System for FY 2003 a) Priority 1 b) Priority 2 c) Priority 3 3. INS Refugee Adjudications a) INS Overseas Operations b) Case Presentation to INS c) The Eligibility Determination d) Additional Case Processing 4. Processing Activities of the Department of State a) Overseas Processing Services b) Cultural Orientation c) Transportation d) Reception and Placement III. REGIONAL PROGRAMS A. Africa 1. Religious Freedom in Africa 2. Voluntary Repatriation in Africa 3. Resettlement or Local Integration of Refugees within Africa 4. Third-country Resettlement outside the Region 5. FY 2002 Admissions from Africa 6. FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in Africa 7. Possible Future Groups/Programs B. East Asia 1. Religious Freedom in East Asia 2. Voluntary Repatriation in East Asia 3. Resettlement or Local Integration of Refugees within East Asia 4. Third-country Resettlement outside the Region 5. FY 2002 Admissions from East Asia 6. FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in East Asia 7. Possible Future Groups/Programs C. Europe 1. Former Soviet Union and Baltic States a) Religious Freedom in the FSU b) Third-Country Resettlement outside the Region c) FY 2002 Admissions from the FSU d) FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in the FSU e) Possible Future Groups/Programs 2. Southeastern Europe a) Religious Persecution in Southeastern Europe b) Voluntary Repatriation to Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia c) Resettlement or Local Integration in Europe d) Third-Country Resettlement outside the Region e) FY 2002 Admissions from Southeastern Europe f) FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in Southeastern Europe D. Latin America and the Caribbean 1. Religious Freedom in Latin America and the Caribbean 2. Resettlement or Local Integration within Latin America and the Caribbean 3. Third-country Resettlement outside the Region 4. FY 2002 Admissions from Latin America and the Caribbean 5. FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean E. Near East and South Asia 1. Religious Freedom in the Near East and South Asia 2. Voluntary Repatriation in the Near East and South Asia 3. Resettlement or Local Integration within the Near East and South Asia 4. Third-country Resettlement outside the Region 5. FY 2002 Admissions from the Near East and South Asia 6. FY 2003 Resettlement Priorities in the Near East and South Asia 7. Possible Future Groups/Programs F. Unallocated Reserve IV. DOMESTIC IMPACT OF REFUGEE ADMISSIONS LIST OF TABLES Table I — Refugee Admissions in FY 2001 and FY 2002 Projections, and Proposed Ceilings in FY 2003 Table II — Median Age and Sex of Refugee Arrivals, FY 2001 Table III — Select Age Categories of Refugee Arrivals, FY 2001 Table IV — Refugee Arrivals by State of Initial Resettlement, FY 2001 Table V — Refugee Arrivals by Country of Origin, FY 2001 Table VI — Estimated Costs of Refugee Processing, Movement, and Resettlement Table VII — CY 2001 UNHCR Resettlement Referrals by Resettlement Country