Does The U.S. Need to Expand its Programs to Help Refugees? (H.R. 2798)

What is H.R. 2798?

(Updated July 28, 2020)

This bill aims to spend more resources on helping refugees settle into the U.S. after fleeing war, persecution, or natural disasters. Its general goals are to increase coordination between federal agencies, review the refugee processing system, and find ways to speed it up, while maintaining national security.

The Dept. of State would create work and English language training programs overseas for refugees who have been approved to enter the United States. Refugees and asylum seekers would be admitted into the U.S. as legal permanent residents.

Reception and placement grants — funds that go to helping refugees in their first 30-90 days in the U.S. — are set by the Dept. of State. This bill would require that grant amounts be adjusted for more refugee resettlement needs, and that the Dept. of State makes sure funding is available at the beginning of the fiscal year.

A case management system would be created to help refugees access services. Grants for this system would be given to national resettlement agencies by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Services could be provided by the Office itself, through federal/state/local agencies, and/or private or nonprofit organizations. 

Grants could also go to community-based groups, nonprofits, and resettlement agencies that help new refugees integrate into U.S. civic life. The Office would be required to provide refugees with a minimum of 12 months’ assistance and social services for employment, health, and living expenses.

A Domestic Emergency Refugee Resettlement Fund would be created to pay for unexpected refugee resettlement needs. The refugee matching grant program that gives federal-private refugee assistance would be expanded, and eligibility criteria would be loosened.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits would be offered to qualified refugees — including those who were the victims of trafficking or criminal activity and became ineligible for benefits because they didn't apply for citizenship within seven years. Children who have been granted special immigrant status because they were the victim of criminal activity would be eligible for specific refugee benefits.

Argument in favor

This country has deep pockets and humanitarian obligations. The U.S. has the resources to help refugees and asylum seekers, and we should put them to use.

Argument opposed

U.S. charity can only go so far. While refugees and asylum seekers are in dire straits, Congress can't expect taxpayers to foot the bill for everyone's problems.

Impact

Refugees and asylum seekers, their families, private and nonprofit entities that assist refugees and asylees, and relevant agencies at the federal, state, and local level that field requests from potential refugees and asylees.

Cost of H.R. 2798

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) believes that:

“America’s refugee program should reflect our values of generosity and inclusion for all Americans — new and old. The Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act achieves this by making sure refugee families have the resources they need to find stability in their new homes as quickly as possible. Strengthening support not only helps the refugees who have come to Minnesota, but also benefits the nearly 70,000 who’ve arrived in the United States since last year.”

The Center for Victims of Torture and the Episcopal Church both released statements supporting this legislation.

Of Note: In the midst of the refugee crisis affecting the Middle East and Europe, the Obama administration announced plans to accept another 10,000 refugees from Syria over the next year starting in 2015. The U.S. was only prepared to accept 2,000 Syrian refugees, and overall quotas top out at 70,000 refugees per year. This plan has drawn criticism after the U.S. accepted more than 80,000 Somali refugees between 1983 and 2004, some of whom joined radical Islamic terror groups.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) Press Release
• Law360
• Center for Victims of Torture (In Favor)
• Episcopal Church (In Favor)