REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

The Refugee Act of 1980 amended the basic Immigration and Nationality Act. It instituted the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and broadened the definition of refugee.

The Refugee Act of 1980 also replaced the existing nationality-identified program name of "Indochinese Refugee Assistance Program" (IRAP) with the name "Refugee Resettlement Program" (RRP).

Beginning in FFY 1991, ORR had to cease reimbursements to states for the costs of assistance to refugee recipients of FIP, SSI, and Medical Assistance due to insufficient appropriated funds.

0900.10 ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORIZATION

REV:01/1996

Section 412(a)(9) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1522 (a)(9), authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue regulations needed to carry out the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). By regulation, HHS limits the duration of the special programs of Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) to eight (8) months.

Effective October 1, 1995, the Department of Health and Human Service's Administration for Children and Families, implemented the final rule governing the Refugee Resettlement Program. The regulation sets forth requirements which:

Limit eligibility for refugee social services and targeted

assistance, with the exception of referral and interpreter

services, to refugees who have been in the U.S. for 5 years

or less;

Allows Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) recipients who

become employed to continue to receive RMA for the full 8

month time eligibility period; and,

Requires the development of a family self-sufficiency plan

for any refugee who participates in refugee program funded

employment-related services.

The regulation completes the issuance of comprehensive regulations covering the basic operation of the State- administered Refugee Resettlement Program. It implements Chapter

2 of Title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act, added by Section 311(a)(2) of the Refugee Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-212) and amended by the Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982 (Public Law 97-363) and the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-605).

0902 IDENTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION FACTORS

0902.05 IDENTIFICATION/VERIFICATION UNDER THE RRP

REV:01/1996

Identification and verification of refugees under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) is as follows.

Former IRAP Recipients

Recipients formerly eligible under the Indochinese Refugee Assistance Program (IRAP) are included under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). Such persons are identified as persons from Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam. Verification of refugee status is established from one of the following:

- Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, annotated

either:

-- paroled as a refugee,

-- voluntary departure, or

-- conditional entry.

- Form I-151, Alien Registration Receipt Card,

showing:

-- admittance with Permanent Resident Alien

Status on or after 4/08/75, or

-- adjustment to Permanent Resident Alien

Status.

- Form I-551, Resident Alien Card, documenting

Lawful Permanent Resident Alien Status.

New Refugees

Persons who were not recipients under the IRAP are eligible for assistance or services under RRP if they have one of the following documents verifying their refugee status, according to the Immigration and Nationality Act, and are otherwise eligible:

- Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, annotated

either:

-- paroled as refugee or granted asylum (Section

212(d)(5)),

-- conditional entrant (Section 203(a)(7)),

-- refugee (Section 207), or

-- granted asylum (I-94) (Section 208);

- Form I-571, Refugee Travel Document, annotated

Refugee (Section 207); and

- Form I-151, Alien Registration Receipt Card or

Form I-551, Resident Alien Card, documenting that

the bearer previously held one of the above

statuses, which has subsequently been adjusted to

Lawful Permanent Resident Alien Status.

0902.05.05 Proof of Refugee or Asylum Status

REV:09/1989

Proof of refugee or asylum status is required as follows.

For a person from Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam who has parole status, documentation required is Form I-94 indicating that the person has been paroled under Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). If the I-94 was issued on or after June 1, 1980, it must clearly indicate that the person has been paroled as a refugee or granted asylum.