Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's Changing Cultural Landscape

Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's Changing Cultural Landscape Alana Schriver, MPH OPS Refugee Specialist alana.schriver@ops.org 531-299-9580 Speaking of Children Conference April 4th, 2019

Quid Pro Quo • Kiswahili:How are you = Habarigani Thank you = Asante • Karen: Good morning = Gawluha’ghay (Good Afternoon = Nee luha’ghay) Thank you = Taw blu’t • Nepali:Peace be upon you =Namaste Thank you = Dhanyabhad • Arabic: Peace be upon you = Asalamualaikum Thank you = Shukran

Who Are Our We Talking About? Immigrant - Person who moves to another country permanently Migrant- Person who has moved recently/moves frequently - May or may not have legal status Status With Path to Citizenship • Refugee • Asylee • Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) • Family-Based Visa • Diversity Lottery Visa No Path to Citizenship • Undocumented • Temporary Protected Status • Temporary Work Visa • DACA / Dreamers • Visitor Visa • Student Visa

Refugee A person fleeing his or her country because of war, violence, persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group No one chooses to be a refugee

Asylum Status Asylum is a form of protection available to people who: - Meet the definition of refugee - Are already in the United States, or - Are seeking admission at a port of entry Asylum Seeker: Protection claim has not yet been determined Asylee: Protected status has been granted

Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) • Person who worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan • Arrive through the Refugee Resettlement Program • SIVs receive their “green card” shortly after arrival, whereas refugees must wait one year to apply

Current Trends • 68.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide – highest ever recorded • 31people are newly displaced every minute • 25.4 million refugees have refugee status • 60% of refugees eking out survival in urban areas of initial ‘host’ countries http://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2017/ • Nebraska resettled more refuges per capita than any other state in 2016

“Forcibly Displaced” Persecution, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations… What hard truths are these words attempting to sanitize for the comfort of the American news consumer? Is it fair not to look?

Ethnic Cleansing Rohingya crisis: Tula Toli massacre - BBC Newsnight Start at 15:13-End at 17:52 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRp0o0fzB2I

Not a movie. Not a video Game. Real lives, real deaths, real horrors.

No sanitation, electricity, plumbing in camps 5 year old boy in Yemen where war has caused extreme famine 12 year old forced into prostitution to support orphaned siblings

What happens in the mind of a child gathering the pieces of a person they love in a box? What kind of adult might they become? What kind of world will their generation shape? Mogadishu hotel bombing – over 500 lives lost

Refugee Camps • Often fenced and patrolled; refugees may not travel freely • Limited contact with outside world • Limited opportunity for employment and education • Limited healthcare • Average stay in a refugee camp globally is 20 years • 3 potential options: Repatriation, Integration, Resettlement

Refugee Resettlement Less than 1% of the global refugee population accepted Trading everything you know for the completely unknown

Resettlement Application Process • Verify refugee status with UNHCR • Paperwork • Interviews • US Security checks FBI, DHS, State Department, National Counterterrorism Center, Intelligence agencies… • Biometrics Fingerprints & iris scans • Medical clearance • Orientations • Travel arrangements/loan https://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/admissions/

Refugees in the US • Legal and employment authorized from arrival date in U.S.; refugee status does not expire • Have the same rights and are eligible for same assistance programs (including DHHS and FAFSA) as U.S. citizens • Expected to follow the same laws and receive the same punishment as U.S. citizens

Resettlement Agency’s Core Services The federal resettlement period is 30-90 days Allotted a one time payment of $925 from federal government; Given to the resettlement agency to spend at their discretion. Pre-Arrival • Preparation of housing, utilities, and food Post-Arrival • Airport pickup • Cultural Orientation • DHHS application • 3 basic medical appointments • Referral to ESL & school • Referral to employment services Caseworker teaching about the stove

Resettlement “R&P” • An overwhelming, exhausting, confusing period for refugees • Often hard to realize some feelings may be more serious mental health concerns All resettlement cases are closed at 90 days, period.

The 1% International Rescue Committee (organization) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WeKQtuUog8

What types of trauma might refugees experience, either before or after flight, that native born Americans might not? Sentence Frames: I learned that _____________ . I was surprised that _______________.

Refugee Encounters With Trauma • Pre-flight: The initial threats to a person’s safety in their home country • Flight: The dangers and insecurity faced on the journey towards refuge and/or while living in a refugee camp • Post-flight: Difficult resettlement adjustments

Financial/Employment Stressors • Must accept first job offer • Little time for English classes or cultural assimilation • Overseas degrees or skillsets may not be recognized in U.S. • Often lower wage, physically strenuous, and repetitive work • Often 2nd or 3rd shift • Not home or sleeping when children are out of school • Not accustomed to 40 hour+ work week

“Bad” Neighborhoods Limited pool of landlords upon arrival due to: • No SSN yet • No current employment • No rental history “Slumlords” take advantage of refugee tenants due to: • Refugees often prioritize proximity to their community over quality of living conditions for both familiarity and survival (car-pooling to work, groceries, laundry, etc.) • Often unaware of tenant rights • History of oppression; tend to be non-confrontational. Fear backlash/eviction if they “make trouble” • Often lack the English and technology skills to advocate for themselves

Fear of People in Uniform Persecutors in home countries often wear uniforms Uniforms = absolute power; not held accountable for abuses Officers often expect bribes in home countries

Health System Differences Many refugees come from a “one stop shop” clinic background; if health services were available they were in a centralized location with little to no cost Refugees are often unaware of the extent of healthcare services available in the U.S., let alone how to navigate/access

Mental Health Complications • Many cultures do not have a formal concept of mental illness (other than “crazy”) • Many languages lack complex emotional vocabulary • Lack of treatment resources back home • Symptoms connected to spirituality or the supernatural

Family Struggles 3rd Culture Kids – Not feeling fully Home Cultureor American Pop Culture Confusion – Entertainment versus reality Parentization– Role confusion in the home • Parents rely on English speaking children who can often drive • Parents feel responsible for the difficult situation their children are in • Parents want to give children things they didn’t have • Parents unable to give advice/guidance for unfamiliar system Lack of Appropriate Discipline – parents told what not to do by authorities, but not given useful replacement suggestions

Make Good Happen Refugees are often unaware of what services exist in America. As such, they typically do not seek out services. Services need to be introduced and proactively offered.

Coming to America “Lost Boys” of South Sudan resettled in the U.S. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Giwujxh2No

Resettlement Countries El Salvador Sudan South Sudan Iraq Bhutan Camps in Nepal Ethiopia Eritrea Syria Afghanistan Somalia And from camps hosted in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt… Burundi Burma (Myanmar) Camps in Thailand and Malaysia Democratic Republic of the Congo

Aware of Your Own Cultural Lens • Your own culture is often invisible to you • We tend to think of our own culture as human nature • No culture is the standard-bearer of the human experience • Culture should not be considered “exotic” or about “others”

“Under the Surface” U.S.A. Culture • Clock Time • Individualistic • Identity chosen • Control vs. Fate • Dates of birth/Legal names • Direct eye contact • Labels/Feeling words • Technology based • “Newer is better”

Cultural Intelligence (CQ) “The capability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts” • Mental flexibility • Self education • Meet clients where they are – literally and figuratively • Ask how clients would handle the issue “back home” • If they say they wouldn’t have the issue back home, and “why not?” • Provide culturally and linguistically diverse materials if applicable • Ensure mutual understanding before moving on • Ask questions http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20171013-the-hidden-talent-that-determines-success

Step out of your comfort zone! By placing yourself in situations that cause a sense of cultural disequilibrium, you can better understand how immigrants feel when they first arrive. Explore experiences outside of your own culture and take note of how you are feeling.

Refugees: Redefine By Hope Resilient and resourceful survivors Strong (maybe different) skillsets Differing cultures in a community should not be seen as an obstacle to overcome, but rather as inspiration Those who’ve seen real darkness most appreciate the light

Questions and Thoughts? www.omaharefugees.com

Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's Changing Cultural Landscape