2023: A Year in Review

MO-ORAFeature
Written By Paul Costigan

By Sophia Donis and Marisa Tesoro

The calendar year has just begun, but we’ve already made it through four whole months of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024! The sand is racing through the hourglass, and local resettlement agencies (LRAs) and other subcontractors across Missouri have been busy as ever with vital welcoming work.

Have we caught our breath since 2020? *checks pulse* Yup, we’re still hustling. 

And for good reason.  

At the end of October 2023, more than 114 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations. According to UNHCR, in the first six months of the year, seven major displacement situations accounted for an estimated 90% of new displacement globally. These include ongoing and new conflicts and humanitarian situations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latin America and Caribbean countries, Burma, Somalia, Sudan, and Ukraine. 

As of mid-2023, there were 36.4 million refugees worldwide. 

A Look Back at FY 2023

Fiscal Year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022 - Sept. 30, 2023)

In response to the global refugee crises, the Biden administration set the annual refugee admissions cap at 125,000 for FY 2023. To meet this goal, national and local resettlement agencies worked to expand their capacity at all levels as they continued to bounce back from the previous presidency, the pandemic, Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), and Uniting for Ukraine. In October 2022, refugee resettlement started off slowly with only about 2,100 refugees resettled across the country. By the end of FY 2023, the monthly refugee admissions total quadrupled but was not enough to meet the Biden administration’s ambitious goal. Across the U.S. about 60,000 refugees were resettled, more than double the previous fiscal year’s total.

During the past fiscal year, we also witnessed the launch of alternative pathways and programs to welcome more families seeking refuge. We saw the launch of the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program that empowers everyday Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Embracing the evolving landscape, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) and the International Institute of St. Louis became Private Sponsorship Organizations (PSOs) through the Welcome Corps program. Several agencies across the state also developed community sponsorship models of resettlement in which individuals, families, and/or community groups can walk alongside the LRAs and supplement their efforts. Two examples of this are Della Lamb’s Co-Sponsorship Program and JVS’s Ambassador Program.  

Another development at the national level was the introduction of the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, which allows certain people from these four countries who have a sponsor in the U.S. and who pass a background check to come to the U.S. for a period of two years to live and work lawfully, using a legal mechanism known as “humanitarian parole.”

Notable destination cities include any cities across the state where at least 10 individuals were resettled. FY 2023 Year-to-Date arrival data (Oct. 1, 2022 - Sept. 30, 2023). Includes Afghan and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees and Cuban/Haitian Entrants. Based on data exported from MO-ORA's database on January 16, 2024.

Missouri arrival numbers reflected new national trends with an increase in arrivals from Latin American countries, including Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela. We also saw tremendous growth across the board with service providers, resettlement agencies, schools, and government officials increasing capacity. Mayor Lucas in Kansas City appointed the Mayor’s Commission for New Americans “to advise the city on how to better support the growing community of immigrants and refugees.” And in St. Louis, Mayor Tishaura Jones created the Office of New Americans “to streamline resources to welcome immigrants and refugees making their way into the city.” In FY 2023, RAISE in Joplin officially became a refugee resettlement agency! After becoming a subcontractor offering Refugee Support Services (RSS) during OAW, RAISE has now resettled more than 100 refugees to the community as an affiliate of Global Refuge (formerly LIRS). We also added new subcontractors, including the MICA Project in St. Louis, Asylum Clinic KC, the Fulton Rotary Club, and City of Refuge in Columbia. Together, we welcomed 1,563 refugees to Missouri through the USRAP.  

So Far in FY 2024

Fiscal Year 2024 (Oct. 1, 2023 - Sept. 30, 2024). The data referenced in this section is the most recent data available as of January 2024.

For FY 2024, the goal for the U.S. is the same—125,000 refugees resettled across the country—but so much has changed. This time around, the administration has set its sights on welcoming a historic number from the Western Hemisphere. The proposed refugee admissions by region are below:

  • Africa: 30,000-50,000

  • East Asia: 10-000-20,000

  • Europe and Central Asia: 2,000-3,000

  • Latin America/Caribbean: 35,000-50,000

  • Near East/South Asia: 30,000-45,000

The U.S. has seen a robust start to FY 2024, resettling more than 21,790 refugees as of December 31, 2023. If this trend continues, it could mark the highest annual number of refugee arrivals in 29 years. However, to reach the 125,000-refugee target for FY 2024, the U.S. would need to resettle approximately 11,468 people for the next nine months. 

Still, Missouri is ready to meet the need once again and continues to adapt to ever-evolving circumstances. As of January 22, we've resettled more than 700 refugees across the state. LRAs have estimated they’re able to resettle about 2,715 refugees through the USRAP in FY 2024. In total, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) estimates LRAs will serve about 5,256 new clients across the state, including refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, SIVs, and Afghan and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees.  

Already we’re seeing more refugees from Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, and Colombia than we have in recent years, a trend we expect to continue as the nation collectively welcomes more refugees from the Western Hemisphere.  

FY 2024 also kicked off with another new resettlement agency opening its doors. ICNA Relief began offering refugee resettlement services in St. Louis in October, and we joined in the celebration of their grand opening. An affiliate of Global Refuge, ICNA has become the seventh agency in Missouri to provide direct refugee resettlement and the second to do so in St. Louis. ICNA is also the second Global Refuge affiliate in the state and expects to resettle about 115 refugees in FY 2024. 

We also joined forces with the state to offer a whole new, state-funded program! MO-ORA in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced the availability of State of Missouri funds for the Missouri Refugee Empowerment Program in October. Since the EMPOWER program’s launch, organizations have submitted proposals, and seven agencies have been awarded funding. Contracts started January 1! 

Almost every LRA in the state will have a driving simulator after the program begins with new offerings to assist refugees in obtaining driving licenses. There are also many ideas for innovative employment assistance strategies, implementing remote English Language Learning opportunities, and providing much needed services to the Saint Joseph community.   

The past few years have been a whirlwind as the resettlement landscape has continued to evolve and include new populations seeking refuge. As we move forward in this work and see an increase in refugees around the world, we hold onto the words of Warsan Shire, a Kenyan-born Somali poet, writer and educator: 

no one leaves home unless 
home is the mouth of a shark 
you only run for the border 
when you see the whole city running as well 

Paul Costigan
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