128-4          REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

The Immigration & Nationality Act (INAImmigration & Nationality Act) defines a refugee to be a person who has been persecuted because of their race, religion, national origin, political opinion, or membership in a social group. Each year, the President of the United States determines the number of refugees who can enter the United States and from which countries a refugee can come. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCISU. S. Citizenship and Immigration Service) interviews individuals outside of the United States to determine whether the person meets the U.S. definition of a refugee.

A refugee can arrive in Alaska directly as a primary migrant through the filing of an Affidavit of Relationship by a relative who is living in Alaska or by secondary migration from another state. Affidavits of relationship allow the refugee to travel directly from their country of origin or a refugee camp to Alaska. Secondary migrants are refugees who initially entered the United States outside of Alaska and then decided to migrate to Alaska.

Persons admitted as refugees under Section 207 of the INAImmigration & Nationality Act are qualified aliens and are exempt from the "5-year bar" under public assistance policies. Applicants must still meet all other program eligibility requirements before public assistance benefits are approved.

In Alaska, refugee assistance is administered by Catholic Social Services (CSSCatholic Social Services). Refer to the appropriate program manual for specific program rules to determine how cash assistance payments are considered when determining eligibility and benefit level for DPADivision of Public Assistance programs.

128-4 A.      ONE-TIME REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PAYMENTS

Catholic Social Services can provide one-time refugee resettlement payments to certain refugees who have resettled in Alaska. The resettlement payment is paid by the Refugee Assistance & Immigration Services (RAISRefugee Assistance & Immigration Services) through funds from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBUnited States Conference of Catholic Biships) and intended to cover costs related to initial resettlement of new refugees. Each refugee can receive a one-time $975 resettlement payment if the refugee is a primary migrant arriving directly from their country of origin or refugee camp to Alaska. This resettlement payment will usually be received during the first 30 days after the refugee arrives in this country. Secondary migrants arriving from another state are not eligible for these one-time payments.

CSSCatholic Social Services also provides additional supports including help to find necessary household goods and clothes in order to establish a home in the new area.

128-4 B.      REFUGEE CASH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

The Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services (RAISRefugee Assistance & Immigration Services) also distributes funds from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide time-limited cash and medical assistance to refugees who do not qualify for SSISupplemental Security Income, APAAdult Public Assistance, TANFTemporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Medicaid benefits and to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate case management services to refugees.

Refugees who have been in the U.S. twelve months or less and who are not eligible for other public assistance cash benefits are eligible for cash assistance through the RAISRefugee Assistance & Immigration Services. An individual refugee can receive $514 and a couple with no minor children may receive $907 in cash assistance. In addition to the cash assistance, a private insurance policy covers eligible refugees for up to twelve months providing medical insurance similar to Medicaid coverage.

Note:

Because refugee assistance is not available to persons who qualify for SSISupplemental Security Income, APAAdult Public Assistance, TANFTemporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Medicaid benefits, caseworkers must coordinate with Catholic Social Services staff when a RAISRefugee Assistance & Immigration Services recipient becomes eligible for those benefits.

To qualify for services under the RAISRefugee Assistance & Immigration Services Project, a refugee's date of entry into the United States is critical. A refugee is eligible for cash and medical assistance only for the first eight months after arrival in the U.S. They may continue to be eligible for case management employment services for the first 60 months after arrival.