Resettlement is the process of relocating refugees from a country where they sought asylum to a third country that has agreed to admit them and grant them permanent residency. For the roughly 1% of the world’s refugees who are eligible, resettlement offers a chance to rebuild their lives with legal protections, the right to work, and a path to citizenship.
Resettlement Definition: What It Means for Refugees
The United Nations defines resettlement as one of three durable solutions for refugees, alongside voluntary repatriation (returning home) and local integration (staying permanently in the country of first asylum). Resettlement is reserved for refugees who cannot safely return to their home country and who face ongoing risks in the country where they are currently living.
The UNHCR identifies and refers refugees for resettlement based on specific criteria, including:
- Legal and physical protection needs — The refugee faces threats in their current host country
- Medical needs — Treatment unavailable in the host country
- Women and girls at risk — Gender-based violence or exploitation
- Family reunification — Joining family members already resettled
- Children and adolescents at risk — Including unaccompanied minors
- Lack of foreseeable alternative solutions — No safe option to return or stay
Not every refugee qualifies. Of the more than 35 million refugees worldwide, fewer than 200,000 are resettled in any given year. The U.S. has historically been the world’s largest resettlement country, admitting 2.5 million refugees since 1975.
How the Resettlement Process Works
Refugee resettlement to the United States is a rigorous, multi-step process that takes an average of 18-24 months. Here is a simplified overview:
- UNHCR referral — UNHCR identifies a refugee and refers their case to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
- Resettlement Support Center (RSC) processing — A designated RSC collects biographical information and prepares the case file.
- Security screening — Multiple U.S. agencies — including the FBI, DHS, State Department, and intelligence community — conduct background checks.
- Interview — A USCIS officer interviews the refugee in person, usually in the host country.
- Medical screening — Required health checks to identify and treat communicable diseases.
- Cultural orientation — A brief course on life in the U.S., covering expectations, rights, and responsibilities.
- Travel and arrival — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) arranges travel. A resettlement agency meets the refugee at the airport.
- Initial resettlement support — The agency provides housing, basic furnishings, and connects the family to benefits and services.
For a more detailed walkthrough, see our complete guide to the refugee resettlement process.
What Refugees Receive When They Arrive
Contrary to some misconceptions, refugees do not receive lavish benefits. The initial support package is modest and time-limited:
- Temporary housing — An apartment secured by the resettlement agency, often in affordable neighborhoods
- Basic furnishings — Typically minimal; this is where organizations like Be Deliberate fill a critical gap
- Refugee Cash Assistance — A small monthly stipend for up to 8 months
- Medicaid — Short-term health coverage (usually 8-12 months, varies by state)
- Employment services — Job placement assistance, with the expectation of self-sufficiency within 90-180 days
- English language classes — Through local programs and community colleges
Refugees are legally authorized to work upon arrival and are expected to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible. The support is designed as a bridge, not a long-term safety net. Learn more about what refugees need beyond the basics.
Resettlement in Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas is one of the top U.S. cities for refugee resettlement. Three major agencies manage the process locally: the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Catholic Charities of Dallas, and Refugee Services of Texas (RST). Together, they welcome families from Myanmar, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Eritrea, and Ukraine.
The challenge of furnishing apartments is one of the most immediate and practical needs. Resettlement agencies secure apartments, but furnishing them fully is often beyond their budget. That is where Be Deliberate steps in. The organization collects gently used furniture from the Dallas community and delivers it directly to refugee families — 490+ deliveries and counting.
A dining table where a family can share a meal. A bed where a child can sleep safely. A couch where new neighbors can sit and talk. These are not luxuries. They are the basics that make resettlement in Dallas feel like a real fresh start.
How You Can Help
Resettlement gives refugees legal status and a plane ticket, but it takes a community to make a new city feel like home. Be Deliberate provides the furniture that transforms empty apartments in Dallas-Fort Worth into welcoming spaces.
- Donate Furniture — Free pickup across Dallas-Fort Worth
- Volunteer — Help deliver and set up furniture for refugee families
- Give Financially — Fund warehouse operations and welcome home kits