Page 7 - Finding Refuge: Real-Life Immigration Stories from Young People

For most of history, no organizations existed to help refu-
gees find homes and food. In 1950 the office of the UNHCR
was created to help the millions of Europeans who were dis-
placed—made homeless—by World War II (1939–1945). The
UNHCR, along with other organizations, continues to help
people who need to find refuge. According to the UNCHR,
70.8 million people around the world have been forced to leave
their homes because of war or persecution as of 2019. Over
50 percent of these people are under the age of eighteen.
Although most refugees would like to be able to go home
and resume the lives they left behind, most can never return.
Sometimes they stay in refugee camps for many years before
being resettled in a new country. For instance, thousands of
people fleeing violence in Sudan have lived in UNHCR-run
camps along the Sudanese border in neighboring countries for
many years. Some people live their whole lives in refugee camps.

Refugees in the United States

Before they leave a refugee camp, refugees resettling in the
United States must agree to repay the United States govern-
ment for their travel and resettlment costs. Most countries have
similar requirements.
When refugees come to the United States, nonprofit orga-
nizations can help them find homes, enroll their children in
schools, apply for work permits, and find jobs. Like all people
working in the United States, refugees who work pay taxes.
When refugees have lived in the United States for five
years, they can apply for citizenship, which involves paying an
application fee, demonstrating an ability to speak and under-
stand the English language, and taking a citizenship test. In
2020 the application fee was raised from $725.00 to $1,170.00,

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