Refugee Defined

Refugees are people fleeing conflict or persecution. They are defined and protected in international law and must not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom are at risk.

The first step for most refugees is to register with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the country to which they have fled. UNHCR has the mandate to provide international protection to refugees. UNHCR determines if an individual qualifies as a refugee and, if so, works toward the best possible durable solution for each refugee: safe return to the home country, local integration, or third-country resettlement.

UNHCR will refer refugee applicants to the United States Resettlement Support Center (RSC) for resettlement purposes. On referral, officers from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review all the information the RSC has collected and conduct an in-person interview with each refugee applicant before deciding whether to approve them for resettlement in the United States.

Fleeing Home

War, conflict, and persecution based on race, religion, nationality, sexuality, politics, or social group forces refugees to flee home.

Seeking Asylum

Seeking protection (asylum) in a nearby country, the UN High Commissioner conducts initial interviews and grants individuals refugee status.

Refugee Status

Only one percent of refugees are selected for resettlement globally, and some will spend their entire lives in refugee camps.

In Need of a Forever Home

The application and screening process for resettlement in the U.S. can take two years through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and resettlement agencies.

A New Home in West Michigan

Rebuilding your life in a new country is never easy. We provide support so that refugees can join, add, learn from the surrounding culture, and contribute to a thriving West Michigan where all have an opportunity for a better future.

Refugee Demographics

Planting Roots in a New Community

Refugees come to the United States from Burma, Bhutan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Rwanda, Eritrea, Bosnia, Vietnam, and more. These populations encompass 60-plus ethnicities, 30-plus languages, dozens of religious beliefs, and many cultural practices and traditions. The incredible diversity brought to West Michigan helps make it a beautiful place.

Refugees have resettled primarily in the West Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Holland, Zeeland, Muskegon, Traverse City, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo. Grand Rapids has also become home to many “secondary migrants” (refugees who have moved within the United States post-resettlement).

A Welcoming History

For more than a century, West Michigan has been a welcoming home for tens of thousands of refugees from around the world.

1860s-1920s

Prior to official refugee resettlement, West Michigan became a land of promise for many thousands from Central and Eastern European countries.

1930/40s

Jewish and other persecuted peoples flee Europe for West Michigan.

1950s

Hungarian refugees who were fleeing communism made their way to West Michigan.

1970s

President Gerald R. Ford launches a program to resettle refugees from Vietnam. The Grand Rapids community is heavily involved.

1990s

Bosnian refugees are welcomed to West Michigan.

2000s

West Michigan begins welcoming refugees from countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Asia. In 2006, the Refugee Education Center is founded in 2006.

Today

West Michigan continues to welcome between 700-1,000 refugees per year and is home to tens of thousands of first and second-generation refugees.

Consider supporting the Refugee Education Center in its mission of helping refugees on their journey to becoming fully participating members of the West Michigan community.