The Foreign Service Journal, April 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2016 35 chusetts, Minnesota and Ohio account for about 2 percent each. While about 30 state govern- ment officials have declared their intention to reject the settlement of any Syrian refu- gees in their states, it is worth noting that most of those states take few if any refugees to begin with—and the three states accepting the largest num- bers have all reaffirmed their participation in resettlement programs. How Local Resettlement Works Some U.S. critics of refugee resettlement have claimed that the federal government settles refugees in their states without consultation. This is not the case, however. While only the federal government can determine whether or not a refugee may be admitted to the country, federal law requires consulta- tion with state and local governments on the resettlement of refugees in a particular community. Fortunately, the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services have traditionally enjoyed a coop- erative, constructive relationship with state and local refugee coordinators and with voluntary agencies in determining where to place refugees. The nine voluntary agencies active in resettling refugees in the United States work closely with their local affiliates and state refugee coordinators to determine which locations are the best match for the communities and the refugees. The follow- ing factors are considered: family reunification; the number of refugees already in the state and in a particular community (the objective is to avoid overwhelming an area with large numbers, but also to settle refugees where compatriots are already resid- ing); and the availability of affordable housing, employment opportunities, and health and educational facilities. There have been instances in which a state or local com- munity has objected to resettlement in a particular locality for various reasons. Even if they do not agree that those reasons are valid, the federal government and voluntary agencies gener- ally accede to such objections. After what these refugees have already been put through, the last thing they need is more hostility. A Problem That Is Not Going Away The plight of millions of refugees encapsulates many aspects of international rela- tions the world appears to be unprepared, or unwilling, to deal with. Currently, there are nearly 20 million refugees in the world (not including some five mil- lion Palestinians). Whole gen- erations are growing up in what are supposedly “temporary” camps. The international governmental agencies and NGOs running them have to build, staff and supply medical clinics, schools and other basic services. In response, some countries that have not traditionally been resettlement havens have either begun accepting refu- gees or taking more of them. Several European countries have increased the number of refugees they accept; others have taken in large numbers in proportion to their population. Fin- land, for example, with a population of about 5.5 million, has accepted 750 refugees a year since 2001 and planned to take in 1,050 in each of 2014 and 2015. Still, this generosity does little to meet the overall needs. Are we at a major turning point in human history? With international communications and commercial entities dwarfing the power of most governments, we might well ask ourselves whether the nation-state system as we know it is at a point of cataclysmic change. While climate change is not yet a designated qualification for granting refugee status, its impact may well swallow up small island nations and low-lying coastal areas of many countries—setting off chaotic, uncontrollable mass movements beyond anything we have seen thus far. Let us hope that international diplomatic efforts will succeed in reducing if not eliminating armed conflicts, and interna- tional agreements on human rights, economic trade and other international exchanges will narrow the huge gaps between the haves and have-nots. But even in a best-case scenario, we can probably expect continuing mass movements of people across international borders for the foreseeable future. So a firm American commitment to assisting and resettling them remains essential. n The plight of millions of refugees encapsulates many aspects of international relations the world appears to be unprepared, or unwilling, to deal with.