The United States has a long history of providing humanitarian protection, including by resettling refugees who seek protection from abroad and granting asylum to individuals who apply from within the country or at its borders. But even though refugees and asylees are granted protection after fleeing similar forms of harm and their status makes them eligible for many of the same public benefits and services, the system for connecting asylees with this support is much weaker than for refugees.

Multiple options exist under current law to improve asylees’ links to the benefits and services for which they are eligible, as this report explores, and doing so would help support asylees’ well-being and integration. The U.S. communities in which they live would also reap benefits from these investments as asylees upskill to meet staffing shortages, contribute to local economies, and become active members of their communities.

Read the full article about supporting asylees by Essey Workie, Lillie Hinkle and Stephanie Heredia at Migration Policy Institute.