U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) was established "To protect the rights and address the needs of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide and support their transition to a dignified life."
| Motto | Everyone. Everywhere. Equal Value. |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1911 |
| Type | Non-Profit Organization |
| Headquarters | 2231 Crystal Drive Suite 350 |
| Location |
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| Website | www.refugees.org |
History
The International Institute movement began in 1911 in New York City as the brainchild of Edith Terry Bremer. Over the next six years, the movement spread across the nation with offices opening in Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. In 1922 the organization began publishing Interpreter Releases, a weekly immigration law update with 48 issues/year. In 1924 the National Origins Act, severely restricting the number of immigrants entering the country was passed as well as the Labor Appropriation Act which officially established the Border Patrol.
By 1924 the number of International Institutes had grown to 55 and reached across the country to Los Angeles.
Activities
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) administers domestic programs related to refugee resettlement and placement, foreign-born victims of human trafficking, and unaccompanied immigrant children. Its international programs focus on defending the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. It is a partnership between USCRI and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Each child helped by the Center is under age 18 and without a parent or resources in the United States. The Center holds pro bono trainings throughout the United States for potential volunteer attorneys.
World Refugee Survey
The World Refugee Survey is an annual USCRI report presenting information on refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers. The country-by-country analysis is based on information collected from governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and field visits. Each country profiled in the Survey is given a grade. Countries are rated according to refugees' enjoyment of rights under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and are graded on: 1) Refoulement/Physical Protection 2) Freedom of Movement and Residence 3) Detention/Access to Courts 4) Right to Earn a Livelihood and 5) Public Relief and Education.
On June 19, 2008, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and its research partners released the World Refugee Survey 2008 with events around the world. Within the annual publication, USCRI released a list of the Ten Worst Places for Refugees. Countries and regions were graded based on their commitment to standards outlined in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. As determined by the Committee, the 'Ten Worst Places' were: Bangladesh, China, Europe, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Russia, Sudan, and Thailand.[1] Sixty countries hosting the largest numbers of refugees were profiled in the 2008 survey. In 2009, the 'Worst Places for Refugees' were South Africa, Gaza, Thailand, Kenya, Malaysia, Egypt and Turkey "World Refugee Survey 2009" (PDF). U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-21.
On June 20, 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia stated, "Malaysia strongly disagrees with the newly released World Refugee Survey 2008."[2]
References
- "World Refugee Survey 2008". U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 2008-06-19. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05.
- "Malaysia Disagrees With World Refugee Survey". Bernama.com. 2008-06-20.