SHARE THE JOURNEY
FAQS
WHAT CLASSIFIES A REFUGEE?
- A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. (Source)
- There are 65.6 million forcibly displaced people worldwide and 22.5 million refugees. In 2016, 189,300 refugees were resettled worldwide and only 84,995 refugees were resettled in the US. (Source)
- The average wait time in a refugee camp is 17 years (Source)
- Refugees undergo an extreme vetting process, ranging from in-person interviews, health screenings, cultural orientations and background checks. Refugees are screened by agencies such as the UNHCR, Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), among others. (Source)
- Health and Human Services conducted an internal study that found a $63 billion positive fiscal impact from refugees over the 10-year period 2005-2014. (Source)
- Refugees who arrive in San Diego for resettlement come from various countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burma, and Iraq.
- There are four resettlement agencies in San Diego that help welcome refugees: Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Services, International Rescue Committee, and Alliance for African Assistance.
WHAT CLASSIFIES AN IMMIGRANT?
- There are nearly 730,000 foreign born residents in the Diocesan region which includes both, San Diego and Imperial Counties. (Source)
- According to the Small Business Administration, over the last 20 years the role of immigrant entrepreneurs has grown. In San Diego, it’s noticeable by the diversity in its multiethnic Chambers of Commerce, Hispanic owned-businesses, and other types of minority owned businesses. (Source)
WHAT CLASSIFIES AN ASYLUM-SEEKER
- An asylee is an individual who arrives at the US border and is found unable to return to his or her country of nationality because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution (Source)
- Asylum-seekers often wait two to five years until their claim is adjudicated. During this wait period, they are allowed into the US, but they have to financially support themselves until their case for asylum is granted. (Source)
WHAT IS DACA
- There are 9,800 DACA recipients in the Diocesan region. (Source)
- It’s estimated that the annual GDP loss from removing DACA workers in the Diocesan region is nearly $591 million. (Source)
In California, there are 108,900 employed DACA recipients. The most common occupations for DACA recipients are in sales, office and administrative support, and food preparation and serving. (Source)
UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANT POPULATION PROFILE
- About one of every 20 residents in San Diego is an unauthorized immigrant. (Source)
- Unauthorized Immigrants choose their new home largely by where they can find work and know people. (Source)
- Unauthorized Immigrants pay a wide range of taxes, including sales taxes where applicable and property taxes (Source)
- Estimates are that undocumented migrants in San Diego County pay $218.5 million in state and local taxes annually (Source)
- Some of the top industries for employment for unauthorized migrants in California include Arts, entertainment, food services, professional, management, construction, and agriculture (Source)
* “Top Industries of Employment” are those in which unauthorized immigrants were employed at the time of the survey or during the last five years. “Other services” are miscellaneous services, not including the following services listed separately: (1) professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services; (2) educational, health and social services; and (3) arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services. (Source)