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Policy Implications of African Refugees settling in the United States

Femina T. M. Ajayi, African American and African Diaspora Studies Department/School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University
fajayi@indiana.edu

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I left my lamp beside the golden door” (Lazarus, The Statue of Liberty)!” This axiom sealed hope for many immigrants coming to the United States, yet for many like the African refugee, this adage does not reign true.
The diasporic journey of most immigrants is an exciting, well thought out journey in which most can come with some preparation. However, due to the Macro-economic strain of countries producing mass amounts of refugees, the refugee’s journey will usually be of extreme hardship.
Today many African refugees are working towards American permanent residency, which may enable them to become naturalized citizens by choice. In doing so, they will face struggles of racial identity, religious hatred, and class-ism.
The underlying question that drives this qualitative research is what the economical and sociological decisions are involved in deciding the lives of African refugees. For new immigrants, how effective the State, Federal, and Local programs are in developing skills and services for the African refugee to become a valued member of society depends on existing immigration policies. The theme of trans-nationalism will also be used to understand what social and cultural retention has remained under the American refugee system.
Refugees working for permanent residency can survive, but not because of the axiom to the United States of America, but because of their hope, luck and determination.