Catholic Charities of Central Florida - Refugee Services - Catholic Charities of Central Florida - Refugee Services - Refugee Services

Refugee Services - Resettlement / Integration

Assisting Families

A refugee is defined as a person who must leave his or her own country due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. After spending several years in a third country or refugee camp, families are screened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and then interviewed for resettlement by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Approved families and individuals are eventually assigned to national voluntary agencies that then refer cases to local affiliates like Catholic Charities.

The agency assists families through their transition into a new culture. Catholic Charities case managers along with relatives, churches, and civic organizations work cooperatively to effectively resettle refugee families in the Central Florida area.