SIV Resettlement in the United States and Resettlement Assistance

Afghan and Iraqi special immigrants are treated like refugees for  purposes of federal public assistance, including receipt of resettlement  assistance. 1). Available Data Provide Limited Information on SIV Holders’ Short-Term Outcomes and No Information on Long- Term Outcomes

Limited data from PRM from fiscal year 2011 through part of fiscal year  2017 showed that most principal SIV holders were unemployed and relied  on cash assistance for income 90 days after arrival to the United States. ORR’s Matching Grant data for  fiscal year 2016 (the only year available) showed that most SIV holders  were employed 6 months after arrival and no longer reliant on cash  assistance. 3). HHS Data on About One- Third of SIV Holders Show Most Are Employed 6 Months After Arrival, but Federal Agencies Do Not Collect Longer-Term Data

The most recent data from the Matching Grant program, which is one  cash assistance program in which selected SIV holders might participate  during and after their initial 90 days in the United States, and the one  such ORR program for which SIV outcomes could be identified, showed  that the majority of SIV program participants were employed and no  longer relying on cash assistance at end of the 180 day (or 6 month)  benefit period. 5). Findings on SIV holders participating in this program are  not representative of all SIV holders, given program design elements. ORR, however, has never used its Annual Survey of Refugees to  examine long-term outcomes for SIV holders. Officials we interviewed from some  resettlement agencies reported taking steps to address some of these  issues. Large Numbers of SIV Holders Created Capacity Challenges for Resettlement Agencies in Northern Virginia

Of the 13 local resettlement agencies in three states at which we  interviewed officials, officials from the 2 agencies in Northern Virginia  reported the greatest impact from high numbers of SIV holders, creating  capacity challenges at both local resettlement agencies as well as in the  community. These challenges occurred even though they had worked  for the U.S. government, tended to have completed secondary education  or more, and reported good levels of spoken English. SIV holders’ previous work may not help with U.S. employment: Some  officials we interviewed from advocacy groups and local resettlement  agencies said that while principal SIV holders’ ability to speak English  with a high level of proficiency enabled them to work for the U.S.  government overseas, they may not always have the writing skills  needed for professional work in the United States. In  almost all of our focus groups with principal SIV holders, participants  expressed frustration about the barriers to re-entering their professional  fields and the need to take low-skilled jobs. These employment-related challenges did not align with the expectations  of principal SIV holders, who thought that their education and prior work  experience with the U.S. government would enable them to find skilled  work, according to many national and local resettlement agency officials  we interviewed and SIV holders who participated in our focus groups. Some groups we spoke with used strategies to help address housing  challenges. First, in May  2017, PRM placed limitations on SIV holders’ resettlement in that area in  response to concerns raised by local resettlement agencies and the state  refugee coordinator, and in consultation with national resettlement  agencies, advocacy groups, and ORR. Because State’s current information to SIV  holders overseas is general and the agency may miss opportunities to  disseminate or otherwise make individuals aware of the information, SIV  holders may be hampered in their ability to make well-informed decisions  on where to resettle in the United States, as well as in their ability to  prepare and adapt to potential challenges as quickly as possible upon  arrival. ORR’s New Grant Provides More Targeted Assistance on Working with Skilled Immigrants

Although ORR does not provide specific support or assistance for SIV  holders, ORR’s funding and technical assistance for refugees and other  eligible clients can be used to support programming for highly skilled  clients, including SIV holders. (Recommendation 1)  2. Both agencies agreed with our recommendations. In its  response, HHS stated that while it did not believe including SIV holders in  the Annual Survey of Refugee was feasible under the current contract  due to costs, it would continue to look for cost-effective ways to include  SIV holders in its survey redesign efforts and in future contracts. At that time, we will send copies to the appropriate  congressional committees, Secretaries of Health and Human Services  and State, and other interested parties. Appendix I: Additional Methodological Details

This appendix provides additional information on our methodologies for  our analysis of data from the Department of State (State) and on our  focus groups with special immigrant visa (SIV) holders. Overall, this timeframe accounted for about 40,000 individual SIV holders  (principal SIV holders and their family members) and 14,000 cases, or  households, before we excluded instances of missing data.
Why GAO Did This Study

Certain Afghan or Iraqi nationals who worked for the U.S. government and may have experienced serious threats due to this work may qualify for an SIV. An SIV allows them and eligible family members to resettle in the United States, and since 2008 over 60,000 SIV holders (principal holder and family members) have done so. Upon arrival, they are eligible for resettlement assistance from State and HHS. GAO was asked to review SIV holders' resettlement outcomes and challenges. This report examines (1) available data on SIV holders' employment and other outcomes, (2) challenges affecting their resettlement, and (3) federal efforts to help address challenges. GAO analyzed the most recent federal data (State: 2010-2016; and HHS: 2016) on SIV holders' outcomes; interviewed officials from nine national resettlement agencies; and visited three states (CA, TX, and VA) where over half of SIV holders resettled. In these states, GAO interviewed the states' refugee coordinators and, for two local areas with relatively high levels of SIV resettlement, interviewed local resettlement agency officials and conducted focus groups with SIV holders. GAO also reviewed relevant federal laws and policies and interviewed federal officials.

What GAO Found

Since fiscal year 2011, about 13,000 Afghan and Iraqi nationals (excluding family members) have resettled in the United States under special immigrant visas (SIV), but limited data on their outcomes are available from the Department of State (State) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). State collects data on SIV holders' resettlement outcomes once—90 days after they arrive. GAO's analysis of State's data from October 2010 through December 2016 showed that the majority of principal SIV holders—those who worked for the U.S. government—were unemployed at 90 days, including those reporting high levels of education and spoken English. Separately, HHS collects data on about one-third of resettled SIV holders (those in one HHS grant program). According to HHS's fiscal year 2016 data (the only year available), most of these SIV holders were employed and not receiving cash assistance 6 months after arrival; however, these data are not representative of all SIV holders. GAO did not identify any outcome data for SIV holders beyond 6 months after arrival. HHS annually surveys refugees up to 5 years after arrival, but does not do so for SIV holders. However, it has occasionally used its survey of refugees to analyze selected groups at no additional reported cost. Such analysis could provide valuable information on whether SIV holders have achieved longer-term assimilation, consistent with HHS' mission and program goals.
Stakeholders GAO interviewed reported several resettlement challenges, including capacity issues in handling large numbers of SIV holders, difficulties finding skilled employment, and SIV holders' high expectations. Officials from local resettlement agencies in Northern Virginia reported capacity challenges for their agencies and the community due to the large increase of SIV holders. In almost all of GAO's focus groups with principal SIV holders, participants expressed frustration at the need to take low-skilled jobs because they expected that their education and prior work experience would lead to skilled work.
State and HHS have taken steps to address some resettlement challenges. For example, in 2017 State placed restrictions on where SIV holders could resettle and HHS announced a new grant to support career development programs for SIV holders, refugees, and others. In addition, State provides information to prospective SIV holders about resettlement. However, the information is general, and lacks detail on key issues such as housing affordability, employment, and available government assistance. Providing such specifics could lead to more informed decisions by SIV holders on where to resettle and help them more quickly adapt to potential challenges once in the United States.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that 1) HHS consider including SIV holders in its annual survey on refugees' longer-term outcomes, and that 2) State provide more detailed information on key issues to prospective SIV holders. Both agencies agreed with our recommendations.