APPLETON – City officials were told this week to expect 75 refugees from conflict zones around the globe to arrive in 2015 as part of a federal resettlement program.
World Relief Fox Valley will expand its resettlement that took place this year. A total of 75 refugees from Iraq, Congo and Myanmar are expected in Appleton by year's end. Twenty five have relocated here since January.
"The process has gone very well so far," said Kurt Eggebrecht, Appleton's health officer.
Public health nurses in Appleton perform health screenings for the new residents.
Seven of the 25 relocated refugees tested positive for latent tuberculosis, which is not communicable and not a health concern for community, Eggebrecht said.
"It's lying dormant in their bodies and we're getting them the medication they need and observing it so they can be cured," Eggebrecht said. "We saw latent TB with the Hmong resettlement and handled it with no problem."
Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna said the next wave of refugees was not a surprise for 2015, given the smooth transition this year. He said he was proud of community efforts to gather apartment-living necessities spearheaded by the city, Lawrence University and the Fox Cities Kiwanis group.
"I think World Relief appreciates how we have already integrated the new arrivals into our community," Hanna said. "It's important to remember that these people aren't destitute — they're often educated and contribute to the fabric of our community."
Karen Harkness, Appleton's community and economic development director, said the second year with World Relief will be even smoother because support systems are already established. She said new partnerships have been forged with the Appleton Fire Department to provide basic fire prevention education.
Job training and literacy are two primary focuses after refugees arrive in the Fox Valley.
Myriam Mwizerwa, the Oshkosh director for World Relief Fox Valley, explained previously that refugee status is a narrow classification determined by the United Nations. Rounds of interviews determine if individuals meet the persecution requirements based on race, nationality, religion, political opinion or social affiliation.
"A refugee is not someone who has fled due to an economic or natural disaster," Mwizerwa said. "Only refugees whose lives are threatened and that have crossed into another country (qualify) for asylum."
After achieving the status, host countries begin resettling the refugees. Last year, the U.S. took 70,000 refugees — a number set by Congress that will remain the same for 2014.
U.S. communities accept 80 percent of the world's refugees, Mwizerwa said, but that's less than 1 percent of the 14 million worldwide refugees seeking a move.
After the two-year vetting process by the U.S. State Department and Federal Bureau of Investigations, the refugees are handled by the contract agency — in this case World Relief.
The airfare for refugees is considered a loan, and eventually will be paid back. Each refugee receives about $925 for the 90-day period for essentials, a one-time gift, Mwizerwa said.
Refugees are eligible for permanent residency status in the U.S. after a year, and after five years can apply for citizenship. They only face deportation if they are convicted of a crime.
— Nick Penzenstadler: 920-996-7226, or npenzenstadler@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @npenzenstadler
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/appleton-expects-75-more-refugees-in-2015/
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