The Department of Children and Families’ Refugee Services Program is federally funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Department of Health and Human Services to assist refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency and social adjustment within the shortest possible time after their arrival in the United States.
While in recent years the number of arrivals has decreased nationwide, the State of Florida’s refugee program is the largest in the nation, receiving more than 5,000 refugees, asylees, and Cuban/Haitian entrants each year.
Refugee Services’ clients all have a legal immigration status. Some are admitted to the United States by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) through its refugee “Reception and Placement” program. DOS contracts with national refugee resettlement agencies to assist resettled refugees during their first three months in the United States. However, only about 8% of Florida’s refugee client population enters the U.S. through the DOS program. A majority of our refugee clients are Cuban entrants who enter the United States through other programs or channels.