Refugee Crisis

For 35 years, Refugee Women’s Alliance has helped refugees and immigrants, including many women and families from the Middle East, build new lives in the Puget Sound area. We applaud Governor Jay Inslee for proclaiming that “Washington will continue to be a state that welcomes those seeking refuge from persecution, regardless of where they come from or the religion they practice.” We will continue to support refugees from around the world as they begin their lives in King County.

There is a lot of information circulating about refugees and the rigorous screening process for entry to the United States, the following articles and websites provide a good overview.

Our FAQ page provides brief answers to questions about who refugees are and where they come from.

In a New York Times opinion piece, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee explains “Why My State Won’t Close Its Doors To Syrian Refugees.”

The Seattle Times put together interactive maps that show “What King County’s Refugee Populations Look Like.”

The Office of Homeland Security created a step-by-step info-graphic explaining the screening process, which can take up to two years, for refugee entry to the United States.

Jeh Johnson, the Secretary of Homeland Security, narrates this four minute video about the process of screening refugees: