The Multifaceted Management Problems of Refugee Resettlement in the United States of America - Paper Example

Introduction

Refugees are individuals who flee their countries of origin for fear of losing their lives as a result of calamities and disasters that strike their homes. Current statistics indicate that about sixty-three million persons are displaced annually as a consequence of conflicts and other natural calamities (NISKANEN Center, 2017). According to the U.S Department of State (n.d), the country hosts more than half of the refugees who are transferred to third countries. Zong and Batalova (2017) further report that California and Texas have, so far, the highest number of refugee resettlement in the ongoing 2017 fiscal year. The president of the United States is responsible for giving the criteria to be used in the selection of the eligible refugees (Refugee Council U.S.A, 2017). Nonetheless, the president must involve the Congress the drawing of such criterion. According to Hope for San Diego (n.d), the region settles approximately 3000 refugees per year.

Management Problems

Housing Problems

The U.S Department of State reported that during the 2016 fiscal year, the San Diego region received the largest number of resettled refugees in the country with a record of an average of 250 additional refugees per month (Sanchez, 2015). It has been reported that the resettled people are at times required an apartment whose space can barely accommodate a single family (Burks, 2014). Decent EmploymentDue to desperation, refugees are subjected to the minimum wage even after years of working which is prejudicial and an indication of lack of appreciation by the employers (Garret, 2006; Corcoran, 2017).

Prostitution and Drug Use

A report by Sowey (2005) indicated that a majority of refugee in California use drugs and alcohol as a means of dealing with stress, insomnia, nervousness, and pain. Also, a significant portion of these refugees become hooked on the drugs and impose a burden on the community.

Language Barriers

Nunez (2017), a reporter at the Global Citizen established that the ESL (English as Second Language) centers that had been set up in various regions in the United States had become defunct.

Unwelcoming Communities

In many cases, natives may fail to be welcoming to the refugees. For instance, refugees from the Middle East or Muslims are branded terrorists based on their nationality and religion (Garret, 2006).

Healthcare Services

According to research conducted in San Diego by Morris et al. (2009; Hynes, 2003), a large proportion of the refugees also fail to access healthcare as a result of their beliefs and also the lack of sufficient funds.

EducationA report by the UNHCR (2016) suggests that while governments may be willing to put up the additional costs, the schools may be faced with a shortage of funds because of the refugee influx.

Cultural Integration Issues

Refugees have different backgrounds that fail to integrate well with those of the citizens of the host country (Altshuler et al., 2011). Therefore, parents find it difficult raising their children under a new and unaccustomed culture.

Insufficiency of Cash Aid

It is the expectations of the organizations that these individuals get jobs that they can help them as they rebuild their lives in the shortest time possible (Spracklin, 2017). Report by the California Department of Social Services (2016) indicate that resettled refugees receive cash aids from the federal, state, and county administrations.

Bullying and Segregation

The problem of refugee children failing to attend school due to bullying poses a major threat of losing an entire generation to illiteracy, poverty, crime, drug abuse, and ignorance (Schorshit, 2017). An additional problem is brought by the fact that the parents may also lack the ability to help their children due to high illiteracy levels (Schorshit, 2017).

Disease Outbreaks

In the City Heights area, the rate of water and airborne related diseases is high because of the close interaction between individuals. According to a report published by the Health Report (2012), these largely crowded refugee zones form a suitable breeding ground for diseases.

Travel Bans

Over the recent past, several policies and court precedents have been passed and have seen the decrease in the number of refugees being resettled in the United States (Parvini, 2017). These policies have had a spillover effect on some residents in San Diego, and other areas that are densely populated with refugees (Parvini, 2017).

Reproductive Healthcare

The resettlement agencies have failed to provide the minimum initial services package (MISP) to the refugee women and girls which have left them vulnerable. Cohen (2009) reports that the sudden cut in the funds dedicated towards refugee reproductive health initiative weakened it.

Public Health Issues

In areas that refugees live, it is common to find garbage being thrown in and around the houses, they live which makes their living conditions unbearable (Gushulak et al., 2009). Also, as reported by Leaning et al. (2011), the responsible humanitarian agencies have failed in educating refugees about public health policies. Furthermore, Brouwer and Rodwell (2007) report that a majority of the refugees in the U.S experience psychological stress as a result of these conditions.

Increased Crime Rates

Most of these neighborhoods where the refugees settle, such as City Heights, have been experiencing an increase in the rate of crime since the 2000s as reported by Burks (2014).

Human Trafficking

Refugees are often lured into human trafficking through enticing promises such as good jobs with attractive salaries. Children and women are vulnerable because of their marginalization in the contemporary world (McCarthy, 1998).

Neglect of the Elderly

According to Keselly (2002), elderly refugees are at a higher risk of abuse as well as being in need of physical care. In many cases, the elderly are left alone at home to care for themselves while the rest of the family members go out in search of jobs and attending schools (Keselly, 2002).