Posted: 4/28/2026 12:53:00 PM EDT
— Morse Research (@Morse_Research) April 28, 2026 Go to the tweet for images not copied here -- Ohio Refugee/UAC resettlement: 45,000 arrivals, $672 million awarded Between 2012 and 2026, 33,011 foreign nationals have been resettled in Ohio as refugees or Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients with full taxpayer-funded U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) benefits. Additionally, 11,916 unaccompanied alien minors (UACs) have been released to households in the state, for a total of 44,927 resettled foreign nationals. From 2008 to 2026, over $672 million in federal tax dollars have been awarded for resettlement and support services for these individuals, primarily through refugee-specific assistance services provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. This article is an overview of the data that can be fully explored on the Morse Research Refugee Resettlement by State dashboard. Refugee & UAC Arrivals Overview (2012–2026) During the second half of the Obama presidency (FY 2012–2016), Ohio’s refugee and migrant inflows were dominated by large-scale, long-running resettlement programs focused on specific nationalities: Bhutanese arrivals topped 6,000, while Somalia, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burma each contributed over 1,000, producing a total of 16,605 arrivals with relatively modest unaccompanied children (UAC) numbers. Under President Trump (FY 2017–2020), overall volume dropped sharply to about 9,100, with continued but reduced flows from traditional sources such as Bhutan, DR Congo, and Somalia, alongside a modest rise in Afghan Special Immigrant Visas and higher UAC cases (nearly 2,500). In contrast, the Biden years (FY 2021–2024) have recorded the highest totals to date—exceeding 17,000 arrivals—driven by a dramatic surge in Afghan SIV and USRAP cases (over 2,000), record UAC numbers (more than 7,700), sustained high inflows from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, and emerging growth from Venezuela and other Latin American and African countries. Refugee/UAC resettlements for FY 2021-2024 represent over 37% of all arrivals during the 15-year period covered in this dataset. Federal Spending Overview Prime awards for performance in Ohio total $672 million, with tracked subawards totaling $174.8 million. The state receives enormous block funding for refugee services, while large private contractors handle major unaccompanied children residential programs. During the second half of the Obama presidency (FY 2012–2016), federal spending on refugee and unaccompanied children programs in Ohio totaled approximately $68 million, primarily supporting traditional resettlement streams such as Bhutanese, Somali, Iraqi, Congolese, and Burmese populations through steady but relatively modest annual Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance and Support Services grants. Under President Trump (FY 2017–2020), spending rose modestly to about $86 million, reflecting lower overall refugee admissions but continued investment in existing populations along with growing outlays for unaccompanied children shelter and post-release services. In stark contrast, the Biden years (FY 2021–2024) have seen an explosion in spending, exceeding $480 million — roughly seven times the Obama-era total and more than five times the Trump total — driven overwhelmingly by massive contracts for unaccompanied children residential care (especially to National Youth Advocate Program), record Afghan arrivals, and scaled-up refugee support services. This dramatic escalation under Biden highlights how UAC-focused funding and higher admission volumes have dramatically increased the fiscal footprint of these programs in Ohio compared to prior administrations. Dominant Prime Recipients: National Youth Advocate Program is by far the largest single prime recipient of federal refugee and unaccompanied children funding in Ohio, securing more than $389 million in HHS/ORR prime awards since 2019. These contracts overwhelmingly fund residential shelter care, transitional foster care, long-term foster care, home studies, and post-release services for unaccompanied alien children. NYAP’s total revenue has more than doubled in just a few years — from roughly $133 million in 2021 to $279 million in 2024 — almost entirely driven by these federal contracts. Its most recent Form 990 shows President & CEO Marvena Twigg receiving $1.897 million in reportable compensation in 2024, with multiple other senior executives also earning compensation well into the high six figures. Top Subaward Recipients Federal funding frequently passes through the state or national agencies to local providers. Leading sub-recipients include: Catholic Charities Corporation and related Catholic entities are the largest and most consistent sub-recipients in Ohio’s refugee resettlement network. They have received tens of millions in subawards, primarily from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, for Refugee Support Services (RSS). Entities include: Catholic Charities Corporation (Cleveland)- $31.6 million Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio - $7.6 million Catholic Social Services of Miami Valley - $7.2 million Catholic Charities also secures separate funding through national partners like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for Reception & Placement (R&P) and Matching Grant programs. Overall, this organization functions as a major implementing partner across central and southwestern Ohio (Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton areas), delivering case management, employment services, housing assistance, elderly refugee support, and integration programming. The International Institute of Akron has received tens of millions in subawards, primarily passed through the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and occasionally national partners like USCRI. The organization reports multiple annual awards in the $300k–$450k range for: Refugee Social Services Targeted Assistance Grants (TAG) Afghan Refugee School Impact programs Refugee Health Promotion Legal services Resource Specialist services. How the Funding Works Most of the funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Key program categories include: Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance (RCMA) Refugee Support Services (RSS) Preferred Communities and Matching Grant programs Residential shelter and transitional foster care for unaccompanied children Targeted Assistance, School Impact, and employer engagement initiatives The Department of Health and Human Services acts as the primary pass-through, while national resettlement agencies and contractors manage large-scale UAC facilities and direct services. Full resettlement benefit information can be found on the HHS ACF website. All source data can be explored in the Morse Research interactive data dashboards. (Disclaimer: This article was partially AI-generated by Grok using official USAspending.gov and ORR arrival data.) |
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You all are a quiet bunch! Refugee data for other states here: https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/U-S-Refugee-Resettlement-Data-Platform-spending-where-they-re-going-where-they-re-from/5-2842664/ |
