A refugee is any person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence, and is unable or unwilling to return to or seek protection of that country due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Individuals granted refugee status overseas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are brought to the United States for resettlement by the U.S. Department of State.  ORR, local resettlement agencies, and volunteers assist with refugees’ resettlement and integration into the U.S. Refugees are eligible to receive ORR benefits and services from the first day they arrive in the U.S.

Asylees are individuals who, on their own, travel to the United States and subsequently apply for and receive a grant of asylum. Asylees do not enter the United States as refugees. They may enter as students, tourists, or even without an immigration status. Once in the U.S., or at a land border or port of entry, they apply to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for asylum. To qualify for a grant of asylum, the person must meet the legal definition of a refugee. Asylum status permits the person to remain in the United States and later apply for Legal Permanent Residency (LPR). Individuals granted asylum are eligible for ORR assistance and services. (Note: persons who have a pending application for asylum but who have not been granted asylum are not eligible for ORR assistance and services. The only exception is for certain Cubans and Haitians.)

If you have been granted asylum and are in New Jersey you may be eligible for Refugee Support Services (RSS), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) or other programs. Please reach out to a Service Provider near you to find out more.

Cubans and Haitians who have a current or expired parole, who are in pending removal proceedings, or who have a pending application for asylum are Cuban/Haitian Entrants and thus are eligible for benefits and services through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) benefits and services, same as a refugee. For more information, please visit
https://acf.gov/orr/fact-sheet/benefits-cuban-haitian-entrants

The CHNV parole program—which provided humanitarian parole for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela—was officially terminated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 25, 2025. For those who are Cuban or Haitian nationals, you may still be eligible for mainstream benefits and services as a Cuban and Haitian Entrant.

Visit our page on Cuban and Haitian Parolees for more information.

For their service to the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan, certain Iraqis and Afghans are granted Special Immigrant (SIV) status overseas by the U.S. Department of State and are admitted to the U.S. by the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of State, in conjunction with the Refugee Resettlement agencies and ORR, assist with the resettlement and integration of SIVs into the U.S. An SIV is eligible for the same ORR benefits and services and for the same time period as a refugee, from the first day the SIV arrives in the U.S.

Visit our page on Afghan Evacuees for more information.

Certification allows adult victims of trafficking who are not United States (U.S.) citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) to be eligible to receive benefits and services under any Federal or state program or activity to the same extent as a refugee. To receive certification from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an adult 18 years of age or older must be a victim of severe form of trafficking, be willing to assist in the investigation and prosecution of said trafficking, and other requirements. Foreign child victims of trafficking (under the age of 18) do not need to be certified to receive benefits and services. For more information please visit: FACT SHEET: CERTIFICATION FOR ADULT VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)

Certain Afghan individuals have been or will be granted humanitarian parole by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in response to their need for rapid evacuation and relocation under Operation Allies Refuge/Operation Allies Welcome. Afghan humanitarian parolees paroled into the U.S. between July 31, 2021, through September 30, 2023, are eligible to apply for mainstream benefits, resettlement assistance, and other benefits available to refugees, until March 31, 2023, or the end of their parole term, whichever is later.

Visit our page on Afghan Evacuees for more information.

Citizens or nationals of Ukraine who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has paroled into the United States between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024, due to urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant public benefit, known as Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHPs).

Visit our page on Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHP) for more information.

Mainstream social services, such as NJ FamilyCare, NJSNAP and TANF, as well as ORR specific services such as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), English Language Learners classes (ELL), employment support, case management services, and other services. Please reach out to a Service Provider near you to find out more.

You may be eligible to receive ORR benefits and services. Please reach out to DHS-NJRefugee.Program@dhs.nj.gov or our partner service providers to learn more.