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Discretion, Deference, and Dysfunction: U.S. Refugee Resettlement from Egypt
This thesis investigates refugee resettlement from Egypt to the U.S., as facilitated by UNHCR Egypt and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Accordingly, the research questions ask what factors determine the volume and profile of refugees UNHCR Egypt submits to USRAP for resettlement, as wel...
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AUC Knowledge Fountain
2025
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| Summary: | This thesis investigates refugee resettlement from Egypt to the U.S., as facilitated by UNHCR Egypt and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Accordingly, the research questions ask what factors determine the volume and profile of refugees UNHCR Egypt submits to USRAP for resettlement, as well as the related determining factors for refugees rejected from and accepted to USRAP. A fourth research question examines the impacts of U.S. refugee policy on the resettlement system in Egypt, including on UNHCR Egypt and refugees. To answer these questions, the thesis first delves into the history of U.S. immigration and refugee policies, with a particular emphasis on their exclusionary roots and strategic uses, then provides an overview of U.S. refugee admissions trends during the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations (2009 to 2023) in the context of modern applications of U.S. refugee policy. It also discusses the refugee context of Egypt and offers insight into UNHCR Egypt’s procedures and capacity with respect to resettlement. The research employs a mixed-methods approach that involves analysis of USRAP and UNHCR Egypt resettlement data alongside semi-structured interviews with practitioners and refugees familiar with the U.S. resettlement process in Egypt. Findings suggest U.S. refugee policy impacts resettlement operations in Egypt to the extent UNHCR Egypt is aware of U.S. admissions criteria and submits a high number of refugees to USRAP because of the large U.S. resettlement quota allocation. Securitized USRAP adjudication policies, however, reduce the likelihood of USRAP acceptances and make discretionary rejections on security grounds effectively inviolable. What results is a resettlement system in Egypt that both defers to U.S. policy and is made more dysfunctional by it. For the U.S., the cumulative effect is a ‘selective first, humanitarian second’ approach that undermines USRAP as an asset to U.S. foreign policy and tool for burden-sharing. Critically, the impact of U.S. refugee policies imperils refugees in Egypt, instills fear toward USRAP, and compromises the U.S. global reputation. |
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