Michigan Refugee Resettlement - New Americans

refugees welcome

Samaritas Refugee Resettlement
Programs in Michigan

refugee program participants Refugees are people of all ages who are forced from their own countries by war or political unrest and who cannot return for fear of persecution because of their race, ethnicity, religion or political affiliations. Many spend years in refugee camps before they are given permission to enter the United States. They arrive with little more than the clothes they are wearing.

Refugees come here seeking protection and a chance to build a new life. They are eager to learn, to work and to become productive contributors to society. As they become settled, they build businesses, create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, fuel the economy and strengthen the tax base, enriching their communities. Click here to view the economic impact refugees are having in Southeast Michigan.

Largest Refugee Resettlement Agency in Michigan

As the largest refugee resettlement agency in the state and fourth largest in the nation, Samaritas has resettled thousands of people from dozens of countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Central and South America. Samaritas has been the Michigan affiliate of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service since the 1950s.

We offer professional, immigration legal services for refugees, asylees and immigrants at nominal fees, to help them in achieve independence and stability in the United States. These services include assistance with adjustment of status, naturalization, travel documents, and family visa petitions. The program has an accredited representative on staff who is recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), as well as interns who are students at local law schools. Coming soon: citizenship training classes to prepare naturalization applicants for the Civics and English portions of the naturalization test. The Screening Process for Becoming an American Citizen is a vigorous one, but Samaritas is there every step of the way to help.

We serve as a liaison with local K-12 schools, helping students with English instruction, translation and social adjustment. We help refugee parents understand the school environment and become more involved in their children’s education, and also provide support and resources for teachers of refugee students.

We can translate documents from the following languages into English: Arabic, Bosnian, Croatian, Russian and Serbian. Documents can also be translated from English into any of these languages.

The Official Affidavit of Relationship Process

Do you have refugee relatives overseas that you would like to bring to the US? The New Official Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) process allows Resettlement Agencies such as Samaritas to help reunite families (free of charge).

Please contact Lucy Mourad at Samaritas to see if you AOR case is eligible at: (586) 276-9126 or email lmour@samaritas.org

You may also contact Omar Abdul-Satar at Samaritas to see if you AOR case is eligible at: (248) 663-0652 or email oabdu@samaritas.org