Idaho
The Gem State’s growing reputation of benevolent welcome began in 1979 when the first refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos started arriving in the Treasure Valley region of Boise and Nampa. In the decades since, the area surrounding Twin Falls, known as Magic Valley, joined in efforts to help immigrants and refugees become members of the community. Over time, both community enclaves have become home for those displaced by conflict and demonstrate interest in innovating better ways of welcome. The Community Programs team in Idaho is actively engaged with local nonprofit organizations, serving in the community, and developing opportunities for collecting and sharing refugee stories.
FY 2016-2020 data source: Refugee Processing Center, Admissions & Arrivals, figures exclude Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) from Afghanistan and Iraq.
FY 2021 data source: IdahoRefugees.org, figures include SIVs. May include Afghan Parolees from 2021 evacuation. Immigrants comprise 5.2% total population in ID.
FY 2022 data source: IdahoRefugees.org.
FY 2000-2022 data source: IdahoRefugees.org.
- Swahili
- Farsi/Dari/Persian
- Arabic
- Ukrainian
- Pashto
FY 2018-2022 data source: IdahoRefugees.org.
Idaho One Refugee Conference
Last fall I was able to attend the 1Refugee Conference in Idaho. The event was well organized and everyone who approached our table was interested in what we did and wanted to know how to get involved. There were at least 100 students majoring in a variety of things who attended the event and we had 20 students give us their contact information. Most were interested in our internship programs.
Voice Your Support for Afghan Adjustment
The Afghan Adjustment (AA) has been reintroduced in both the House (H.R.4627) and the Senate (S.2327) of the United States by a bipartisan group of legislators. We invite you to join us in honoring our promise to our Afghan allies by urging your representatives to pass the Afghan Adjustment!
Invisible Barriers to Belonging: Their Story is Our Story Presents at the 2023 Idaho Conference on Refugees
Their Story is Our Story (TSOS) was pleased to present at the 2023 Idaho Conference on Refugees held at Boise State University on February 22-23. In alignment with the conference theme Creating Connections, our TSOS team addressed three significant invisible barriers that we consistently encounter in our work and invited audience members to think about how local community members might leverage their inter- and intra- connections to help Forcibly Displaced Persons overcome invisible barriers so they might achieve an equal footing in society.
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