Washington, D.C.

America’s commitment to welcoming refugees is strong in the nation’s capital where there is a long tradition of supporting newcomers in their resettlement. Known by locals as the DMV, the greater D.C. metro area spans from the District of Columbia into central Maryland and Northern Virginia where governmental agencies, nonprofits, and citizens form a flourishing network of support. The Community Programs team in D.C. is actively engaged with local nonprofit organizations, serving in the community, and developing opportunities for collecting and sharing refugee stories.

Demographics
ARRIVALS

FY 2018-2019 data source: Refugee Processing Center, includes refugee and SIV status only
FY 2020-2024 data source: Virginia Department of Social Services, includes Cuban, Haitian, Afghan parolee, Ukrainian parolee, refguee, SIV, and trafficking victim; Maryland Office of Refugees & Asylees, includes refugees, SIV, humanitarian parole, asylum, *Maryland 2024 data reflects as of 9/15/24 and excludes humanitarian parolees, asylees, victims of trafficking

TOP COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
TOP NEWCOMER LANGUAGES
  • Dari
  • Pashto
  • French
  • Ukrainian
  • Swahili
  • Kinyarwanda
  • Spanish
  • Arabic

FY 2024 data source: Languages based on the official and/or most common language of arrivals’ country of origin.

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

Learn more about our work to remove barriers to medical career pathways for international physicians through a coalition founded in the Washington, D.C. metro.

Blog Posts
Learn more about our work and our team.
Events
Join us at an upcoming local or virtual event.

We're building our calendar of upcoming events. Check back soon or subscribe to our email list for updates.

Partners
Volunteer alongside our team with these local organizations.
Leadership
Get to know our Washington, D.C. leadership team.
B Kilmer headshot wide
Community Programs Coordinator - Washington D.C.; Co-founder, Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition
Emily Hendrickson TSOS 2 Emily Hendrickson
Community Liaison - Washington DC
Annie
Community Liaison, Washington, D.C.
Heather
Associate Director
Contact Us
Reach out to our local team with any questions. We love to connect with people interested in welcoming newcomers to our community.
What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2025, more than 117.8 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced by war, persecution, or human rights abuses — and 45 million of them are children.

They arrive in refugee camps and countries seeking safety and carrying little: legal papers, if they're lucky. A backpack. A child's hand in theirs.

What they carry that we can't see is heavier: fractured families, homes they'll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

In a climate where immigrant stories are often ignored or twisted, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares what they survived, they reclaim their voice. When we amplify it through film, photography, and advocacy, the world listens. Hearts soften. Policy begins to shift.

Because when a lawmaker sees a person instead of a statistic, and a neighbor understands instead of fears, rebuilding becomes possible.

Your support helps us share these stories where they matter most.

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, Their Story is Our Story

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