APRIL 2016
International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
About IRAP
Founded in 2008 by 5 American law studentsBegan as the Iraqi Refugee Assistance ProjectBecame the International Refugee Assistance
Project in 2015Have offices in New York, Jordan, and LebanonWork with over 27 law school chapters and
over 75 law firms and corporations
Needs for Intervention
First Instance Refugee Cases1. UNHCR Refugee Status Determination (RSD)2. Direct Access Program (“DAP” or P2)
Application3. USCIS AdjudicationAppeals of Refugee Cases4. UNHCR RSD Appeal5. USCIS Request for Review (“RFR”)
Referrals
UNHCR Resettlement Referrals
Legal and/or Physical Protection Needs of the refugee in the country of refuge (this includes a threat of refoulement);
Survivors of Torture and/or Violence, where repatriation or the conditions of asylum could result in further traumatization and/or heightened risk; or where appropriate treatment is not available;
Medical Needs, where life-saving treatment is unavailable in the country of refuge;
Women and Girls at Risk, who have protection problems related to gender;
Family Reunification, when resettlement is the only means to reunite refugee family members;
Children and Adolescents at Risk, where a best interests determination supports resettlement; and
Lack of Foreseeable Alternative Durable Solutions
Protection Referrals
Women and Girls at riskChildren with medical emergenciesMissing, detained, or assaulted personsNeed for immediate medical or cash
assistance
Access to Wraparound Services
Reciprocal referral approachOutreach and partnerships with local and
international organizationsReferrals for medical, psychosocial, legal, and
other educational services even if we cannot take the case
Ensuring registration: the prerequisite to services
IRAP’s Approach
Screen Potential
Client
Intake Interview
with Potential
Client
Follow Up with Client
Make UNHCR
Referral or Assign to Overseas
Legal Team
Refer to Partner
Organization for
Educational, Medical, Legal,
Psychosocial, or other forms of support
Impact of Policy Work
Providing Special Immigrant Visas to American Allies
Access to Legal CounselPriority Processing for the Most VulnerableHelped in Passing Six Major Pieces of
Legislation
Impact on the Ground
IRAP lawyers provide direct support in Lebanon and Jordan:Accompanying refugees to UNHCR hearings and
interviewsConnecting them to educational, health, and other non-
legal services and opportunitiesFrequently, the ability of a refugee to access support
services bolsters their ability to be successfully resettledFor others, access to ongoing education is critical to
ensuring they don’t fall behind during the registration and resettlement process, which takes between two to five years in most cases
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