As the Biden administration works to bring back the United States’ refugee resettlement numbers from the current historic low, we can look to the experiences of people who have gone through the process for insights and recommendations on what’s working and how things can be improved. Three refugees who settled through the International Rescue Committee in Washington spoke with Prism to share their visions for a better process. These are their stories. 

Videos produced by Dakoit Pictures

Shafi Osman

Originally from Somalia, Shafi Osman resettled in the United States as a refugee in 2016. In this video, he shares his experience with the resettlement process and his ideas about what needs to change. 

Jean Pascal

Jean Pascal, originally from Burundi, resettled in the United States as a refugee after spending more than 20 years waiting in Tanzania and Malawi. In this video, he describes the process and how it can be made better for refugees.

Henry Tshishiku

Now resettled in the United States after leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Henry Tshishiku talks about his family’s journey and the challenges within the existing resettlement system. 

To learn more about refugee resettlement, check out the rest of Prism’s series on Reimagining Refugee Resettlement.