Refugees in the States: A Snapshot

of Fiscal Year 2014 Refugee Arrivals

By: FAIRs State & Local
Department

Methodology
All data was retrieved from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlements (ORR) FY2014
refugee arrival data.
Each slide indicates the percentage of refugees received and their
country of origin in relation to the overall proportion of refugees
sent to each state.
The slides appear in descending order with the state receiving the
highest number of refugees in FY2014 appearing first.
Delaware, Montana, and Wyoming did not receive any refugees in
FY2014 and are therefore not included in this list. Hawaii only
received two refugees, both from Burma, and thus was also not
included.

Key Findings

According to ORR, the United States admitted a total of 69,986 refugees in FY2014.

The Top 10 refugee receiving states are: Texas, California, New York, Michigan,
Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Illinois.

The Top 10 countries from which the U.S. admits refugees are:
1. Iraq (28%)
2. Burma (21%)
3. Somalia (13%)
4. Bhutan (12%)
5. Democratic Republic of Congo (6%)
6. Cuba (6%)
7. Iran (4%)
8. Eritrea (2%)
9. Sudan (2%)
10.Afghanistan (1%)

The Top 10 sending countries make up 95% of refugee sending nations.

The remaining 5% of refugees come from 68 countries combined.

Key Findings Continued

California receives the highest proportion of Afghani (21%), Iranian
(59%), and Iraqi (16%) refugees nationally.
Texas receives the highest proportion of Burmese (15%) and Eritrean
(10%) refugees nationally.
Florida receives the highest proportion of Cuban (54%) and Sudanese
(7%) refugees nationally.
Ohio receives the highest proportion of Bhutanese (15%) refugees
nationally.
Arizona receives the highest proportion of Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) (12%) refugees nationally.
Minnesota receives the highest proportion of Somali (12%) refugees
nationally.

#1. Texas
Iraq
Burma

5%

5%

3%

2%

Somalia

4%
34%

Bhutan

8%
Iran

9%
30%

Dem Rep
Congo
Cuba
Eritrea

Total Refugees Received: 7,214

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 22 countries: Afghanistan, Sudan, Gabon, Pakistan, Nepal,
Rwanda, Vietnam, Syria, Columbia, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Burundi, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Thailand, China, Congo, Palestine, and Togo.

#2. California
Iraq
Iran
2%
2%

Somalia

8%

3%

4%
4%

Burma
50%
Afghanistan

27%
Ukraine
Dem Rep of
Congo
Total Refugees Received: 6,108

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 30 countries: Bhutan, Palestine, Eritrea, Cuba, Moldova,
Russia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Sudan, Gabon, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Belarus, Cambodia, Armenia, Vietnam,
Burundi, Columbia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Cameroon, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Nepal,
Tunisia, Uganda, and West Bank.

#3. New York

Burma
Bhutan
2%
2%
2%

Somalia

8%
27%

5%

Iraq
Dem Rep of
Congo

16%

17%

21%

Cuba
Afghanistan
Ukraine

Total Refugees Received: 4,082

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 28 countries: Eritrea, Sudan, Iran, Ethiopia, Russia, Nigeria,
China, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Cambodia, Kuwait, India, Burundi, Jordan, Palestine,
Yemen, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Egypt, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Libya,
Republic of South Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Turkmenistan.

#4. Michigan
Iraq

6%

Burma

5% 4%

7%
Somalia

10%
69%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Bhutan

Total Refugees Received: 4,006

*Other

The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 17 countries: Eritrea, Cuba, Sudan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine,
Sri Lanka, Syria, Nepal, Lebanon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Gabon, Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan.

#5. Florida
Cuba
Iraq
2%

4%

3%

6%

Burma

11%
12%

Dem Rep of
Congo
62%
Sudan
Somalia
*Other

Total Refugees Received: 3,519

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 21 countries: Columbia, Eritrea, Iran, Ethiopia, Afghanistan,
Congo, Russia, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Vietnam, Burundi, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Ukraine, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Bhutan,
Liberia, and Nigeria.

6. Arizona
Iraq
Somalia
Dem Rep of
Congo

2%
2% 2% 3%
3%
3%

33%

3%

Burma
Eritrea

10%
Cuba
18%
22%

Bhutan
Iran
Sudan

Total Refugees Received: 2,964

Afghanistan
*Other

The category "Other" consists of refugees from the remaining 16 countries: Ethiopia, Syria, Burundi, Republic of South Sudan,
Columbia, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Rwanda, Pakistan, Nepal , Cameroon, Liberia, Russia, Central African Republic, Philippines,
and Uganda.

7. Ohio
Bhutan
Signapore
2%

3%

5%

6% 4%

Iraq
44%

17%
18%

Burma
Dem Rep of
Congo
Eritrea
Ethopia

Total Refugees Received: 2,815

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 22 countries: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Cuba, Ukraine, Iran, Gambia,
Central African Republic, Vietnam, Sudan, Burundi, Palestine, Kazakhstan, Mali, Russia, Tanzania, China, India, Jordan, Lebanon,
Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.

8. Pennsylvania
Bhutan
Iraq
2%
2%

2%

5%

Burma

7%2%

36%

Somalia
Dem Rep of
Congo

13%

15%

16%

Cuba
Sudan
Eritrea
Ethopia

Total Refugees Received 2,739

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 21 countries: Nepal, Ukraine, Republic of South Sudan, Russia, Afghanistan,
India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Sierra Leone, Columbia, Iran, Kenya, Singapore, Vietnam, Belarus, Egypt, Ecuador, Jordan, Moldova, and Sri
Lanka.

9. Georgia
Burma
Bhutan
Somalia
2%

2%
2% 2% 5%

Iraq
28%

3%
3%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Eritrea

8%
11%
20%
13%

Iran
Ethopia
Cuba
Afghanistan
Sudan

Total Refugees Received: 2,694

*Other

* The category other consists of refugees from the following countries: Nigeria, Columbia, Ukraine, Liberia, Moldova, Sri Lanka, Syria,
Morocco, Republic of South Sudan, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Central African Republic, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Togo,
Vietnam, Burundi, Chad, China, and Pakistan.

10. Illinois
Iraq
Burma
2%
3%

10%

7%

Bhutan
41%

8%

29%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Iran
Sudan
*Other

Total Refugees Received: 2,578

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 28 countries: Afghanistan, Cuba, Somalia, Eritrea, Pakistan, Ethiopia,
Palestine, Ukraine, Congo, Syria, Russia, Kuwait, Republic of South Sudan, Vietnam, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Indonesia, Jordan,
North Korea, Moldova, Thailand, Ghana, Lebanon , Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

11. Washington
Iraq
Somalia
Burma
3%

2%

2%

Ukraine

7%
28%

3%
4%
5%
5%
5%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Bhutan
Iran

13%

22%

Eritrea
Ethopia
Cuba
Sudan

Total Refugees Received: 2,483

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 24 countries: Moldova, Columbia, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Pakistan,
Georgia, Russia, Belarus, Burundi, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Palestine, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Nepal, Republic of South Sudan, Syria,
Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and Sri Lanka.

12. North Carolina

Burma
Bhutan
Iraq
2%

3%2% 5%

Somalia

3%

33%

5%
8%
11%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Cuba

14%

14%

Sudan
Eritrea
Afghanistan

Total Refugees Received: 2,443

Ethopia
*Other

*The category "Other" includes refugees from the following 20 countries: Iran, Chad, Moldova, Syria, Vietnam, Pakistan,
Columbia, Central African Republic, Togo, Burundi, China, Guinea, India, Congo, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia,
Ukraine , and Zimbabwe.

13. Minnesota
Somalia

5%

3% 5%

Burma

8%
47%

32%

Ivory
Coast

Bhutan

Gabon

*Other
Total Refugees Received:
2,232
*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 19 countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Belarus, Palestine,
Moldova, Sudan, Ukraine, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Congo, Iraq, South Africa, Liberia, Burundi, Sierra
Leone & Togo.

14.Massachusetts
Iraq

6%

2%

Somalia

2% 8%

Bhutan
40%

11%

Dem Rep of
Congo

15%

Burma
16%

Sudan
Ukraine
*Other

Total Refugees Received: 1,941

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 29 countries: Eritrea, Cuba, Moldova, Kenya, Russia, Afghanistan. Ethiopia,
Iran, Belarus, Togo, Laos, Cambodia, Pakistan, Palestine, Vietnam, Columbia, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Rwanda, Syria, China, Ecuador,
Egypt, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

15. Kentucky
Burma
Iraq
9%

6%

23%

Somalia

10%

Bhutan

14%

22%
18%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Cuba

Total Refugees Received: 1,849

*Other

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 20 countries: Sudan, Palestine, Pakistan, Burundi, Iran, Ukraine, Rwanda,
Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and
Tanzania.

16. Colorado
Burma
Iraq

4%

3%

2%6%

Somalia
25%

8%

Bhutan
Dem Rep of
Congo

12%
23%
16%

Eritrea
Ethopia
Sudan
*Other

Total Refugees Received: 1,813

*The category "Other" consists of refugees from the following 22 countries: Cuba, Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Moldova, Rwanda, China, Central
African Republic, Burundi, Russia, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Syria, Uganda, and Algeria.

17. Indiana
Burma
2%

4%

2%

6%

Iraq

8%
Somalia

79%

Dem Rep of
Congo

Bhutan

*Other
Total Refugees Received: 1,613
*Other consists of refugees from the following 14 countries: Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Burundi, Cambodia, Guinea,
Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Rwanda.

18. Tennessee
Somalia
Bhutan
5%

3%

10%
30%

Cuba

11%
Dem Rep of
Congo

13%
29%

Sudan
Ethopia
*Other

*Other
consists1,467
of refugees from the following 13 countries: Egypt, Iran, Eritrea, Nepal, Palestine, Republic of South Sudan,
Total Refugees
Received:
Afghanistan, Moldova, Rwanda, Ecuador, Jordan, Lebanon, and Gambia.

19. Missouri
Somalia
Iraq
Burma
7%

4%
2%

2%

3%
24%

10%

Dem Rep of
Congo
Bhutan

12%

19%
17%

Cuba
Sudan
Eritrea
Afghanistan

Total Refugees Received: 1,392

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following seven countries: Ethiopia, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Liberia, Nepal, and Palestine.

20. Virginia
Iraq
Bhutan

4%

2%

Iran

2%
6%

Dem Rep of
Congo

4%
5%

48%

5%
6%

Somalia
Cuba

7%
11%

Sudan
Burma
Eritrea
Afghanistan

Total Refugees Received : 1,310

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 18 countries: Columbia, Republic of South Sudan, Palestine, Ethiopia, Syria, Cambodia, Pakistan,
Rwanda, Vietnam, Uganda, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nepal, Bahrain, India, Liberia, and Russia.

21. Maryland
Burma
Iraq
Bhutan
3%

3%

3%

Dem Rep of Congo

3% 5%
30%

6%
8%

Eritrea
Sudan
Ethiopia

10%
11%

18%

Cuba
Somalia

Total Refugees Admitted: 1,227

Iran
*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 18 countries: Columbia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Mauritania, Cambodia,
Nepal, Jordan, Republic of South Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Vietnam, Congo, Ecuador, Liberia, Palestine, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

22. Wisconsin
Burma
Iraq
3%

2%

4%

Somalia

4%
16%
49%
23%

Dem Rep
Congo
Bhutan
Sudan
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 1,132

*Other consists of refugees from the following ten countries: Cuba, Columbia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nepal, Vietnam, Jordan, Syria,
Iran, and Rwanda.

23. Utah
Iraq
Somalia

5%

3%

Burma

2%7%
27%

9%

Dem Rep
Congo

10%

Bhutan
12%

26%

Sudan
Afghanistan
Eritrea

Total Refugee Admitted: 1,085

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 16 countries: Burundi, Pakistan, Columbia, Sri Lanka, Togo, Ethiopia,
Indonesia, Nepal, Rwanda, Cambodia, China, Jordan, North Korea, Republic of South Sudan, and Syria.

24. Nebraska
Burma
4%
5% 3%
18%

Bhutan
47%

24%

Iraq

Somalia

Iran

*Other
Total Refugees Admitted: 1,076

*Other consists of refugees from the following seven countries: Sudan, Ethiopia, Cuba, Ivory Coast, Ukraine, Nepal,
and India.

25. Oregon
Iraq
Somalia
2%
2%
6% 4%

7%

Burma
28%
Bhutan

10%

Dem Rep
Congo
19%

21%
Iran
Ukraine
Afghanista
n

Total Refugees Admitted: 1,019

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 11 countries: Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Moldova, Sudan, Russia, Vietnam, Belarus, China, and
Kazakhstan.

26. Idaho
Iraq
Dem Rep
Congo
Somalia

12%

2%
7%

2% 2%

3%
29%

Burma
Bhutan
Sri Lanka

12%

16%
15%

Iran
Eritrea
Afghanistan
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 978

*Other consists of refugees from the following eight countries: Ethiopia, Columbia, Pakistan, Cuba, Nepal, Sudan, Congo, and Laos.

27. Iowa
Burma

4%

3%

3%

Bhutan

4%

Iraq

11%
16%

59%

Eritrea
Somalia
Dem Rep
Congo

Total Refugees Admitted: 692

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following ten countries: Sudan, Pakistan, Cuba, Central African Republic, Nepal, Liberia,
Uganda, Ethiopia, Palestine, and Philippines.

28. North Dakota

Bhutan

4%

Iraq

7%

14%
48%
27%

Somalia

Dem Rep
Congo

*Other
Total Refugees Admitted: 581

*Other consists of refugees from the following 11 countries: Cambodia, Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Nepal,
Burma, Iran, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, and Pakistan.

29. Nevada
Cuba
Iraq
Iran
Somalia
3% 3%

3%

5%

Eritrea

4%

36%

4%
6%

Dem Rep
Congo
Ethiopia

8%
8%

9%

11%

Total Refugees Admitted: 569

Burma
Bhutan
Columbia

*Other consists of refugees from the following six countries: Ivory Coast, Sudan, China, Rwanda, Philippines,
and Ecuador.

Azerbaijan
*Other

30. Connecticut
Iraq
Somalia

4%
4%3%

2%

2%
5%

Burma
27%

7%

Dem Rep
Congo
Eritrea

11%

21%
14%

Columbia
Ethiopia
Sudan
Afghanistan
Bhutan

Total Refugees Admitted: 543

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 12 countries: Cuba, Iran, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Russia, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Ecuador,
Liberia, Rwanda, and Syria.

31. South Dakota

Bhutan
Burma
Somalia
8%

2% 3%

31%

9%

Eritrea
Dem Rep Congo

9%
15%

22%

Iraq
Ukraine
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 523

*Other consists of refugees from the following four countries: Sudan, Guinea, Nepal, and Ethiopia.

32. Kansas
Burma
Somalia
Iraq

6%

Bhutan

3% 5%

6%

39%

7%
7%

Dem Rep Congo

Eritrea

14%

14%

Cuba
Sudan

Total Refugees Admitted: 490

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following seven countries: Iran, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nepal, Burundi, Indonesia, and Jordan.

33. Oklahoma
Burma

Iraq

6% 2% 2%

Dem Rep
Congo
90%
*Other
Total Refugees Admitted: 389

*Other consists of refugees from the following seven countries: Iran, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nepal, Burundi, Indonesia, and Jordan.

34. Maine
Iraq
Somalia

5%
2%

2% 2%

2%

Dem Rep Congo

49%
38%

Iran
Afghanistan
Sudan
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 388

*Other consists of refugees from the following five countries: Cuba, Syria, Burma, Eritrea, and Russia.

35. New Jersey

Cuba
Iraq

2%
4%
6%
7%

2%

2%

Burma

7%

Sudan
47%

Pakistan
Russia

22%
Syria
Columbia
Total Refugees Admitted: 363

*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following 12 countries: Iran, Bhutan, China, Eritrea, Liberia, Moldova, Afghanistan, Ecuador, Egypt,
Ethiopia, and Palestine.

36. New Hampshire

Bhutan
Dem Rep Congo

7%

5%

5% 2%
32%

Iraq
Burma

18%

31%

Somalia
Sudan

*Other consists of refugees from the following five countries: Burundi, Sierra Leone, India,
Indonesia, and Nepal.
*Other
Total Refugees Admitted: 345

37. Vermont
Bhutan

8%

Iraq

5% 3% 1%

Somalia
15%

54%
15%

Burma
Dem Rep
Congo
Sudan
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 317

*Other consists of refugees from the following two countries: Nepal and Egypt.

38. Louisiana
Iraq
Burma

4%

2%2%
4% 2%

Dem Rep
Congo

0%
33%

12%

Cuba
Afghanistan

15%

Columbia
25%

Eritrea
Ethiopia
Sudan
Total Refugees Admitted: 211

Pakistan

39. Rhode Island

Iraq
Somalia

7%

Burma

4% 2% 2%

20%

Dem Rep
Congo

7%
11%

18%

Eritrea
Columbia

14%

16%

Bhutan
Burundi
Pakistan
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 188

*Other consists of refugees from the following three countries: Iran, Liberia, and Nepal.

40. New Mexico

Iraq
Dem Rep Congo

2%

12%

7%

2%

Somalia

2%
29%

Afghanistan
Cuba

13%

16%

Iran

15%
Bhutan
Columbia
*Other
Total Refugees Admitted: 163
*Other consists of refugees from the following three countries: Burundi, Burma, and India.

41. Alaska
Somalia
Dem Rep
Congo
Iraq

6%

4%

4% 3% 2%

Sudan
38%
Bhutan

13%
13%

Cuba
17%
Eritrea
Burma
*Other

Total Refugees Admitted: 141

*Other consists of refugees from the following three countries: Ethiopia, Iran, and Nepal.

42. South Carolina

Burma

Iraq
7%
9%

3%
38%

Eritrea

9%
Somalia
33%

Ukraine

Kenya
Total Refugees Admitted: 121

43. Alabama
Iraq
Somalia

4%

3% 3%

Sudan

4%
34%

9%

Burma
Cuba

9%
14%

21%

Dem Rep
Congo
Egypt

Total Refugees Admitted: 107

Ethiopia
*Other

*Other consists of refugees from the following three countries: Iran, Afghanistan, and Eritrea.

44. West Virginia

Eritrea Iraq
11%

4%

50%
36%

Total Refugees Admitted: 28

Burma Syria

45. Arkansas
Iraq
43%
57%

Total Refugees Admitted: Seven

Burma

46. Mississippi
Eritrea
14%
14%

Burma
71%

Dem Rep
Congo

Total Refugees Admitted: Seven