Phoenix, AZ

Refugees are individuals and families who have been forced to flee their home countries because of violence, persecution, or conflict, seeking safety and the opportunity to rebuild their lives in a secure environment. Many come from regions experiencing war, instability, ecological disaster, or targeted persecution.

After surviving circumstances no one should ever have to endure, refugees are people who arrive with strength, determination, and the desire to move their lives forward. Once resettled, they become legal residents of the United States and work toward rebuilding home, community, and opportunity—from learning a new language to pursuing education, starting careers, reuniting with family, and contributing meaningfully to their new communities.

In Phoenix and across the U.S., the IRC supports refugees in translating their resilience and skills into assets that strengthen the neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities they become part of.

Refugees arrive in Phoenix because the United States has a long‑standing commitment to offering safety and protection to people fleeing war, persecution, and violence. After undergoing extensive security, medical, and cultural screenings, refugees approved for resettlement by the United Nations refugee agency and the U.S. government are welcomed into communities across the country, including right here in Phoenix.

Out of nearly 20 million refugees worldwide, fewer than 1 percent are ever considered for resettlement, making this a life‑altering opportunity for safety and stability. Once admitted as legal U.S. residents, refugees may live anywhere in the country; however, many are initially placed in cities where they have family connections, established cultural or linguistic communities, access to medical services, or a reasonable cost of living. These factors often make Phoenix an ideal place to restart life and build long‑term stability. 

Phoenix’s strong ecosystem of support—including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), local government, community partners, and volunteer networks—helps ensure that newly arrived families receive a safe welcome and the tools they need to thrive. The IRC’s resettlement and integration programs reflect this mission, providing essentials such as housing assistance, education support, employment services, and health care access as families begin rebuilding their futures.

To learn more about how refugee resettlement works nationwide, visit the IRC’s guide to resettlement:
https://www.rescue.org/how-refugee-vetting-resettlement-works

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Phoenix provides a comprehensive network of services that support refugees, asylum seekers, and other newcomers as they rebuild their lives with safety, stability, and opportunity. From the moment families arrive in Arizona, the IRC offers trauma‑informed, culturally responsive programs that strengthen well‑being, promote self‑sufficiency, and help individuals fully participate in their new communities. This work builds on the IRC’s broader mission in Phoenix to ensure refugees thrive through resettlement, education, economic empowerment, community development, and health services.

Below is a summary of the core programs serving the Phoenix community:

Asylum Seekers & Family (ASF) Program

The ASF Program provides immediate humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers released from government custody. Families receive trauma‑informed care, emergency services, travel support, and essential resources to continue their journeys safely and with dignity. The program also strengthens Arizona’s reception systems through strategic capacity building, ensuring partners statewide can meet emerging needs.

Case Coordination Program

This comprehensive case management program addresses emergency needs, housing stability, and long‑term self‑sufficiency. Case Coordination caseworkers respond quickly to urgent situations while helping clients build sustainable plans for safety, stability, and independence. All services are culturally responsive and rooted in trauma‑informed care.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)

RCA provides temporary financial support for eligible single adults and couples who are actively seeking employment. The program helps clients meet essential needs such as housing, food, and transportation while they work toward economic stability in partnership with the State of Arizona.

Community Integration Program

This program helps newcomers build a strong foundation in their new communities. Services include:

• Immigration Legal Services
• Afghan Parolee Support
• Interpretation Services
• Community Engagement Opportunities
  Together, these offerings promote stability, belonging, and long‑term integration.

Economic Empowerment Programs

Economic Empowerment supports individuals and families in building financial stability, credit, and entrepreneurial pathways. Through financial education, small‑business support, matched lending opportunities, and employment readiness, clients gain the tools needed for long‑term economic independence.

Education & Youth Program

The Education & Youth Program helps refugee students and families navigate the U.S. school system. Services focus on:

• English language development
• Academic success
• Social‑emotional support
• School and family advocacy
  Through collaboration with teachers and districts, the IRC promotes safe, inclusive learning environments where youth can thrive.

Employment Program

The Employment Program connects job‑ready clients with dedicated Employment Specialists who support:

• Job placement
• Vocational coaching
• Workplace culture training
• On‑the‑job learning
  A Job Development Specialist builds partnerships with local employers, while case managers and education teams work alongside employment staff to ensure clients receive holistic, coordinated support that includes job‑readiness classes and cultural orientation.

Health Program

In partnership with local healthcare providers, the IRC’s Health Program supports four key areas:

• Patient Advocacy
• Maternal & Child Health
• Medical Care Coordination
• Health Education
  This ensures clients can access timely, affordable, and culturally sensitive healthcare.

New Roots Phoenix

New Roots is a food‑security and community agriculture program that helps families build connections to land, food, and community. Through community gardens, farm sites, and agricultural education, participants grow fresh produce, strengthen economic opportunity, and cultivate resilience.

Refugee Support Services (RSS)

RSS promotes rapid economic self‑sufficiency through employment‑focused services, housing support, case management, and social adjustment assistance. The program helps clients secure stable employment and build long‑term independence.

Safety & Wellness Department

Safety & Wellness provides no‑cost, culturally and linguistically responsive support to survivors of trauma, violence, torture, trafficking, and conflict. Programs include:

• Survivors of Torture Services
• Intensive Case Management
• Victim Services
• Victims of Trafficking & Mercy CARES Services
• Services for Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat
• Therapeutic Counseling and Healing Supports
  This department ensures that clients receive the safety, mental health, and stabilization services needed for long‑term recovery.

Through these interconnected programs, the IRC in Phoenix ensures that individuals and families not only arrive safely but regain control of their futures and build meaningful, secure lives in their new home.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Phoenix provides services that strengthen the entire community—not only refugees and immigrants, but also families, employers, neighborhood partners, and local institutions. Beyond resettlement support, the IRC offers programs that expand access to education, legal pathways, language services, and economic opportunity for people across Maricopa County.

One of the IRC’s key community‑wide offerings is its Immigration and Civics Instruction program, which provides affordable, competent immigration legal services. These services support individuals applying for green cards, citizenship, family reunification, DACA, and other immigration benefits, ensuring community members have access to qualified, DOJ‑accredited guidance. This aligns with national IRC services, which include low‑cost immigration support, family reunification, and citizenship preparation across the U.S.

The IRC’s English Language and Citizenship program offers free English classes and naturalization‑exam preparation to anyone in the community who needs language support—refugees, immigrants, longtime residents, and mixed‑status families alike. These classes help individuals build the skills needed to pursue education, secure employment, and participate fully in civic life.

To support the linguistic needs of a diverse and multilingual city, the IRC also operates a fee‑based professional interpreter service, offering on‑call interpreters in more than 60 languages including Amharic, Burmese, Karen, Farsi, Nepali, Somali, Tigrinya, and other languages of lesser diffusion. Phoenix benefits from these services across healthcare, legal, education, and social‑service settings, helping ensure equitable access to critical information. This work reflects the IRC Phoenix office’s broader language‑access services noted in immigration and community‑resource directories.

These programs build on the IRC’s long‑standing presence in Phoenix, where IRC teams support individuals and families through legal services, employment support, health and wellness programs, community integration efforts, and more, helping strengthen the social and economic fabric of the region.

For more information about these services, community members can contact: Phoenix@rescue.org

There are many meaningful ways to support refugees, asylum seekers, and other newcomers as they rebuild their lives in Phoenix. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) offers a variety of opportunities for individuals, families, and groups to get involved—whether through giving, volunteering, advocacy, or community engagement. The IRC’s mission in Phoenix is rooted in helping people “ranslate their past experiences into assets that are valuable to their new communities, strengthening our city as a whole.

Here are the key ways you can make an impact:

Make a Financial Contribution

Your tax‑deductible donation provides critical support for housing, food, healthcare, education, and long‑term integration services. Financial contributions help newcomers achieve stability as they begin rebuilding their lives. You can donate online or mail contributions directly to the IRC’s Phoenix office.

Fundraise for the IRC in Phoenix

Community members can create DIY peer‑to‑peer fundraising campaigns to engage their networks in supporting IRC programs. Whether individually or as part of a Team Fundraiser, raising awareness and funds helps sustain essential services for refugee families.

Volunteer Your Time

Phoenix community members can become IRC volunteers by following the volunteer application and onboarding process and exploring a wide range of roles—supporting everything from airport arrivals to classroom assistance, employment coaching, and community events. Volunteer engagement plays a vital role in expanding IRC’s ability to provide comprehensive support.

Explore Internship Opportunities

College students and recent graduates can gain hands‑on experience through IRC internships in case management, economic empowerment, youth education, health services, and more. Internships strengthen the next generation of human‑service professionals while directly supporting clients.

Participate in Group Volunteer Activities

Corporate teams, faith groups, school organizations, and community groups can volunteer together through IRC‑coordinated service projects. These opportunities include food distributions, New Roots farm workdays, job‑readiness workshops, and other hands‑on activities that make a tangible difference.

Donate New or Gently Used Items

The IRC accepts donations of high‑need household items, school supplies, hygiene products, and other essentials to support newly arrived families. These items help clients establish safe, comfortable homes and meet their basic needs in their first weeks in Arizona.

Spread the Word

Help raise awareness by:

• Hosting your own fundraising event
• Sharing IRC updates with your community
• Signing up for the IRC newsletter
• Following IRC Phoenix on social media  (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and encouraging others to do the same

Public awareness helps build a more welcoming, informed, and supportive community.

Other Ways to Get Involved

There are many additional ways to support refugees in Phoenix:

• Employ newcomers through your business or organization
• Connect the IRC to safe, affordable housing opportunities
• Partner through youth leadership programs, including Scout projects
• Support refugee farmers by purchasing produce grown through IRC’s New Roots program's Farm Stand

These partnerships reflect the broader community‑driven approach Phoenix embraces in supporting refugee integration and success.

For more information, please reach out to us at Phoenix@rescue.org

Refugees play an essential role in shaping a stronger, more vibrant Phoenix. After resettling and acclimating to their new environment, refugees build careers, open businesses, purchase homes, gain citizenship, and contribute to the social and economic vitality of our city. This aligns with broader national research showing that refugees often make long‑term investments—such as homeownership, entrepreneurship, and workforce participation—that bolster local economies.

In Phoenix, these contributions are especially clear. Through the IRC’s Community & Economic Development programs, refugees have made significant and measurable positive impacts. Since 2016, refugees in Phoenix have:

• Purchased 336 homes, increasing neighborhood stability and contributing to property tax revenue.
• Opened 151 new businesses, supporting job creation, innovation, and local commerce.
• Converted 8 corner stores into healthy‑food outlets, expanding access to fresh produce in areas previously designated as food deserts.
• Supported urban agriculture through three community gardens, strengthening food security and community engagement.
• Opened 32 state‑certified at‑home childcare businesses, addressing childcare gaps while supporting working families.
• Purchased nearly $40 million in assets, directly strengthening Phoenix’s economy.

These local successes reflect the broader importance of refugee communities across the United States. National analyses show that refugees contribute tens of billions of dollars in taxes, start businesses at high rates, and revitalize local economies in ways that benefit both urban and rural areas.

Phoenix city leadership has also publicly recognized the essential role refugees play in the region’s growth and resilience. The City of Phoenix notes that refugees help make Phoenix “a stronger, more diverse community,” emphasizing their importance to the city’s cultural and economic strength.

From supporting critical industries to enriching our cultural landscape, refugees are an integral part of Phoenix’s continued growth. Their achievements—rooted in resilience, hard work, and community commitment—demonstrate the profound and lasting ways newcomers strengthen the city they now call home.