The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a pilot program to transition refugee placement and initial resettlement services to states. States selected to participate in the pilot program will assess and report to ORR their capacity for serving eligible refugees and will work with ORR to develop resettlement capacity. Selected states will also be responsible for administering the Placement and Coordination program, reviewing refugee case profiles, and securing case placement with local resettlement providers.
Interested states must submit a Notice of Interest (NOI) from the governor by November 2, 2026. ORR hopes to implement some components of the pilot beginning in the second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2027, with others beginning later in the fiscal year.
This Issue Brief summarizes refugee resettlement services and provides details on the pilot, the NOI requirements, and the associated funding.