Refugee Resettlement in Indiana (2022)

Abstract

There are approximately 27,800 refugees in Indiana. From 1970–2007, between 200 and 500 refugees resettled in Indiana each year. The Syrian civil war led to a 63% increase in refugee arrivals in the Hoosier State from 2011 to 2015. In 2016 alone, 1,934 primary refugees—those who entered the United States through Indiana—resettled in the state. In the most recent count, 202 refugees arrived in the state between October 2020 and September 2021. As refugee populations grow, states must have the necessary infrastructure in place to resettle and support these individuals. This brief describes the unique challenges and barriers of resettling refugees in Indiana, highlights gaps in services, and pinpoints practices and policies that may effectively and sustainably address refugee needs in Indiana.