Houston's Secret Power: Welcoming Refugees
The Syrian refugee crisis could be yet another population boon for Houston—we’re one of the main safe havens for refugees from across the globe.
Harris County welcomes 30 of every 1,000 refugees that the UN resettles, more than any other US city, and more than most other nations. If Houston were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for refugee resettlement.
Houston area director for Refugee Services of Texas Sara Kauffman attributes the staggering numbers to the city’s strong economy and a high concentration of resettlement organizations in the area (six of the nine national organizations are in Houston).
President Barack Obama said last week that the US would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees. If past trends continue, Texas will receive about 1,100 of them, and nearly 450 will end up in Harris County. [Chron]
