About Us : Who We Are : Refugee Services Texas

OUR MISSION

Guided by the principles of human compassion and dignity, Refugee Services of Texas welcomes refugees, immigrants, and other displaced peoples and supports them in integrating and thriving in their new communities.

WE WORK ACROSS TEXAS

Founded in 1978, Refugee Services of Texas (RST) is a social-service agency dedicated to providing assistance to refugees and other displaced persons fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group - as well as to the communities that welcome them. RST provides services to hundreds of refugees, asylees, survivors of human trafficking, and related vulnerable populations from over 30 different countries of origin each year. Originating in Dallas, RST now has service centers in Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio.

WHO WE SERVE:

Refugee Services of Texas serves refugees, asylees, individuals with Special Immigrant Visas, Cuban-Haitian entrants, Central American minors, survivors of human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations. In addition, RST works to facilitate partnerships with host communities to build a welcoming environment.

RST provides services to eligible individuals without regard to race, color, nationality, English proficiency, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

REFUGEES

A person who has fled their country of origin and cannot return due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in particular social groups.
ASYLUM SEEKERS AND ASYLEES

An asylum seeker, or asylee, is a person who has left their home country as a refugee and is seeking asylum in another. They must meet the definition of a refugee to apply for asylum status, but have secured their own travel to the U.S.
SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIV)

The Special Immigrant Visa is offered to Iraqi and Afghan citizens who are being threatened in their home countries due to their work with the U.S. military or U.S. contractors.
SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Refugee Services of Texas serves survivors of labor and sex trafficking, including adults and minors, both domestic and foreign born.
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN

An Unaccompanied Child is defined as a child who has no lawful immigration status in the United States; has not attained 18 years of age; and, with respect to whom, there is no parent or legal guardian in the United States, or no parent or legal guardian in the United States available to provide care and physical custody.
CENTRAL AMERICAN MINORS

Central American Minors come to the United States to escape violence and insecurity in their home countries. Most of these children come from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. Through the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program, these children are now lawfully able to be reunited with their families in the United States.
CUBAN-HAITIAN ENTRANTS

Cubans and Haitians who flee their country for the U.S. are granted special status. Once on American soil, they are granted asylum and qualify for the same services as refugees.
TEXAS COMMUNITIES

Not only does Refugee Services of Texas provide assistance to clients through its programs and service, but also seeks to serve the community at large. RST has service centers in Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio. In each of these cities, RST strives to provide resources, information, and services to partners and community members.

OUR PROGRAMS

Refugee Services of Texas has seven service centers across Texas, offering programs uniquely designed to assist refugees, asylees, survivors of human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations, helping them to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible.

For a full list of programs offered, visit Our Programs page!

OUR PARTNERS

RST is an affiliate of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), Church World Service (CWS), and Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM).

To provide our clients with employment assistance, initial housing, household goods and furnishings, case management, resources, referrals, education, and guidance to assist in establishing self-sufficient lives in Texas, RST works in partnership with volunteers, faith-based communities, social service groups, and businesses.

For a full list of our partners, visit Our Partners page!

Refugee Services of Texas provides compassionate and quality support services to refugees and other vulnerable populations. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are vital to ensure employee engagement and belonging in our workplace as we accomplish our mission. RST is committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion. We have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times and to foster a culture where we recognize and embrace each other’s differences. The same laws and policies with regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, disability, gender expression or identity, and sexual orientation protect us all, and we celebrate our varied lived experiences. As such, we have an expectation of safety and an organization free of discriminatory behavior.