The Refugee Assistance Program is a federally-funded program which helps persons admitted into the U.S. as refugees to become self-sufficient after their arrival. Temporary refugee cash assistance and refugee medical assistance is available to eligible refugees who do not qualify for cash assistance (through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program), Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid.

Refugee cash and medical assistance is available for up to eight months after entry into the U.S. Employment Services, health screenings and foster care services for unaccompanied minors are other programs available to refugees.

Eligibility for refugee cash and medical assistance is available for up to eight months after entry into the U.S. or date asylum was granted, if you have one of the following immigration statuses:
Refugee or Asylee
Cuban/Haitian entrant
Amerasian
Parolee
Victim of trafficking
Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrant VISA (SIV) holders
U-Visa holders
Immigration status is determined by officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

NOTE: Application Pause
As of 6/4/2025, the Office of Global Michigan will stop accepting new applications for the Newcomer Rental Subsidy
Program. If we are able to resume accepting new applications, updates will be posted at the website below.

The Newcomer Rental Subsidy Program
Email: LEO-RefugeeServices@michigan.gov
Website: https://www.michigan.gov/ogm/services/newcomer-rental-subsidy
The Newcomer Rental Subsidy program provides Refugees and other Newcomer population-eligible households with
rental assistance up to $500 per month for up to 12 months, with eligibility based on immigration status and household income. To see the requirements of this program, please go to:
Website:
https://www.michigan.gov/ogm/-/media/Project/Websites/ogm/Newcomer-Rental-Subsidy/Newcomer-Rental-Subsidy-NRS-ProgramSummary.pdfrev=0eeda497b7ad424cb18f78eb637e4001&hash=015EFB733DBA61B8BD8DC7C0242467CB