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• 1 2016-05-03T16:15:08-07:00 Background of Somali Refugee Situation 9 plain 2016-05-15T11:27:29-07:00 In 1991 Somalia's central government fell apart, but they have been displacing their citizens since the 1980s and is deemed to have the most consistently displaced population in the Horn of Africa. [1] The collapse of Somalia is related to the conflict that arises due to lack of local resources, Somalia is a nation that over 20 years ago the US withdrew relations with, and until Obama’s leadership we had not sent a formal ambassador to Mogadishu since 1991.[2] Though it took time, the United States has recognized the new government in Somalia which has an interim parliament and since have provided some monetary aid to assist with their economy, technology, education and climate.  Somalia faces many challenges with violence, their government and terrorism—without the United States’ continual assistance they will fall back down the path of decades prior. The United States offers aid to Somalia’s humanitarian crisis by accepting protection to refugees through both refugee resettlement and asylum status. For 2016, there is a proposed refugee acceptance of 85,000 which includes 10,00 Syrians, 34,000 resettlement places from East and South Asia, 13,000 from East Asia, 25,000 from Africa and 7,000 other.[3] Somalia specifically continues to make up around 12% of annual refugee arrivals in the United States. The states that receive the greatest Somali refugees are Minnesota, Ohio and Washington. California receives a lot too and San Diego county itself accepts the most Somali refugees in the state. The US has been accepting refugees from Somalia for about 20 years, and the estimated number of Somali-Americans in the US today is around 100,000. However, it wasn't until after September 11th, 2001 that the US and its citizens were concerned about Somali integration or assimilation in the United States. Due to high levels of Islamaphobia and ignorance of American people Somali's are feared in the US and have trouble integrating into society as they come from a much less educated and civilized society. Issues in Somalia are continuous and it is likely we continue to accept refugees from Somalia for years to come, with time however Somali integration in the US will become easier and hopefully with aid peace making will occur in the Horn of Africa leading to less refugees in general.