Still reeling from the announcement that we are No. 1 in unemployment, Georgians learned this week that we rank in the top 10 of something good—welcoming people who have been forced to flee from their homelands due to war, oppression, and abuse. According to a study released by the Department of Homeland Security, Georgia welcomed just over 2,710 refugees in 2013, eighth most in the country and 200 more than the previous year. However, it was a smaller share (3.9 percent) of the overall number taken in by the U.S. in 2012.
The annual report indicates that overall, the U.S. opened its borders to almost 69,909 refugees, 20 percent more than in 2012. More than half of those came from Iraq and Burma, which has been fighting a civil war for almost 60 years. A third of all refugees placed here are children under the age of 17.
Top 10 refugee arrivals by state:
1. Texas 7,466
2. California 6,379
3. Michigan 4,651
4. New York 3,965
5. Florida 3,613
6. Arizona 3,052
7. Ohio 2,788
8. Georgia 2,710
9. Pennsylvania 2,507
10. Illinois 2,452
