State-Level Support and Resources for Refugees in Colorado 2025

Key Takeaways

• Colorado’s Refugee Services Program supports newcomers up to 60 months with housing, health, and job training.
• Denver invested $75 million by 2025 in refugee support, including legal aid and public benefits assistance.
• African Community Center resettled 1,357 refugees in 2024, offering employment and integration programs.

Colorado’s Support System for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

Colorado has built a strong, multi-layered support system for refugees and asylum seekers. This system brings together state programs, local government, nonprofit organizations, and federal partners. The goal is to help newcomers settle, find safety, and build new lives in Colorado. In 2025, these efforts have grown in response to global events and the rising number of people seeking protection. This guide explains how the system works, who is eligible, what services are available, and what the future may hold.

What Are Refugees and Asylum Seekers?

Refugees are people who have fled their home countries because of war, violence, or persecution. They are approved for resettlement in the United States 🇺🇸 through a process managed by the federal government. Asylum seekers are people who arrive in the United States 🇺🇸 and ask for protection because they fear harm if they return home. Their cases are reviewed by immigration officials or courts.

Both groups face many challenges: learning a new language, finding work, getting healthcare, and understanding their rights. Colorado’s support system is designed to help them overcome these challenges.

The Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP): Statewide Coordination

The Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP) is the main state office for refugee resettlement. CRSP does not provide direct services to individuals. Instead, it coordinates a network of local partners who deliver services across the state.

How CRSP Works

• Funding: CRSP receives money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). It uses these funds to support local organizations.
• Services Supported: CRSP helps provide:
  • Initial resettlement and service navigation: Helping refugees find housing, schools, and basic needs.
  • Health and mental health services: Connecting newcomers to doctors, clinics, and counseling.
  • English Language Acquisition (ESL): Offering English classes for all ages.
  • Workforce development and employment services: Job training, resume help, and job placement.
  • Immigration legal services: Support with paperwork, legal status, and citizenship.
  • Youth and older adult services: Special programs for children, teens, and seniors.

Who Is Eligible and For How Long?

• Eligibility: Refugees and certain other newcomers (like asylees, victims of trafficking, and some Afghan and Ukrainian arrivals) can use these services.
• Duration: Services are available for up to 60 months (5 years) from the date a person becomes eligible. This long period helps people adjust and become self-sufficient.

Recent Developments

In 2025, CRSP has expanded its partnerships and funding. This is in response to more refugees arriving in Colorado, following national trends of increased admissions. The program is working to make sure resources reach all parts of the state, not just big cities.

For more details about CRSP and its partners, visit the official Colorado Refugee Services Program page.

Local Government Support: The City and County of Denver

Denver has played a leading role in supporting refugees and asylum seekers. The city has invested heavily in programs to help newcomers settle and thrive.

Denver Asylum Seeker Program (DASP)

• What It Was: Launched in April 2023, DASP offered 6 months of housing, food, and work training for asylum seekers. This support helped people while they filed their asylum applications and waited for work permits.
• Recent Changes: By 2025, the city decided not to continue DASP in its original form. Fewer new arrivals needed this level of support, so resources are being redirected to other programs.

City Investments and Resources

• Financial Commitment: Since DASP began, Denver has spent about $75 million on support for refugees and asylum seekers. This is a big increase from the $12.5 million spent in earlier years.
• Other Services: Denver Human Services offers:
  • Help figuring out which public benefits newcomers can get, based on their immigration status.
  • Access to housing, food, child support, and medical assistance.
  • The Denver Immigrant Legal Service Fund (DILSF): Grants for legal help to low-income residents facing deportation.
  • The Left Behind Worker Fund: Support for people who were left out of federal COVID-19 aid.
  • Education about public charge rules and help with SNAP (food stamps).

Contact for Denver Residents: Call 720-944-4DHS (4347) for help or more information.

Nonprofit and Community-Based Organizations

Nonprofits are at the heart of Colorado’s support system. They work closely with the state and local governments to deliver services directly to refugees and asylum seekers.

African Community Center (ACC)

The African Community Center (ACC) is one of the largest refugee resettlement agencies in Denver.

• Reception and Placement: ACC helps newly arrived refugees for their first 90 days, making sure they have housing, food, and basic needs.
• Case Management and Employment: ACC supports refugees for up to 5 years, helping them find jobs and adjust to life in Colorado.
• Special Programs:
  • We Made This: A sewing and arts program for refugee women, offering therapy and job skills.
  • Driving Opportunity: A driving school led by women, teaching in several languages.
  • Ready for American Hospitality: Job training in hotels and restaurants, in partnership with the University of Denver.

Scale of Service: In 2024, ACC resettled 1,357 refugees in Denver—the highest number since 2001. This shows both growing need and increased capacity.

Funding: ACC’s work is funded by federal grants, private donations, and partnerships with groups like the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC).

Volunteer Opportunities

Colorado Refugee Connect helps people in the community find ways to volunteer and support refugees. This could include tutoring, helping with job searches, or providing transportation.

Statewide Resource Access: 2-1-1 Colorado

No matter where someone lives in Colorado, they can call 2-1-1 to get help finding local resources. This free service connects people to:

• Food and housing assistance
• Financial help
• Transportation
• Immigration and naturalization services

2-1-1 Colorado is managed by four Area Information Centers, making sure information is accurate and up to date. This is a key tool for refugees and asylum seekers who may not know where to start.

Federal Support and Policy Context

Colorado’s programs are supported by federal funding and national policies.

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is the main federal agency funding refugee services in Colorado. In 2025, ORR launched the STAR Program to provide trauma-informed care and integrated services for refugees who have experienced hardship. This includes mental health support and case management.

U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is the national system for bringing refugees to the United States 🇺🇸. Colorado leaders work with USRAP to make sure the state can welcome more refugees and provide the support they need.

Policy Advocacy

State and local officials in Colorado are pushing for policies that make it easier for refugees to work in their chosen fields. For example, they want to remove barriers that prevent skilled newcomers from working as nurses, teachers, or other professionals. This helps fill important jobs and supports the state’s economy.

Rights and Pathways for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Rights

• Access to Services: Refugees and eligible newcomers can get help with housing, healthcare, legal aid, language classes, and job training.
• Legal Representation: Low-income refugees and asylum seekers facing deportation can get free or low-cost legal help through city-funded grants.
• Work Authorization: Refugees can work as soon as they arrive. Asylum seekers must wait for their work permit after applying for asylum.

Pathways

• Refugees: Enter the United States 🇺🇸 through USRAP, are assigned to a resettlement agency, and receive support for up to 5 years.
• Asylum Seekers: Apply for asylum after arriving in the United States 🇺🇸. If approved, they may become eligible for the same services as refugees.

For more information on the asylum process and forms, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Asylum page.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: A Refugee Family from Syria

A family arrives in Denver through the USRAP. The Colorado Refugee Services Program assigns them to the African Community Center. ACC helps them find an apartment, enrolls the children in school, and connects the parents to English classes. The father, who was a teacher in Syria, gets help with his resume and starts working in a local school as a teaching assistant. The mother joins the “We Made This” program, learning sewing skills and making friends. After two years, the family feels at home and is working toward citizenship.

Example 2: An Asylum Seeker from Venezuela

A young man arrives in Colorado and applies for asylum. While waiting for his case, he contacts Denver Human Services and learns he can get food assistance and legal help through the Denver Immigrant Legal Service Fund. He attends English classes at a local community center and, after receiving his work permit, finds a job in hospitality through ACC’s “Ready for American Hospitality” program.

Practical Implications for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

• Long-Term Support: Services are available for up to 5 years, giving newcomers time to adjust and become self-sufficient.
• Tailored Help: Programs are designed to meet the needs of different groups, including women, youth, and older adults.
• Community Integration: Social programs help refugees and asylum seekers build friendships, learn about American culture, and feel part of their new communities.
• Legal and Employment Assistance: Free or low-cost legal help and job training are available, making it easier to find work and stay in the United States 🇺🇸 legally.

Key Contacts and Resources

Here are some important organizations and how to reach them:

Future Outlook and Anticipated Developments

Looking ahead, Colorado is expected to welcome even more refugees and asylum seekers. The state and its partners are preparing by:

• Expanding Programs: Adjusting services to focus on long-term integration, not just emergency help.
• Advocating for Funding: Asking the federal government for more money to support growing needs.
• Reducing Barriers: Working to make it easier for skilled refugees to work in their professions.
• Improving Mental Health Services: Expanding trauma-informed care through programs like ORR’s STAR initiative.

As reported by VisaVerge.com, Colorado’s approach is seen as a model for other states, showing how strong partnerships and flexible programs can help newcomers succeed.

Action Steps for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Colorado

1. Contact CRSP or a local resettlement agency as soon as you arrive to learn about available services.
2. Call 2-1-1 for help finding local resources, no matter where you live in Colorado.
3. Reach out to Denver Human Services if you live in Denver and need help with benefits or legal aid.
4. Join community programs to build skills, make friends, and find work.
5. Ask about legal help if you are facing deportation or need help with your immigration status.

Colorado’s support system is designed to help refugees and asylum seekers not just survive, but thrive. By using these resources, newcomers can build safe, healthy, and successful lives in their new home.

Learn Today

Refugee → A person forced to flee their country due to persecution or conflict, resettled via federal approval.
Asylum Seeker → An individual applying for protection in the U.S. fearing harm if returned to their home country.
CRSP → Colorado Refugee Services Program coordinating refugee resettlement funds and local partner services statewide.
USRAP → U.S. Refugee Admissions Program managing federal refugee resettlement and admissions nationally.
ORR → Office of Refugee Resettlement, a federal agency funding refugee services and trauma support programs.

This Article in a Nutshell

Colorado’s refugee system unites state, local, and nonprofits to aid newcomers with housing, jobs, legal help, and mental health services to succeed long-term.
— By VisaVerge.com