Research

The U.S. refugee resettlement program, which has assisted more than three million refugees since 1980, prioritizes rapid economic self-sufficiency. For those arriving as adolescents, educational attainment is critical to achieving this goal. This paper examines the impact of initial cash assistance on educational outcomes among adolescent refugees. Exploiting the quasi-random placement of refugees across states with varying levels of cash assistance, this study provides causal estimates of the effect of financial support on high school completion and college enrollment. Using a sample of refugees aged 13 to 18 at arrival from the American Community Survey (ACS), the findings indicate that a $100 increase in the maximum monthly cash benefit available through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or its predecessor, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), is associated with a 1.5 to 2 percentage point increase in high school completion, from a baseline of approximately 82 percent. The effect is particularly pronounced for female refugees, who also exhibit higher college attendance and labor force participation. These findings suggest that income support during the initial resettlement period can improve long-run integration outcomes for refugee youth by facilitating investments in education.