Digital technologies are reshaping how refugee services are organized and delivered across the United States. Service providers are increasingly working in hybrid arrangements, engaging clients through virtual platforms, and beginning to explore artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their daily practice. These shifts offer new opportunities to extend reach and improve efficiency, while raising critical questions about whether it will apply across roles or staff fairly, service quality, and the human dimensions of refugee support.
Drawing on responses from more than 500 providers across government agencies, resettlement organizations, community-based groups, and legal service providers, the 2026 Annual Survey of Refugee Service Providers (ASRSP) offers the first network-wide assessment of how virtual and AI technologies are being used across the U.S. refugee service sector. Using data collected in March and April of 2026, including thematic analysis of open-ended responses and complemented by a brief literature review, the findings reveal a sector undergoing significant but uneven transformation, in which expanding digital capabilities coexist with a strong and enduring reliance on in-person, relational practice.
In the US refugee services context, “virtual services” are services delivered with limited or no in-person contact between provider and client, relying primarily on digital and telecommunication platforms such as video calls, email, and text. This contrasts with in-person services, which are built mainly around face-to-face interactions but may also incorporate phone and text communication to set up in-person meetings or provide follow-up communication.
