On May 5^th, the U.S. began to accept refugees from the Yugoslav province of Kosovo. Thus far almost 3,000 refugees have been admitted to the U.S. The majority of the refugees have been sent to Fort Dix in New Jersey, and a few hundred are staying with friends and family already in the U.S.

The INS has divided the refugees into two large groups, those with relatives in the U.S. and those who are otherwise vulnerable, such as single mothers and people with medical conditions. Those in the first group are going through the complete refugee screening process at the refugee camps in Macedonia before being sent on to the U.S. Those in the other group are only being given the initial interview in Macedonia; the other steps in processing will be completed when they arrive in the U.S.

Refugees will be given work authorization, and may adjust their status to that of permanent resident after one year. The U.S. government expects that most of the refugees will wish to return home once the conflict has ended and the situation has been stabilized.