Arizona

Arizona's diversity is tied to the land with reservations covering 28% of the state and 22 federally recognized Native American nations. Many Latin Americans have further made the culture rich because of the traditions and food they brought. Arizona welcomes the many who come from countries worldwide such as Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burma. We see the beauty of the tapestry woven from diversity. The Community Programs team in Arizona is actively engaged with local nonprofit organizations, serving in the community, and developing opportunities for collecting and sharing refugee stories.

Demographics
ARRIVALS

FY 2017-2021 data source: Refugee Processing Center: Admissions and Arrivals. Figures do not include Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders from Afghanistan and Iraq, nor Afghan Humanitarian Parolees from 2021 evacuation. Does not include asylum seeker data.

FY 2022 data source: Email from Arizona Department of Economic Security. Figures include Refugees, SIV, Afghan APA, Ukrainian APA, and Cuban/Hatian Entrants.

TOP COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN

FY 2022 data source: Email from Arizona Department of Economic Security.

TOP NEWCOMER LANGUAGES
  • Spanish
  • Dari
  • Pashto
  • Arabic
  • Ukranian

FY 2022 data source: Email from Arizona Department of Economic Security.

Blog Posts
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Partners
Volunteer alongside our team with these local organizations.
Leadership
Get to know our Arizona leadership team.
Patty Hales TSOS 01 Patty
Community Program Coordinator, Arizona
Christy bishop
Assistant Director of Advocacy
Sarah Webb
Assistant Director of Advocacy
Jevtic Somlai Elizabeta
Director of Education
Robin P
Director of Archives
Contact Us
Reach out to our local team with any questions. We love to connect with people interested in welcoming newcomers to our community.
What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2025, more than 117.8 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced by war, persecution, or human rights abuses — and 45 million of them are children.

They arrive in refugee camps and countries seeking safety and carrying little: legal papers, if they're lucky. A backpack. A child's hand in theirs.

What they carry that we can't see is heavier: fractured families, homes they'll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

In a climate where immigrant stories are often ignored or twisted, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares what they survived, they reclaim their voice. When we amplify it through film, photography, and advocacy, the world listens. Hearts soften. Policy begins to shift.

Because when a lawmaker sees a person instead of a statistic, and a neighbor understands instead of fears, rebuilding becomes possible.

Your support helps us share these stories where they matter most.

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, Their Story is Our Story

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