The bottom line. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is seeking emergency OMB approval to conduct 30-minute telephone interviews with up to 1,800 Afghan arrivals who received benefits, to identify unmet needs and prevent harm. Comments are due November 2, 2026.
The Administration for Children and Families, on behalf of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, published a Federal Register notice on September 1, 2026, requesting emergency review and approval from the Office of Management and Budget for a new information collection: the Refugee Outreach and Well-Being Initiative questionnaire.
The survey targets Afghans who may have received ORR benefits and services and are likely to have additional assistance needs. ORR estimates 1,800 respondents, each participating in one voluntary telephone interview lasting approximately 30 minutes, for a total annual burden of 900 hours.
“If ORR cannot collect this information quickly, vulnerable Afghan families may face significant harm.”
Why Emergency Approval
ORR requested that OMB grant 180-day approval under emergency processing procedures, arguing that without rapid data collection, vulnerable Afghan families could experience loss of income, unstable housing, food insecurity, or loss of immigration status. The agency said emergency clearance ensures it can rapidly identify needs and intervene before situations worsen.
How the Data Will Be Used
ORR intends to use the questionnaire responses to identify common challenges such as housing, employment, and access to critical support; assess whether additional resources are necessary to support assimilation, pathways to citizenship, and self-sufficiency; inform technical assistance to resettlement agencies and interagency coordination; and brief Department and White House leadership on trends facing this population.
Privacy and Data Sharing
Personally identifiable information will be collected solely to confirm which cases were interviewed, verify client identities, and confirm current locations to ensure access to appropriate services. When permitted by law, information provided by respondents may be shared with other government entities or service providers, including ORR grantees, to facilitate referrals or inform development of additional services.
Comment Process and Future Use
Comments on the proposed collection are due November 2, 2026, and may be submitted by email to [email protected]. Although the questionnaire will be approved immediately under the emergency process, comments will be considered for a subsequent extension request under normal review procedures. ORR noted it may seek to apply the survey to additional populations in the future through revision or nonsubstantive change requests.
What This Means Right Now
Afghan arrivals who previously received ORR benefits may receive a voluntary telephone call from ORR and should be aware that participation is optional and takes about 30 minutes.
Respondents who disclose needs may be referred to ORR grantees or other government entities for services, subject to applicable privacy laws.
The emergency approval means interviews could begin immediately, before the public comment period closes on November 2, 2026.
ORR may later seek to expand the survey to other refugee or beneficiary populations, which would require additional OMB review.