Welcome to the Resource Information Center. Here you will find information about our role, our publications, how to access our publications, and other questions that you might have relating to the Resource Information Center.

What is the Resource Information Center?

The Resource Information Center is often referred to as the "RIC". The RIC was established to meet the information needs of the Asylum Officer and Immigration Officer Corps in the U.S. and overseas by providing them with credible and objective information on conditions in the countries of origin of asylum and refugee applicants. To meet this need we obtain information from reputable human rights monitors, other government agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia, and the media. We then compile this information in a variety of publications that we distribute to the Officer Corps. The RIC is a Branch of the Asylum Division in the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

What publications are available to the public?

The RIC produces a number of publications that are available for downloading at our RIC Country Information Pages. Most are available in their entirety in Adobe Acrobat PDF files. The exceptions are Master Exhibits and Information Packets which are compilations of open source documents and only have the Table of Contents available.

Can the RIC conduct research for me?

The RIC's mission is to serve the Asylum Officer Corps and DHS. We do not have the resources to conduct research for the general public or private attorneys.

Can I visit the RIC?

Generally, the RIC collection is not open to the public. We may be able to assist researchers on a limited basis. For an appointment, please call (202)305-2673.

RIC Country Information Pages

The RIC provides access to all RIC work products, including our formal responses to queries by Asylum Officers, arranged by region with countries in each region arranged alphabetically. In addition to any papers or query responses from the RIC, the Country Information Page contains links to country and human rights information from other key sources. To go to the Country Information Pages list of regions click Here.

The following are the various products produced by the RIC:

Profile Series

Profiles are papers that provide a detailed history of a given country and identify all of the groups at risk for human rights abuses, what has been done to these groups, and by whom. These papers also discuss relevant issues such as the judicial system and forms of political participation permitted in that country. Profiles are objective papers, which summarize and report a wide range of information available from credible sources, including government agencies, international organizations, other governments, non-governmental human rights monitoring groups, and academic sources. These papers are usually over 50 pages, with a table of contents and index.

Alert Series

Alerts provide information on emerging social and political developments. They may include summaries of recent changes of government (including coups), or information on particular ethnic, political, religious, racial, or social groups at risk, e.g., Azerbaijan: The Status of Armenians, Russians, Jews, and Other Minorities. These papers are usually between 10-25 pages and include a table of contents and index. The Question and Answer Series has replaced the Alert Series.

Perspective Series

Perspectives are written by expert consultants and may reflect the views of individuals or groups. Like Profiles, they provide background information on the political and social conditions in a country and particularly the human rights situation. These papers are usually over 50 pages in length and include a table of contents and index.

Question and Answer Series

Question and Answer papers provide information on emerging social and political developments. They may include chronologies of political developments, summaries of recent changes of government (including coups), or information on particular ethnic, political, religious, racial, or social groups at risk, e.g., Sierra Leone: Political, Military, and Human Rights Chronology: 1991-1997. These papers are usually between 10-25 pages and include a table of contents and index.

Master Exhibit Series

Master Exhibits are compilations of articles and reports on a given country or subject from a broad spectrum of sources. Master Exhibits are produced for the RIC by outside groups, including non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and individual attorneys. On the website, only the table of contents will be made available.

Information Packet Series

Information Packets are compilations of articles and reports on a given country or subject from a broad spectrum of sources produced by the RIC. On the website, only the table of contents will be made available.

Query Responses

Queries are short responses to specific inquiries received from Asylum Officers and other branches of the DHS. Responses may consist of photocopies of articles or may be a short narrative based on staff research and/or information from experts. On the website, only the query response is available. Attachments referenced in a query will not be available on the website.