IOM Plastic Bag
1989
This plastic bag contained all the refugee documents HMoob families accumulated during their time in the refugee camps, documents for resettlement, identifying paperworks, and medical documents. Families were recommended to carry by hand and to never leave these items.
Travel Documents to the U.S.
HMoob Itinerary Document
International Organization for Migration (IOM) provided a HMoob translated written document about how to board the airplane, their flight itinerary (although the document states a layover in Hong Kong, that was not true for this family), what happens in an airplane, and the important documents they have to keep on hand.
Refugee Tags
1989
Thai Airways Ticket
Seven Thai Airway tickets for seven Hmoob family members but the names do not match the names of the HMoob family members. During HMoob asylum in Thailand, the Thai government refugee policy was described as a revolving door (open and closed to refugees). From the mixup, it is possible to interpret that the Thai did not care whether the refugees were appropriately named.
TWS Ticket to Paris
This HMoob family had a connection in Paris. They received 12 disembark cards that are not displayed. They are unfilled.
Promissory Note & Sponsorship
Family Sponsorship: Affidavit of Relationship
Family reunification occurred later after the first resettlement of HMoob refugees. HMoob refugees in the U.S. were able to sponsor their families to the U.S. provided they give over extensive information about their kinship. One letter shows the expectations the U.S. had of refugees resettling in the U.S. which was to get of welfare as soon as possible and to work.
Church Sponsorship: Promissory Note
Contrary to popular belief that refugees are given a free ride to the U.S., this promissory note shows that HMoob refugees, even though they were sponsored by churches, were expected to repay the U.S. government for their flight to the U.S.