An airport motel off of I-95 is an unlikely haven for asylum seekers during their first hours in America. And yet, after their long journeys, this is where many refugees will spend their very first night in this country, before taking connecting flights to their final point of resettlement. Hotel USA captures a group of newcomers during their first moments in the country, exploring the sense of loss and hope that pervades the refugee experience.
Millions of refugees vie for entry to the United States, but only the lucky few are approved for resettlement here. Their journeys, organized by the International Organization for Migration, a non-governmental agency, are long and exhausting. When they finally arrive on our shores, a new life filled with uncertainty lies ahead.
During the course of just one night at this motel, refugees get their first taste of life in the country. Some arrive after decades in a refugee camp, and learn how to use a TV or turn on a faucet. Others mourn what has been left behind and contemplate what the future holds. For all of them, this is a moment to catch their breath at a suspended moment in their journey, before they face the hurdles that lie ahead.
Moving quietly from room to room, this short, observational documentary points a humanistic lens at a little-seen moment in the refugee story, revealing both the mundane and extraordinary moments of a displaced life.