Refugees & Asylum
A refugee is a person outside the U.S. who seeks protection on the grounds that he or she fears persecution. To obtain refugee status, the person has to prove that he or she has a "well-founded fear of persecution" on the basis of the person's race, religion, membership in a social group, political opinion, or national origin.
A person who has already entered the U.S. and who fears persecution if sent back to his or her home country can apply for asylum in the U.S. To obtain asylum, the individual has to prove that he or she has a "well-founded fear of persecution" on the basis of the person's race, religion, membership in a social group, political opinion, or national origin.
As a result of the 1996 immigration laws, refugees fleeing persecution are now much more likely to be sent back by low-level immigration officials.
