Refugee was defined by a document called the 1951 Refugee Convention. A person who was forced to flee his or her home and has crossed an international border to seek safety is considered a refugee.

Under United States law, a refugee is someone of special humanitarian concern who is able to demonstrate that he or she has been persecuted or fears persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Any refugee already firmly resettled in a third country is not eligible to be admitted as a refugee to the U.S.

The term does not apply to asylum seekers, or people fleeing violence or political persecution who seek asylum in a country they’ve already entered. Asylum seekers are waiting for a decision on their request for sanctuary. Nor does the term apply to economic migrants or undocumented immigrants who seek better opportunities in another country.