What is the difference between a “refugee” and an “asylee”?

In Virginia, the two terms “refugee” and “asylee” have similar definitions, but there are some important distinctions. The first distinction is that refugees are people who have been internationally displaced and are seeking safety in another country, whereas asylees are people who have already reached the United States or its territories and are seeking protection and/or the ability to remain in the U.S. A refugee is someone who is applying for protection from another nation, while an asylee is someone who has already gained entry into the U.S. and is seeking asylum. The second distinction is that refugees are typically given refugee status through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and must apply for refugee status in the country in which they seek protection or resettlement before they can officially be designated as a refugee. On the other hand, an asylee must apply for asylum directly to the U.S. government and meet certain criteria in order to be given asylum. The third distinction is that refugees are usually given priority consideration by the U.S. government due to their precarious situation, while asylees must prove their cases to the government. Furthermore, refugees do not have to show any fear of persecution in order to qualify for asylum, whereas an asylee must demonstrate a “well-founded fear” of persecution in their home country in order to be given asylum. Overall, refugees and asylees are both individuals who are seeking safety in different ways. Refugees are generally given priority consideration due to their lack of safety in their home countries, whereas asylees must meet certain criteria and demonstrate a “well-founded fear” in order to be granted asylum in the U.S.

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La diferencia entre un refugiado y un solicitante de asilo viene dada por la situación de la persona en cuestión. Un refugiado se refiere a aquellas personas que han huido de su país de origen debido a la persecución que sufren por ser considerados una minoría religiosa, racial, nacional o por motivos políticos, entre otros. En Virginia, los refugiados reciben un documento de "estatus de refugiado" otorgado por el gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Por otro lado, un solicitante de asilo es una persona que ya está en Estados Unidos y solicita el asilo por temor a la persecución en su país de origen. Estas personas tendrán que presentar una solicitud ante el Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de Estados Unidos. En Virginia, los solicitantes de asilo recibirán un permiso temporal para permanecer en el país. Por último, es importante mencionar que el proceso de solicitud de asilo es mucho más complicado que el procedimiento de refugio, y generalmente se realiza en un tribunal federal de inmigración.

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