Are political refugees seekign Aslyum in the US referred to as Asylees as Immigrants? Whats the difference?

A refugee migrant is a foreign national who comes to the United States for protection from persecution, or who fear persecution based on specific factors.  The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the law on immigration issues in the United States.  The refugee definition in the INA states a refugee is “a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” INA 101(a)(42).  A refugee applies for asylum from outside the U.S.  Refugee children are also allowed to enter the U.S. based on persecution of themselves or of their parents.

The only difference between a refugee and an asylee is an asylee applies for the same protection, but does so after coming to the U.S. or at a U.S. port of entry, rather than from outside the U.S.

An immigrant is someone who comes to the U.S. to live and work permanently for any reason.  An immigrant may in fact come to live and work in the U.S. out of fear of something in his native country, but is not considered a refugee unless he is specifically seeking asylum based on one of the five categories listed in the INA.

The Somali refugees who have been allowed to come to the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status are allowed to stay until the conditions in their country improve and it safe for them to return.  On July 27, 2009, the U.S. government granted an extension of status because conditions have not improved enough for Somali immigrants to return in September, 2009 as originally ordered by immigration law.

For current information regarding Somali refugees, please see the following website:  http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis