Author(s): Bayle Conrad, Immigration Field Correspondent | Program Coordinator- Equity, Diversity & Inclusion | Harborview Medical Center

Date Authored: October 24, 2024

Refugees, Asylees, and Other Similar Immigration Types: Terms and Concepts

Individuals reach the United States through a variety of mechanisms and are classified in distinct immigration categories based on their path. Immigration status will determine how an individual accesses healthcare within the United States.  

Refugees 

A refugee is someone who has fled his or her country of origin because of past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based upon race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or a membership in a particular social group. Refugee status is conferred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as well as the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) while the person is overseas. As of 2024, UNHCR estimated there to be 43.4 million refugees worldwide. A very limited number of refugees are offered resettlement in the United States each year based upon a number decided by the president and agreed upon by Congress. Those who come to the United States through this program enter with refugee status, which allows legal permanent residency (or a green card) after one year and citizenship after five years.  In federal fiscal year 2023, the United States admitted 60,000 refugees, with the largest numbers arriving from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar (Burma), and Syria (Migration Policy Network). Refugee status grants individuals’ short-term government assistance programs not available to other immigrant groups. 

Asylees

An asylum seeker is someone who is already living in the United States or who presents at the US border and petitions the government for asylum status by proving a well-founded fear of future or past persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinions, or membership in a particular social group if returned to his or her own country of origin. An immigration court must determine whether the asylum seeker meets the same legal definition as a refugee in order to be granted asylum. From federal fiscal year 2020 to 2022, the top ten countries of origin for people granted asylum in the United States were China, Venezuela, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Honduras, Afghanistan, Turkey, Russia, and Mexico. These countries made up approximately 60% of all asylum granted applications in these years (Office of Homeland Security). Once an asylee is granted asylum in the United States, they will qualify for the same benefits and services as refugees, including a path to citizenship. 

Special Immigrant Visa Holders (SIV)

Special Immigrant Visa holders, or SIVs, are citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who worked closely with US military units overseas in those countries. SIVs must meet several requirements before being granted a visa to come to the United States. Once they arrive in the US, SIVs are eligible to receive similar resettlement benefits and services as refugees, and are eligible for citizenship after a number of years in the country. 

Young man holding sign that says We Are All Immigrants
Photo by Alisdare Hickson (cc license)

Humanitarian Parolees- Afghanistan and Ukraine 

In recent years, the Biden administration has created new parole categories for citizens of Afghanistan and Ukraine in response to refugee crises in these countries. Humanitarian parole is a temporary protective immigration status that has been used by the United States in other situations and usually lasts for 2 years. In creating parole status for Afghans and Ukrainians, the Biden administration has also allowed them to receive similar benefits and services as refugees entering the country. However, services for these populations are limited to entrance to the US between certain dates, and currently parole status for these populations does not have a direct pathway to citizenship. 

Other Similar Immigration Types

There are a few other similar immigration types in the United States that have similar eligibility to services as refugees. These include Cuban and Haitian entrants, Amerasians, and certified victims of human trafficking. Given that these immigration status types are similar to refugees, they may qualify for additional benefits and services. 

Additional Resources