asylum seeker
Last updatedWhat to know
Asylum seekers are people who seek asylum due to their facing, or fearing, violence or persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In the US context, they are physically present within the country or at the US border (as opposed to refugees, who are people located outside the US seeking resettlement in the US), and their request has yet to be processed.
Someone who has been granted asylum is generally called an “asylee,” though some international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees use the term “former refugee.” Phrases such as “X arrived in this country as a refugee” are also often used.
Additional resources
- Asylum-Seekers (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
Summary
An asylum seeker is an individual seeking asylum due to fear of persecution in their native country. Someone who has been granted asylum is called an asylee, though some international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees use the term “former refugee.”