Who is considered a refugee?

Any person who is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to return to their country
Any person unable to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on:

• race
• religion
• nationality
• membership in a particular social group, or of a particular political opinion

Who decides who the refugee is?

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, known as the UN) conducts interviews to decide if a person should be granted refugee status.

UNHCR seeks to find what it calls a durable solution for any refugee situation. There are three durable solutions:

1. Voluntary repatriation to the home country
2. Integration into asylum
3. Resettlement in a third country, such as the U.S