Some Definitions

Immigrant: A person who moves to a country other than their own to live there permanently.

Refugee: An individual forced to flee their country due to persecution, war, or violence, seeking protection elsewhere.

Asylum Seeker: Someone seeking international protection from dangers in their home country, whose claim for refugee status hasn’t been determined yet.

Asylee: A person granted asylum status, allowing them to stay in the host country due to persecution risks in their home country.

Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR): An individual who has been granted the right to live indefinitely within the United States but is not a U.S. citizen.

Naturalized US Citizen: An immigrant who has passed the naturalization process and gained U.S. citizenship.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS): A temporary status given to eligible nationals of certain countries, due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country's nationals from returning safely.

The terms “illegal immigrant” or “illegal” are commonly used but carry prejudicial implications. An immigrant who lacks documentation is in violation of civil laws rather than criminal laws, which means they should not be labeled as “illegal” or a “criminal.” Labeling someone solely based on their immigration status overlooks the complexity of their circumstances and identity. Therefore, it is more accurate and respectful to use “undocumented immigrant” or “unauthorized immigrant” to describe individuals who do not have lawful status in a country.