This toolkit includes information about different forms of humanitarian relief, such as the refugee program, asylum, and visas available to victims of crimes. For general information on these topics, read the Articles. Read the Common Questions if you have a specific question.
You'll find links to legal aid offices and lawyer referral services under Find A Lawyer. If there is a Self-Help Center in your area you can get more help there. If you need something other than legal help, look in Community Services. If you need a fee waiver, an interpreter, a court to accommodate your disability, or more information about going to court, visit Going to Court.
Common Questions
The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program helps immigrants fleeing persecution. U.S. immigration law does not define “persecution.” Being jailed, beaten, and/or tortured, could be persecution.
To learn more, read An Overview of the Refugee Resettlement Program.
The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program allows eligible refugees to move to the U.S. Under U.S. law, to qualify as a refugee, an applicant must:
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Be located outside of the U.S
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Not be firmly resettled in another country
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Be admissible to (allowed to enter) the U.S.
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Show they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a certain social group
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Be of special humanitarian concern to the U.S.
To learn more, read An Overview of the Refugee Resettlement Program.
Yes. An applicant might not be allowed to enter the U.S. if the government believes they are a threat to national security or a public health concern. An applicant also might not be allowed to enter if they have been deported before. To learn more about these and other reasons why someone might not be allowed to enter the U.S., read Inadmissibility, Deportation, and Bars to Reentry.