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Glossary of Immigration Terms
ASYLEE
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A person who has been granted the relief of asylum in the United States due to fear of persecution in their native country for the same reasons as refugees. Immediately after obtaining asylum, asylees are authorized to work in the United States and one year later, an asylee can apply for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. Like all other LPRs after five more years, the asylee can apply for U.S. citizenship.​​​​
ASYLUM SEEKER
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A person seeking refuge in the country in which he or she currently resides due to persecution faced in his/her native country. People who apply for asylum at an airport or other point of entry into the United States are detained.
REFUGEE
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Refugees are people seeking protection and a safe place to live outside their country of origin who is unable or unwilling to return because of past persecution and/or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Each year, a certain number of refugees are selected by the U.S. State Department to undergo several security screenings and enter the United States through the Refugee Resettlement Program.
When someone crosses an international border seeking safety, they often need to apply to be legally recognized as a refugee. While they seek asylum and await the outcome of their application, they are referred to as asylum-seekers. Not all asylum-seekers will be found to be refugees, but all refugees were once asylum-seekers.
For a legal definition of refugee, see section 01(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title8-section1101&num=0&edition=prelim1
One year after arriving in the United States, a refugee can apply to become a lawful permanent resident (LPR), and after five more years, can apply for U.S. citizenship.
DEPORTATION/REMOVAL
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Deportation/Removal is expulsion of a noncitizen from the United States. People who can be deported include noncitizens (including lawful permanent residents) with criminal convictions; visa overstays; refugee/asylum seekers; and those who entered without inspection (for example, by crossing the border unlawfully). Once removed, a noncitizen faces legal bars for a time period that prevent his or her return or sometimes they are permanently barred.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
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The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, combining 22 different federal departments and agencies into a unified, integrated Cabinet agency.
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DHS split immigration-related duties among three separate agencies: (CIS) - Citizenship and Immigration Services, (ICE) - Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and (CBP) - Customs and Border Protection.
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
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Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS, or USCIS) is the bureau within DHS that administers applications for immigration benefits such as visas, adjustment of status, and naturalization. The USCIS Asylum Officer Corps makes decisions on affirmative asylum claims.
IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the bureau within the DHS that enforces immigration laws and conducts the apprehension, detention and deportation of immigrants. ICE used to be part of what was known previously as the INS or Immigration and Naturalization Service.
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CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the bureau within DHS that prevents people from entering the country illegally or bringing anything illegal into the United States.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW
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Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR): The agency within the Department of Justice that administers all Immigration Courts, including those inside the detention centers, and the BIA. It is a separate agency from ICE, which is in the Department of Homeland Security. EOIR judges determine defensive asylum claims and other claims for relief from removal during removal proceedings.
BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS
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The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is the highest administrative body within the Department of Justice that interprets and applies immigration law. The BIA hears appeals of decisions made by Immigration Judges (IJs). These decisions are binding unless overturned by the Attorney General or a federal circuit court.
TERMS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE
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“Illegal” or “Alien”
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Freedom for Immigrants denounces the use of degrading terms, such as “alien” and “illegal (immigrant),” to describe undocumented or unauthorized immigrants because it casts them as inhuman outsiders who come to the United States with questionable motivations.
“Alien” is a term used in the Immigration and Nationality Act to refer to non- citizens, but it should be avoided unless used in a quote. The term “illegal immigrant” stereotypes undocumented persons who are in the United States and suggests that they have all committed crimes.
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Under current U.S. immigration law, entering the United States without inspection or overstaying a visa is not a crime; it is a civil violation.
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"Undocumented Immigrant"
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Although “undocumented immigrant” is not ideal nomenclature, we use it, “non-citizen” or “non-status immigrant” for lack of better terms.
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“Detainee”
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“Detainee”: Likewise, when describing someone who is currently detained, we believe that “detained immigrant/person” or “person in immigration detention” are the best terms, insofar as the discussion is actually related to their detention. Dehumanizing language like "detainee" serves only to reinforce the stripping of people in detention of their fundamental human rights.
Last updated by PHC 6/13/25
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