Refugees come to the United States for a variety of reasons. The most widely known reasons are to escape from war torn areas, or political/personal persecution. That being the case, several categories have been established to classify the people entering the United States.

• Refugee*
• Asylee** & Parolee*** (for Cubans & Haitians)
  
• Class B Immigrant
• Class B Refugee

1. Refugee- by definition is escaping an area of conflict.
   1. Apply to United States for refugee status
   2. Go through a screening process for disease and vaccinations
   3. Can take up to 10 years
2. Asylees- are under the protection of the United States Government if they:
   
   1. Had a visa to enter the United States or are here illegally (Parolee)
   2. Asked the government for asylum due to threats to their personal safety
3. Class B Immigrant- are immigrants into the United States but have a medical condition that must be addressed soon after arrival i.e.: Abnormal chest x-ray, pregnancy, Hypertension, Cancer, HIV.
4. Class B Refugees- are considered the same as regular refugees, except for abnormal medical findings on their pre-departure physical that is done in the country of origin.

*    Refugees: Individuals granted refugee status by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) while outside the U.S. Refugees are unable to live in their country of origin because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Approximately 8,000-9,000 official refugees arrive in Texas annually.

**   Asylees: Individuals granted asylum by the USCIS after entering the U.S. Asylees are unable to return to their country of origin because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

*** Parolees: Individuals with special permission to enter the U.S. under emergency conditions or when that person’s entry into the U.S. is considered to be in the public’s interest.

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