Refugee status is a form of protection that may be granted to those who meet the definition of refugee and who are of special humanitarian concern to the United States.
Refugees are generally aliens who are outside of their native country and are unable or unwilling to return home because they have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear that they will be harmed in the future. A legal definition of refugee can be found under section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
To be considered for refugee status, you must meet these generals requirements:
You are located outside the United States;
You are of special humanitarian concern to the United States;
You can demonstrate that you were persecuted or that you have a well-founded fear that you will be persecuted on account of your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group;
You are not firmly resettled (permanently living) in another country; and
You can be admitted to the United States.
You cannot be considered for refugee status if you have ordered, incited, assisted or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.