Distinguishing Immigrants and Refugees

Immigrants and refugees come to the US for many reasons: to seek educational and economic opportunities denied them in their country of origin, and/or to escape the ravages of civil wars, regional conflicts, and natural disasters. They may have faced religious, ethnic, or political persecution. They may have endured terrorization by violent groups, imprisonment, and torture. Official refugees have been granted refugee status by the US State Department—so, by definition, refugees have experienced dangerous and traumatic situations. Many immigrants without refugee status may also have faced hostile conditions in their homelands.

Your refugee and immigrant patients may be thankful for the opportunity to make a new life for themselves and their families, but they may also feel a profound sense of grief or loss for the life they will probably never return to. They may embrace their new home or they may feel fearful and try to hold on as much as possible to their old way of life. Some immigrants and refugees arrive with an idealized vision of the US that does not match the reality of the life they find—and they are consequently disappointed. For example, most immigrants expect to work when they come to the US, yet they may have to work at jobs that are far below the educational, economic, and social status they had in their home countries.

Evelyn Lee discusses the different challenges of immigrants and refugees. Most refugees had little choice but to emigrate, many have experienced great trauma and loss, and they often have little community support when they arrive. | 6.7 MB Flash File

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