A Full Definition of Asylum

The perceived need for relocation to the United States can prompt people to take drastic measures in merely trying to cross bordersillegal immigrationWhile sufficient or credible cause is certainly discretionary, there are situations that warrant a faster system of an individual's incorporation into the United States while immigration law is still upheld.

In one scenario, an individual may see himself or herself as at risk of persecution including immediate bodily harm and serious psychological and emotional trauma in their country of origin, based on their political views or affiliation with a certain social-political bloc.

As such, it is, for all practical purposes, impossible for him or her to return there on good conscience. Again, subject to judgment (made by immigration officials), this person may be able to be protected under United States international policy, under the doctrine of asylumdeportationThe concept of asylum has been established for centuries in various forms.

In fact, in civilizations as seemingly remote as the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, asylum seekers were afforded benefits of protection as criminals accused of crimes, depending on the severity of the offense. In today's world, asylum is still a viable means of incorporating foreign personae into the fold, as asylum seekers can apply on an individual basis to countries compliant with modern asylum law and according to their definitions.

The process of granting political asylum in the United States is also well-defined. While asylum seekers and refugee status seekers are often interpreted to be one in the same, the Department of State and the Social Security Administration do recognize these are different concepts, with a primary understanding being status before admission.

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