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Individuals who have fled their native country and have been given official permission by the government to settle permanently in another country. In the United States, refugee status is given to people who are outside their country of nationality and who are unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on the individuals' race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Entrant status allows the individual to remain in the U.S., but does not confer true "refugee" status. Asylees are refugees who apply for this status while already in the U.S. (on student or tourist visas, for example).