Asylum benefits used to be limited to people from certain countries, but now it's available to refugees worldwide. To qualify for refugee or asylum status, you must have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political affiliation. It also takes into account things such as close relatives in the U-S, stable employment, and the lack of a criminal record. There are some differences between refugee and asylum processes. Unlike asylum, refugee status can only be obtained if you're outside both your own country and the United States, and you're unwilling or unable to return because of a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution is defined as harm or suffering inflicted upon the applicant as punishment for possessing a belief or characteristic that the prosecutor will not tolerate. Your application must be filed either with the nearest I-N-S. office outside the U-S or at a designated U-S Consulate. The burden of proof of the persecution rests with the refugee. If you're in the U-S, or at the land border of the U-S, and believe you're a victim of persecution, you can apply for political asylum with asylum officers under the jurisdiction of the Central Office of Refugee, Asylum and Parole. You can file even if you're in the U-S illegally, or in deportation or exclusion proceedings. Whether applying as a refugee or an asylee, you'll be interviewed to determine if your claim is legitimate and your application should be approved. Your eligibility for refugee or asylee status may be affected if it's alleged that you've: involved in the persecution of other persons； firmly resettled in another country； convicted of an especially serious crime； or committed a serious non-political crime prior to coming to the U-S. According to regulations, if your application has been pending for at least one hundred and fifty days, you may be given permission to work. One year after receiving refugee or asylee status, you may become eligible to apply for permanent residence. For more information, contact an attorney qualified in the area of immigration.
以前政治避难只有限地给予从某些国家来的人,但现在世界各地的难民都有资格申请。你必须有理由出于害怕如下方面的迫害:如由于种族、宗教、国籍、属于特殊社会组织成员或者与其存在政治上的从属关系等方面的原因,才有资格获得难民或者政治必难身份。另外,是否在美国有近亲属、是否有稳定的工作、没有刑事犯罪记录都会成为官方考虑是否批准你获得难民或者政治避难身份的因素。申请难民身份和政治避难之间存在差别。与政治避难不同的是,难民身份只能是在你即不在自己的国家也不在美国,并且有理由害怕遭到迫害的情况下才能获得。迫害指的是为了履行某种信仰或者是检举人不能容忍被迫害人所特有的某种（信仰）而对被迫害人施加的伤害。你必须向美国本土外最近的移民局官员或者是指定的美国领事馆提出申请。如果你已经在美国境内、或者在美国的边境线附近地带并认为自己会是（政治）迫害的受害者,你可以向有管辖权的中央办公室专门负责难民、政治避难、宣誓的官员提出政治避难申请。即使你非法滞留美国或者正处于被驱逐或拒绝入境的情况中,你也可以提出申请。不论是申请难民身份还是政治避难,只有经过面谈,才能确定你的要求是否合理并同意你的申请。如果发现你参与迫害他人；已经在其他国家定居；；有严重的刑事犯罪行为,或在申请来美国之前实施了与政治犯罪无关的严重犯罪,以上情况都将影响你获得难民或者政治避难的资格。按照规定,如果你的申请在150天内仍然悬而未决,你可获准工作。获得难民或政治避难的身份一年后,你就有了申请永居的资格。如果想了解更详细的信息,可向以民律师咨询。
1 Asylum n
（1） 避难所；庇护所
（2） （政治）避难 （= political asylum）
（3） 精神病院
2 persecution n 迫害
3 affiliation n
（1） 加入；参加
（2） 关系 to have many affiliations with 与…有广泛联系
4 inflict 拉丁语infligere打击 vt （与on连用）
（1） 予以（打击等）,使受（痛苦等）
（2） 处以（刑罚）,加（刑） （亦作: inflict upon）
5 designate vt -nated, -nating
（1） 指出；标明；指明 to designate boundaries 标明界线
（2）（常与as连用）指派；任命 He designated Smith as his successor. 他指定史密斯为他的继承人
designate adj 指派的；任命的
6 Consulate n领事, 领事馆, 领事任期, 领事的职位、权力和职责
a consulate general 总领事馆
7 Parole n假释 （法律专业） n. 假出狱 ,诺言,誓言 , 假释
break one's parole（假释期满未能返回监狱的）违誓；（企图）违誓逃脱
parole vt paroled, paroling 准予假
8 legitimate adj
（1） 合法的；依法的
（2） 婚生的
9 allege 来自拉丁语allegare发出,提及
（1） 断言；宣称
（2）〈法〉指控
The police allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.警方声称这男子是被人谋杀的,但未提出任何证据
10 pend vi. 悬而未决
11 well-founded adj. 有根据的, 有理由的, 有事实为依据