IIB Explains Different Immigration Designations

Have you ever wondered what the differences between refugees, migrants, asylees, and asylum seekers are? It can be confusing to keep up with the various designations, what they entail, and what they mean to local communities.

A lot of folks are talking about immigration issues. Recent moves across the U.S. to transport migrants and asylum seekers from city-to-city and state-to-state sparked additional interest in the delicate details of each group, along with what goes into supporting them, and the cities navigating a rise in cases.

Executive Director Jennifer Rizzo-Choi sat down with WGRZ TV to detail each group’s key characteristics. The feature comes after NY Gov. Kathy Hochul announced new financial commitments to assist NY York City’s effort to shelter and support these individuals. NY Mayor Eric Adams’ call to transport migrants to other areas upstate, including Buffalo, piqued local interest.

Watch Rizzo-Choi’s extended breakdown of the different immigration designations, along with how U.S. law dictates the kind of support that is allowed for each by clicking here.