asilado vs. refugiado

Question

Whats the difference between asilado and refugiado?

Well as our dictionary points out, asilado means aslyum/ refugee and refugiado is refugee as well but it can also be the past participle of the verb "Refugiar" - 0088b3fa, Mar 30, 2011

Answer 1

If you are looking for the difference in meaning between refuge and asylum, in English or Spanish, it is, essentially, that "refuge" (or the classification "refugee") generally refers to a general condition while "asylum" (or the person who is an "asylee") is a legal status.

For example: "A number of refugees from the worn torn area sought refuge with relatives in a neighboring country. Some of those refugees later sought asylum, while some moved on to other places."

Having said that, there is a definition of "refugee" in U.S. and international law and in that context, the difference between "refugee" and "asylee" is a technical one. In this context, both refugees and asylees include "any person who is outside of any country of such person's nationality . . . who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion." The most important difference is that an asylee makes their application while in the US, while the refugee applies outside of their home country, but also outside of the US. But, in general, non-technical usage, a refugee could be someone from next door who's roof collapsed and is seeking temporary refuge in your house.

Often, asylum is sought on political grounds but there are other grounds as well (persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion). 99.999% of the time, the persecution or fear of persecution must be based on governmental action but recently, some Mexican immigrants in the U.S. have sought asylum based on a claim that they are being persecuted by the effects of the drug war in Mexico and that the government of Mexico either will not or cannot provide for their security.

About a year ago, about 30 Mexicans from the town of El Porvenir walked to the border crossing at Fort Hancock, Texas, and asked for political asylum. Drug cartels has put up a sign in the town plaza telling everyone to leave or pay with their own blood. Nice, huh?

At least one Mexican journalist has been granted asylum after reporting on corruption and, recently, a sheriff from the town of Praxedis Guadalupe Guerrero sought asylum in the U.S. because of threats from drug cartels (her predecessor was beheaded).

Sorry for such a long post that might not even be on topic. It's an issue I get carried away about.

Correct, but in the case of asking "asylum" , the Mexican journalist must have been granted to enter the US as a "refugee", the satus of asylum is granted, like lazarus pointeed out, to political people. People that are politically persecuted. Right? - chileno, Jun 5, 2011

Answer 2

refugiado = any kind of refugee

asilado = political refugee

Answer 3

Thanks!

Answer 4

Fly welcome to the Forum - you can also double click your words for fast translations.