People seeking asylum say they are refugees, but that claim has yet to be evaluated. Organizations like the UNHCR decide which asylum seekers qualify for international protection as refugees. In situations involving tens or hundreds of thousands of people, individual assessment is impossible and the entire group may be granted refugee status. In the United States, asylum is a form of protection that allows individuals who are already here to remain in the U.S., provided that they meet the definition of a refugee and are not barred from either applying for or being granted asylum, and eventually to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident. Every year, thousands of people come to the United States in need of protection and those found eligible for asylum are permitted to remain in the United States.
