GLOSSARY OF TERMS COMMONLY USED IN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROCESSING

English Term

English Definition

Target Language Translation

abortion

Termination of a pregnancy, usually referring to an intentional termination.

abuse (verb/noun)

To physically or mentally mistreat someone or something/the act of mistreatment Based onAccording to the law, you cannot drink alcohol and drive a vehicle/According to her story, she left her home in 1995 and has not returned.

according to

accurate

Active/inactive case

True and correct, without errors A case whose status is active is still ongoing; one that is inactive is no longer being processed. Your case is currently inactive due to your last noshow. If you would like to reactivate your case, you must show that you are serious about resettling to the US. If you no-show again, your case may be permanently deactivated.

Adjudicate (verb)

To make a legal decision. Your case will be adjudicated after the officer has reviewed your case history.

agriculture

Growing plants for human or animal consumption.

aid (verb/noun)

To help/help offered by someone

Aid and abet (verb)

Legal term to refer to assisting or encouraging someone else to commit a crime. To alter or change, usually to correct a mistake in a document or a statement. The refugee amended her statement to reflect that she left Somalia in 2008 instead of in 2009. A general pardon for past offenses, especially to political figures or a group of persons as a whole. The proposed amnesty would grant legal status to all illegal migrants currently in the country/The new government has granted the leaders of the former regime amnesty for their abuses of power and other crimes, and so they will not be prosecuted.. A traditional belief system whose details vary from culture to culture, but is usually characterized by a lack of a principal deity or pantheon of deities and the belief that natural objects (ie, trees, rocks, rivers) and natural phenomena (thunder, lightning, rain) have souls. Form used to apply for something (job, benefits, etc) In order for you to be considered for refugee status, you will have to fill out a form providing personal biographical information and other information in support of your claim.

amend (verb)

amnesty

animism/animist

application form

apply (verb)

To make a formal request for some desired outcome, ie, refugee status, employment, etc In order to apply for the job, you must submit your CV and a cover letter by the deadline. A fixed time set for two or more people to meet. Her appointment for her DHS interview was at three o'clock today.

appointment

approval

The act of approving

approve (verb)

To grant a request or give authorization, to consent or agree to

army commander

High-ranking leader in the army branch of the military. To detain someone as a result of suspected criminal or other illegal activity, usually with legal authority. The police arrested him Saturday for robbing the bank. The act of killing a political figure, military leader, or other important person for political or other similar motives. Verb: to assassinate

arrest (verb)

assassination

Assault

A violent physical or verbal attack. The victim was assaulted by several armed attackers.

asylum

A legal mechanism by which persons who are determined to be at risk of harm in their own countries are granted legal status and protection in another country. He requested political asylum at the US embassy after being released from prison by the regime. To grant permission for something. You have been authorized to use whatever means necessary to get the job done. A person receiving benefits. There are several beneficiaries in this asylum case. Once it is approved, they will all be eligible to live and work in the United States. Formal document detailing the facts surrounding a person's birth, usually containing facts such as date, parentage, place of birth, etc, for record-keeping purposes. To get money or something else of value from someone, usually by threatening public exposure or criminal prosecution. See extortion. She blackmailed him by threatening to tell his wife about his affair if he didnt pay her $1000.00 per month.

Authorize (verb)

beneficiary

birth certificate

Blackmail

border

bribe (verb/noun)

A boundary line or demarcation, usually between countries or other geographic locations. Money or any other valuable item given or promised with the intent of corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person's performance as an athlete, public official, etc.: The driver offered the police officer who pulled him over a bribe to let him go. /anything given or serving to induce. The children were given candy as a bribe to be good.

brother-in-law

The brother of one's spouse

cargo

case

caseworker

Any load to be carried by a person, animal, or vehicle. In the refugee context, the documented collection of information that in its entirety makes up a person's claim for resettlement. I will review your case, and then make a decision on your application for refugee resettlement. At the IRC, the person who conducts the intake interview for refugees and who is responsible for a given case. In general, anyone who manages a case and takes care of any needs that arise relevant to that responsibility. The caseworker is responsible for introducing the interpreter before the prescreen interview. To formally accuse someone of a crime. The prosecution has decided to charge her with several crimes. The charges include theft, arson, and attempted murder. In the legal context, to summon someone to court or to formally indicate that they have committed a violation of the law, usually minor. She was cited for speeding on Saturday, and had to pay a large fine. A request or demand for something, usually benefits, compensation, or something else that a person believes they have a right to receive. Her claim for refugee status was reviewed by the UNHCR/After the accident, the injured person filed a claim for compensation.

charge (verb/noun, legal)

cite (verb)

claim (noun/verb)

clarification

The act of making something clear. The interpreter requested clarification when she didnt understand the statement.

clarify (verb)

To make something, usually a statement of fact, clear. Please clarify your previous statement. To make someone do something against their will, by force, intimidation, or threat. He threatened me and tried to coerce me to tell him where my brother was hiding.

coerce (verb)

coercion

The act of coercing; see "coerce". He got what he wanted through coercion.

collect information (verb)

commit a crime (verb)

To gather data. In order to process your claim, we must collect some information about your history. The interviewer asked the applicant if he had ever committed a crime except for minor traffic violations; he responded that as a teenager he had been convicted for shoplifting (stealing from a store).

Commit fraud (verb)

To engage in fraudulent activites (see "fraud") Verb referring to the act of killing oneself. When he heard the news about his wife's death, he committed suicide.

commit suicide (verb)

common-law marriage

Term that usually refers to the partnership of a couple that is not legally married, but after a certain period of time acquires the legal status and corresponding benefits of a full marriage. A political philosophy, theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

communism

communist party

compensate (verb)

A political party that embraces communism as its main doctrine. To pay someone in exchange for something, usually to repay losses. The government compensated the people for the damage caused by the explosion of the power plant/The soldiers refused to compensate the villagers for their labor and for the livestock they took.

compensation

Consent (verb/noun/adjective)

Payment To agree to something. Please sign this consent form agreeing allowing your husband to take full custody of your daughter/Because your son is a minor, you must consent to any medical procedures to be performed. Admitting to something. The police tortured him and forced a confession that was later revealed to be false and offered under duress.

Confession

confidential 7

Secret

confirm (verb)

To verify or ascertain the truth of a known fact.

conscription

conspiracy

The act of recruiting someone forcibly for military service or labor. A plot or plan to do something wrong, evil, or illegal. There are people who believe that the elites of the world have a conspiracy to take over the banking systems of their countries and form a world government. To agree together, especially secretly, to do something wrong, evil, or illegal. They conspired to overthrow the government. A formal term usually referring to illegal drugs, but that also refers to any narcotic substance that may or may not be illegal, but is controlled by regulation. Prescription painkillers are considered to be controlled substances in the United States, and can only be obtained when prescribed by a physician. Believable (adjective) Her story is not credible, as she states she fled from Burma last year, when in fact multiple witnesses say she was born in Mae Hong Son refugee camp. Portion of an immigration hearing in which the judge determines only whether or not the applicant has a reasonable fear of returning to their home country.

conspire (verb)

controlled substance

credible

Credible fear review

Criminal record 8

Past history of criminal activity. His criminal record was extensive and included assault, robbery, and theft.

cross-reference (verb)

cultural orientation

Cutoff date

To double check related information sources to verify accuracy. He crossreferenced the information with multiple sources to verify it was accurate/The cases are cross-reference in the system, meaning they are linked and their stories must match. Class the IRC offers to approved refugees to teach them (orient them) about what to expect when they arrive in the United States. After your case is approved, and before you leave for the US, you will be scheduled for cultural orientation. Date past which something can no longer happen. The cutoff date for Salvadoran refugees to arrive in the US and receive benefits under NACARA was in 1995; applicants who arrived after that date are not eligible to apply.

day laborer

A person who performs unskilled labor for pay on a day-to-day basis, not as a regular employee.

deceased

Formal adjective synonymous with "dead".

deception

The act of lying or deceiving someone (see "deceive")

delay (verb/noun)

To slow down/the time period in which something is delayed or slowed down An assembly of people in public, usually to protest a civil or social reality that they oppose. The peaceful demonstration against the dictatorship was put down by riot police.

Demonstration 9

denial

The act of denying. The denial of his application was a disappointing setback.

deny (verb)

To turn down or refuse a request. Your request to take time off is denied because you submitted it late.

depart (verb)

To leave

departure

The act of leaving. The planes departure is scheduled for 6pm. To send someone back to their country of origin, usually due to illegal presence in their current location. If your visa expires while you are still in the country, you may be deported. A person who gains their refugee status through their relationship to someone who has already established a refugee claim. Once his claim was established and his application for resettlement was approved, his wife was designated a derivative refugee. To hold someone against their will, legally or illegally. The military detained him for five hours while they checked his paperwork.

deport (verb)

derivative refugee

detain (verb)

detention center

Center where people are held pending legal action, such as deportation, court appearance, or formal charges.

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DHS

diplomatic immunity

discriminate (verb)

displaced

US Department of Homeland Security. This government department has several sub-branches, one of which is the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is the agency responsible for considering, processing, and approving or denying applications for refugee resettlement within the US. Status held by a diplomat in which they are in most instances free from the risk of prosecution for crimes they may commit in their host country. Drinking alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and if the ambassador had not had diplomatic immunity, she would have been sent to jail for taking shots in the street. To treat someone differently, usually negatively, on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or other characteristics. To discriminate against someone based on race is illegal in the United States. Lacking a home or a country. The conflict and resulting mass starvation led to the the displacement of thousands of people across the country./Many people who have fled the conflict have not yet left their home country, and are considered internally displaced.

divorce

Do you intend to engage in the US in.

Termination of a marriage/to legally dissolve or end a marriage. Do you plan to do Do you intend to engage in the US in any activity to violate or evade any law prohibiting the export from the United States of goods, technology, or sensitive information?

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Does not rise to the level of persecution

Though the facts of your case are compelling and you experienced hardship, your story does not rise to the level of persecution and your case cannot be granted.

domestic abuse/domestic violence

draft (verb/noun)

Term referring to violence against one's family. In the military context, to require someone to serve in the military during a time of war. In the US, during the Vietnam War, young men were drafted to serve overseas, usually against their will. The draft has not been used since the Vietnam War and members of the US armed forces serve voluntarily.

drug addict

A person addicted to drugs.

Compulsion by threat or force; coercion; constraint.

Duress He was under duress when he confessed to a crime he had not committed. Meeting the requirements to participate, receive benefits, etc. You will be eligible to apply for resettlement when you turn 18 years old. The act of spying/collecting sensitive information. The ambassador was accused of espionage when he was caught with several secret documents belonging to his host government.

eligible

espionage

ethnicity

A person's race or ethnic background.

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evade

To avoid or dodge He evaded the police for several years before the law finally caught up with him.

expiration date

Date upon which something becomes invalid. To lose validity/become invalid at the end of a specified time period. When your driver's license expires in five years, you will have to renew it. To take advantage of someone or some circumstance. When he hired the undocumented worker and paid her below the national legal minimum wage, he was exploiting her.

expire (verb)

exploit (verb)

exploitation

The act of exploiting someone (see "exploit") A violent expansion, as with gunpowder or a bomb The explosions from the bombs and shelling destroyed the village. To sell products outside the borders of the country in which they are made or grown. Rice is one of Thailands principal exports, but exporting antiquities is illegal. Obtaining something, usually money, from someone by force or intimidation. They used extortion based on threats to kill his family to get him to pay them over $10,000.

explosion

export (verb/noun)

Extortion

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False pretenses

Illicit method of obtaining something by misrepresentation. He got access to the building under false pretenses, saying he was a maintenance technician even though he was not.

false statement

A lie

Family ties

Term referring to family links in a certain place. Do you still have family ties in Burma?

farmer

A person who raises plants or animals for food and livelihood.

father-in-law

The father of one's spouse To run away. The interviewer asked when she fled her country, and she answered that she fled ten years ago when the conflict reached her village. US immigration term referring to a situation when a person applies for permission to travel to the US based on the approved application for immigration benefits of an immediate relative. A person may in certain cases follow-to-join a spouse whose visa petition has been approved, and does not need to separately apply for benefits.

flee (verb)

following-to-join

forced labor 14

Work performed under duress

forced relocation

The act of forcing a person or, more often, a group of people, to move, usually a hostile act that may be part of an ethnic cleansing policy.

Fraud

Willful misrepresentation of facts for personal advantage or profit. Selling UN registration is a form of fraud.

free of charge

At no cost; free. Applying to the US resettlement program is free of charge. Lacking seriousness or merit. The woman who applied today for asylum is not eligible and she knows it; her application is frivolous. She is just wasting time.

frivolous

gambling

Staking or risking money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance. The deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. Key term used by the US immigration system to refer to a person who has not committed certain crimes that would make them inadmissible. In order to obtain US citizenship, you must establish that you are a person of good moral character. A legal description of a situation in which an old rule will apply even though there are new rules about the situation. Although she would not normally qualify under the current regulations, because of her past status she was grandfathered in and is eligible for benefits.

Genocide

Good moral character (person of)

Grandfathered in 15

Grounds of inadmissibility

Reasons why a person is not able to resettle or receive immigration benefits. Opposite: Grounds for admissibility. There are several grounds of inadmissibility in your case, including past participation in persecution. Set of rules or conditions applicable to a given situation. The guidelines clearly state that in this situation, we should put the safety of our staff first.

Guidelines

half brother/sister

A sibling sharing one but not both parents with another person. Circumstances that are difficult and cause suffering. The long journey on foot across the country was a great hardship for everyone, especially the very old and the very young. Physical injury or mental damage/to cause physical injury or mental damage. Do you feel that you will be harmed if you return to your home country? To be considered by a legal authority to be a refugee, and therefore eligible for benefits such as resettlement, rations, or other aid To seize a vehicle, often but not always a plane, by threat or force/to rob a vehicle after forcing it to stop. The terrorists hijacked the plane and held its passengers for ransom after forcing it to land. Holding someone in their home, instead of in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi spent more than two decades under house arrest.

hardship

harm

have refugee status (verb)

hijack (verb)

House arrest

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household registration document

human trafficking

Document issued by the UN indicating that a person has been designated as a refugee or person of concern. It details certain biographical facts, such as the names and dates of birth of all members of a household. Please make sure and bring your household registration document to your interview. The act of selling people into servitude of various kinds. Human trafficking is a serious problem in SE Asia. Many women and children are kidnapped or tricked into sexual slavery by people who take advantage of their poverty or physical vulnerability. To stop eating as a method of protest. The prisoner went on a hunger strike and refused to eat until he was allowed to speak to his wife. Term referring to status granted in response to an immigration claim. She is eligible to apply for immigration benefits including asylum, cancellation of removal, and temporary protective status. The individual from the US (or other country accepting refugees) who conducts interviews and makes decisions about the credibility and eligibility of applicants to resettle in the US.

Hunger strike

immigration benefits

immigration officer

Immutable characteristics

Unchangeable attributes. This refers to something about a person that is unchangeable. To encourage a person or group of people to do something, usually to take hostile action against something or someone.

incite (verb)

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indict (verb) (pronounced inDITE)

To bring a formal accusation against someone, making it possible to try them in court. After weighing the evidence, the grand jury (a body charged with determining whether or not there is enough evidence against someone to try them in court) decided to indict her for murder. Her trial will begin next week. To cause (someone to do something/something to happen). Nothing could induce me to betray my country.

induce (verb)

influence (verb)

The act of producing effects in the outcome of an event or someone's opinions, beliefs, or behaviors. In the resettlement context, the encounter in which a person is questioned about their refugee claim/to question someone about their application for refugee status Abbreviated "RSC", this is the new name of the agency formerly known as OPE that does resettlement processing for the US refugee program. To take someone away, by force or by fraud, generally to keep them as a hostage, extract a ransom payment, or to abuse or exploit the person being kidnapped. He was kidnapped by the soldiers as he walked to work, and forced to do hard labor.

interview (verb/noun)

IRC Resettlement Support Center

kidnap (verb)

labor union

A group that collectively negotiates salary and working conditions on behalf of individual workers.

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landmine

An explosive device buried in the ground that detonates due to pressure from the surface.

livestock

Domesticated farm animals raised to provide food or labor

make a claim (verb)

The act of claiming. She made a claim to her insurance company when her car was damaged in the accident.

Make a finding

To make a decision. The judge made a favorable finding in her case.

malnutrition

marriage certificate

A medical condition brought about by inadequate nutrition Formal document detailing the facts surrounding the marriage of a couple, containing information about the couple, the place and date of marriage, etc, for record-keeping purposes. Fake marriage for the sake of obtaining immigration benefits. Marriage fraud is a ground of inadmissibility. A legal term referring to a fact that affects decision-making, particularly in court or on a claim for benefits. There were two main material facts that she presented to support her claim: that she was forced to flee her country due to civil war, and that she feared she would be harmed if she returned.

Marriage fraud

material fact

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Matter of discretion

An issue not necessarily defined clearly in the law, where an officer or judge has the ability to make their own decision. The applicant meets all the criteria for eligibility; granting his application is a matter of discretion. A written agreement between two agencies that establishes their dealings with one another where they are not defined by law. A person who relocates, possibly seasonally, in search of work, usually unskilled. In the US, many people come from Mexico first as migrant workers. The armed service of a country. Frequently but not always includes an army, an air force, a coast guard, a navy, and sometimes other branches of service. An armed group of individuals, considered citizen soldiers, as compared to regular military soldiers. They are frequently extralegal (not under government authority) and may also be referred to as paramilitary. The Minute Men militia in the US is composed of anti-immigration citizens who patrol the US-Mexico border without government authorization.

Memorandum of understanding

Migrant worker

military

militia

miscarriage

misrepresentation

Natural/unintended termination of a pregnancy, for any of various medical reasons. The act of deceitfully representing oneself or a set of circumstances. She obtained her welfare benefits through misrepresentation; she misrepresented herself as a single mother with no income, when in fact she has a parttime job.

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mistreat (verb)

To treat someone or something in such a way that they or it are harmed. Has anyone ever abused or mistreated you?

Mother-in-law

narcotic

The mother of ones spouse Any of a class of substances that blunt the senses, as opium, morphine, belladonna, and alcohol, that in large quantities produce euphoria, stupor, or coma, that when used constantly can cause habituation or addiction, and that are used in medicine to relieve pain, cause sedation, and induce sleep. The trafficking of narcotics is illegal in practically every country in the world.

nationality

No-show (verb/noun)

The status of belonging to a particular nation, whether by birth or immigration/naturalization. As used by the IRC/RSC, to not arrive at an interview appointment/act of not arriving at an interview appointment. If you no-show, your case will be put on hold. Two no-shows will result in your case being deactivated. DHS: Refers to the name of a form letter provided to applicants for immigration benefits advising them of the status of their case

Notice of action

Notify (verb)

To inform or advise

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official

As a noun, refers to a person elected or appointed to an office and charged with certain responsibilities, usually in government. As an adjective, refers to something issued with a certain authority. Government officials have certain duties they are required to perform on behalf of citizens./The birth certificate carried an official seal indicating that it was authentic and issued by the local government. Political party that is not in power. Members of the opposition party were frequently arrested on trumped-up corruption charges and held without trial.

Opposition party

overthrow the government

To remove a government, typically by forceful or violent means.

pass away (verb)

Polite euphemism or term meaning "to die".

perjury

Legal term that refers to lying under oath in court or on a legal document.

persecution

A program or campaign to exterminate or drive away a group of people due to race, religion, or beliefs. Term used by the UN to describe a person who is displaced from their place of origin and unable to return for fear of being harmed.

person of concern

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pick up (verb)

policy

To collect or retrieve something. A prescribed course of action decided by a government or organization to deal with a defined set of circumstances. US national policy at this time is to maintain a refugee program and welcome refugees from around the world.

polygamy

Practice in which a man has more than one wife. In the refugee context, to carry supplies or weapons for the military, usually under duress/a person forced to carry supplies or weapons for the military.

porter (noun/verb)

Predicate (verb)

Prejudice (withdraw an application with/without)

prescreen

To be based on. Her case was predicated on her past victimization by the regime. In this context, prejudice refers not to discrimination, but to whether or not a person may re-apply. You may withdraw your application without prejudice, meaning you may reapply when you are ready to travel to the US. Term used to describe the initial interview for the US program. Currently, the IRC RSC does this interview and all related case processing prior to the applicant's final interview with the US immigration officer (DHS) Refers to a marriage that is now ended. The interviewer asked the applicant if she had any previous marriages; she responded that she has never been married before.

previous marriage 23

Prima facie eligibility

principal applicant/PA

process (verb/noun)

Apparent eligibility. According to your statement you have prima facie eligibility, however, we will have to verify the facts before granting you status. The individual whose story forms the main basis for a refugee claim in a multi-person case. The other persons on the case usually derive their refugee status from the claim of the principal applicant and do not have to independently establish a claim for status. To prepare something in a series of actions governed by prescribed procedure/the act of processing something The RSC processes refugee cases prior to their interview with DHS/The resettlement process can take anywhere from six months to more than a year from start to finish.

prostitute

Someone who performs sexual acts in exchange for money or other compensation.

prostitution

The act of selling sexual favors. An assembly of people in public, speaking out against a civil or social reality that they oppose. The protest turned violent, and police began arresting participants. To make available, to supply or equip, to offer. The resettlement agency will provide you with all the information you need to succeed in your new home.

Protest

provide (verb)

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province

q+a (question and answer) session

A geographical and political subdivision of government At the refugee camps, this is an opportunity for individuals to approach the various NGOs involved in resettlement to ask specific questions about their cases and determine their current status. A list of questions. You will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about your medical history while you wait; this will help the doctor understand your symptoms better.

questionnaire

rape (verb/noun)

To force someone to have sexual relations against their will/forced sexual relations

Reason to believe

Do you have any reason to believe you will be harmed if you return to your home country? An individual who opposes, usually by force and through violent means, the authority of a government or other body in power.

rebel

refugee claim

register (verb)

Formal request for refugee status To enter one's name or record one's name on a list or roll for various reasons. In the refugee context, to make oneself known to the relevant authorities, such as the UN or the national government, as a refugee and obtain recognition as such.

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relationship

Connection between persons by blood or marriage A generally agreed up on set of beliefs about the divine or the nature of the universe or human existence. He stated that his religion is Buddhist, and that his wife is a Christian.

religion

relocate (verb)

To move from one place to another

renounce (verb)

To give up or put aside voluntarily. She renounced her US citizenship when she became a citizen of Cuba. Step that can be taken once an application is denied. It is not an appeal of the decision, but rather an request that a case be looked at again.

Request for review

resettlement

resettlement agency

Voluntary relocation to a third country as a solution for displaced persons An organization responsible for the resettlement of refugees. Resettlement agencies in the US assist newly arrived refugees in finding housing and work, and with other basic needs.

reside (verb)

To live at a certain location

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residence

Place where one lives

revise (verb)

To modify or make a change. The document was revised several times before it was published.

Riot

Public violence, tumult, or disorder. The people rioted in the streets when they heard that fuel prices would rise. Exposure to danger, hazard, or chance of injury/to take a potentially dangerous chance. If you drink untreated water, you risk becoming ill. To gather people up/an event where people are gathered up. The men in the village were rounded up and forced to carry weapons for the soldiers. To disable, vandalize, or otherwise destroy equipment to keep it from being used for something the saboteur (person doing the sabotage) opposes; to undermine a cause by various means/the act of undermining a cause or disabling/destroying equipment. The rebels destroyed the bridge as an act of sabotage to keep the army from advancing. Safe place. Thailand is a temporary safe haven for many refugees, however, resettlement is the only durable solution A US government registration program that all males must enroll in when they turn 18. Its purpose is to keep track of men eligible to be drafted into the military in case of emergency;

risk

round up (verb/noun)

sabotage (verb/noun)

Safe haven (in a third country)

Selective service 27

however, there has been no draft in the US since the Vietnam War. The penalties for not registering with the selective service may include a fine, jail time, and loss of refugee benefits. You also will not be eligible to apply for US government jobs.

sensitive questions

Sentence (verb/noun)

Questions that may touch on topics of a painful or confidential nature. A judgment pronounced by a judge/court specifying the punishment that a convicted criminal will receive/to make such a judgment. The judge sentenced him to five years in prison

siblings

Brothers and sisters

Singled out

Specially chosen. He was singled out for punishment, even though others were also to blame.

sister-in-law

The sister of one's spouse

soldier

A member of a military service, almost always referring to an enlisted member of the army.

spouse

Husband or wife

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Spy

To gather sensitive information about a country on behalf of another country/a person who spies. The spy spent several days spying on the military outpost before reporting to his superiors.

starvation

Lack of food leading to severe debilitation, disablement, or death.

starve (verb)

To die or be in the process of dying from the lack of food or nourishment. An expression of fact, written or verbal. Your statements in support of your application will be recorded by the caseworker and reviewed by the DHS officer. A prohibition mandated by law. In immigration, this means that someone cannot receive benefits because of a law that disallows it. The statutory bar in her case is that she previously overstayed her visa for more than one year. She cannot reapply for ten years.

statement

Statutory bar

steal (verb)

To take something from someone else without permission or compensation.

stepbrother/sister

The son or daughter of your stepmother or stepfather

stepdaughter /son

Child acquired through marriage, not by birth: the son or daughter of your spouse.

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stepfather/mother

Parent acquired through marriage, not by birth: wife or husband of your biological father or mother

suicide

tax

The act of killing oneself A sum of money that must be paid to a government for its support or for specific facilities or services, levied upon incomes, property, sales, etc. You must pay taxes if you have an income.

taxation

The act of requiring citizens to pay taxes. A potentially fatal and highly contagious lung disease caused by bacteria. Symptoms include weakness, coughing up blood, fever, and weight loss.

TB/tuberculosis

tea plantation

A large farm where tea is cultivated/grown.

terminate (verb)

To end

termination

The act of terminating/ending

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terrorist

A person who uses violence or threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. The terrorist threatened to plant a bomb in the subway during rush hour if his demands were not met. A group that encourages its members to make threats or engage in violence and coercion, especially for political purposes.

terrorist organization

theft

threaten (verb)

The act of stealing. He reported the theft of his laptop to the police. To indicate willingness to harm or punish someone or subject them to undesirable consequences, usually in an effort to coerce. He threatened to harm my family if I didnt do what he wanted. This means that a person has not met the basic requirements. The case cannot be heard, as the threshold eligibility has not been established. As far as you know, what you know To the best of your knowledge, where was your family when the soldiers came to your village?

Threshold eligibility has not been established

To the best of your knowledge

To the best of your recollection

torture (verb/noun)

As well as you can remember. To the best of your recollection, when did you arrive in Thailand? To cause someone physical or mental pain in acts of extreme cruelty, usually to extract information or to punish. The military tortured him when he refused to reveal the location of the rebel camp.

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Totalitarian

Adjective describing a form of government characterized by centralized dictatorial rule. The North Korean government is a totalitarian regime headed by Kim Jong Il. A unit of local government, frequently a small town or settlement serving as the business and political center for a given rural region. Term that may be used to describe a marriage conducted by tribal authorities or in an extralegal manner that is not documented by legal authorities. In the protection context, the verb referring to the buying and selling of people or contraband. Young women are frequently trafficked for profit across national borders/Drug trafficking is a serious problem on the US-Mexico border. An act in which one disobeys traffic laws. Speeding and running red lights are considered to be traffic violations in most countries.

township

traditional marriage

traffic (verb)

traffic violation

Two-strike policy

IRC policy in which an applicant may no-show twice before they risk losing the opportunity to resettle.

Unaccompanied minor

A person under the age of 18 who is not with their parents. In the legal system, to be bound to do something, usually tell the truth. You will be under oath when you make this statement; if you are lying you will be guilty of perjury.

Under oath

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United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is the key legal document in defining who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligations of states. The 1967 Protocol removed geographical and temporal restrictions from the Convention. Turmoil or an uneasy state; general instability. Syria experienced years of civil unrest before breaking out into full-scale revolution.

unrest

up to date

Possessing all current information, accurate, correct. All of our files appear to be up to date.

Update (verb)

Uprising

To provide new information. Please update your contact information if you change your number or home address. A localized act (as opposed to a revolution, which would be more widespread) of popular violence usually opposing an established government. Beijing ordered that the uprising in Xinjiang be put down as quickly as possible. To check to determine something is accurate. I will read you back your case history. Please verify that all information I have recorded is correct.

verify (verb)

village

violate (verb) 33

A rural settlement, smaller than a town. To break a rule or to break a law; to break in rudely or disrupt. By travelling outside the country, she violated the terms of her refugee status/When her boyfriend opened her letters, he violated her privacy.

violation

A breach, infringement, or transgression of a law or rule/the act of violating.

voluntary

Waiver

done, made to happen, or brought about by someone's own free will. Resettling to the US is voluntary. In immigration, a special permission overriding some condition that would normally result in someone being unable to receive benefits. Although she was ineligible because she had previously overstayed her visa, she was granted a waiver and allowed to apply for residency. Any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, such as a sword, rifle, or cannon.

weapon Well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion

Statement on many US immigration forms referring to the grounds for admissibility into the refugee program.

withdraw an application (verb)

To indicate that a person is no longer interested in pursuing a given application

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