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Persons who have fled their country of origin and cannot return due to a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in particular social groups. They are granted refugee status before traveling to the United States.

Asylum seekers, or asylees, are persons who have left their home country as refugees and are seeking asylum in another. They must meet the definition of a refugee, but they apply for their status after arrival to the United States. Once granted asylum they are eligible to receive the same benefits as a refugee.

RST welcomes anyone who has been granted asylum into our programs to receive support services for up to five years after arrival.

The U.S. government grants special status to Cubans and Haitians who flee their country to live in the United States. Once they arrive in the U.S. they are either granted parole or can apply for asylum, and are eligible for many refugee benefits.

Due to the crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, citizens and residents of these countries are eligible to apply for Humanitarian Parole. This is a temporary status to allow them to take refuge in the United States. Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees typically come through the Uniting for Ukraine program.

Human Trafficking is a crime that involves exploiting a person for labor, services, or commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion. Survivors of trafficking can be of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities. Refugee Services of Texas serves survivors of labor and sex trafficking, both adults and minors, domestic and foreign-born.

A Special Immigrant Visa holder is someone who has worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan, who once in the United States, is eligible to receive the same benefits as a refugee.

An Unaccompanied Child (UC) is defined as a child under 18 years of age who has no immigration status and has been separated from their biological parent.