refugees, economic or political

An important distinction to those seeking to enter and stay in the United States. Political refugees (those who are in grave danger from their own governments because of political ideology or action) are granted entry fairly readily. Those identified by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) as economic refugees (those seeking entry because they want to end their impoverishment or to have access to financial opportunities) must go through a much longer and more rigorous process.