This weeks conflict in the West Bank, Palestinian controlled territory; along with the continuing political turmoil regardng the United States border security requires a further examination of what is being talked about.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Refugees are people outside their country of origin because of feared persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order, and who, as a result, require "international protection ". By this definition, the vast majority of residents of Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza are not refugees. To meet the specific requirments you must be reside outside of your country of origin. Palestinians under the age of 75 cannot by definition be refugees because they were born in, and have always lived in the camps.

True refugees are people outside their country of origin because of feared persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order, and who, as a result, require ‘international protection’. Their situation is often so perilous and intolerable, that they cross national borders to seek safety in nearby countries, and thus become internationally recognized as ‘refugees’ with access to assistance from states, UNHCR, and relevant organizations. They are so recognized precisely because it is too dangerous for them to return home, and they therefore need sanctuary elsewhere. These are people for whom denial of asylum has potentially deadly consequences. This was copied directly from the UNCHR website.

Also to the UNHCR there is no internationally recognized class called migrants. This organization goes on to say migrants are people who have voluntarily crossed an international border in search of better economic opportunities. Certainly most people entering the United States without going through a Border Protection process or facility (the undocumented) are migrants...not refugees

All refugees are by this definition migrants. However not all (or even many) migrants are refugees.

Which brings us to a differentiation that the United States Government uses. According to the Department of Homeland Security refugees have received that status from the United Nations and can apply for refugee status through the US Resettlement Program. Anyone who has not applied for and received refrugee status from the United Nations is merely an Assylum Seeker and has no rights as a refugee as mandated by the United Nations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Many politicians and members of the mainstream news media don't understand this differentiation. It is extremely important... true refugees have some specific rights to enter this country. Assylum Seekers do not have any rights unless they are specifically following the legal steps that are necessary.

You never hear of any politicans (from either side of the issue) propose that we create a small pre-border zone at each crossing into the United States for the United Nations to set up and maintain a facility for those seeking status as refugees. Lets make this a United Nations problem, rather than a United States problem. That would take a huge burden off of our already strained border crossing facillities and staff.

We should turn all Assylum Seekers over to the United Nations before they cross our border.