Common Terms, Acronyms, and Shorthands

Under United States law, a refugee is someone who:

• Is located outside of the United States
• Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States
• Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
• Is not firmly resettled in another country
• Is admissible to the United States

Not to be confused with an asylum seeker.

Someone living in a place for some length of time. Most programs have their own defined residency requirements. For example, BadgerCare Plus considers an applicant a resident of Wisconsin if they are physically present. Another example is Institutionalized Long Term Care Medicaid considers someone a resident of a skilled nursing facility if they have resided or expect to reside for at least 30 days.