Refugee Roulette

Abstract

The term “refugee roulette” refers to disparities in asylum adjudication, also known as refugee status determination. Asylum adjudication is the process by which a host state decides whether or not to grant lawful immigration status to individuals who seek protection from persecution or torture in their home countries. The adjudicator is generally a government official tasked with interviewing the applicant or hearing testimony, reviewing background facts relevant to their claim, and applying the relevant legal standards. In the developed world, this process may have several levels, entitling asylum applicants to two or more opportunities to have their claim heard and reviewed.