Page 5 - Finding Refuge: Real-Life Immigration Stories from Young People

We all need shelter and safety. Refuge is a safe place, so a
refugee is a person looking for safety.
Throughout history, people have been forced to leave their
homes because of war, natural disasters, and other problems
that made their homes unsafe. Usually refugees have very little
time to plan their journey. Their situation changes quickly, they
are in sudden danger, and they leave their homes with whatever
they can carry. Sometimes families travel for days, weeks, or
months, looking for refuge. When they arrive in a new place,
the people who live there may not have enough food and shel-
ter available to help them. Sometimes they are welcomed, but
sometimes they are told they cannot stay and must keep going.

Why Do People Become Refugees?

Sometimes people look at war and violence in another country
and wonder, Why do people commit such terrible acts against their
own people? Those who are persecuting others do not consider
their victims to be “their own people”; they view their victims
as different and dangerous. When one group of people decides
that another group of people is too “different” to be tolerated,
they often turn to violence to make those people go away. The
victims of persecution must make the choice to leave or suffer
violence, discrimination, and possibly death.
When refugees decide they must flee their homes, their
destination is determined by several factors. Some are practical,
such as where they are allowed to settle, where they can afford
to settle, and where they can physically travel. Many countries
do not allow refugees to permanently settle within their bor-
ders. Transportation to a safe place can be difficult to find and
expensive. It is often dangerous. Every year hundreds of people
die trying to find refuge. Other factors are emotional; refugees

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