Asylum status is offered by the US government to those who meet the definition of a refugee. In the Immigration and Nationality Act, a refugee is defined as one "who is unable or unwilling to return to and avail himself or herself of the protection of his or her home country or, if stateless, country of last habitual residence because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion."