This is a handy flow chart I came across some time ago. It is published by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (in the Dept. of Health and Human Services).
Do you see where it says “war” in step 1? A legitimate refugee still must prove that he or she is being persecuted or has a legitimate fear of persecution even if running from a war zone. One cannot simply be fearful of war, or in the case of the Syrians, a civil war, persecution must still be proven (for such things as race, religion, political views and so forth). Many of the so-called ‘refugees’ arriving in Europe are really economic migrants, not legitimate refugees.
And, do you see Step 2? Refugees are required to file for asylum protection in the first safe country they get to. It is not supposed to be a shopping spree opportunity as is happening in Europe now as migrants move from country to country looking for the best welfare deals.
This whole ‘journey’, if done carefully, takes a couple of years.
Note the significant role the UN High Commissioner for Refugees plays in the processing of US-bound refugees.
