Leviticus 19:33 - 34When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
What is a refugee?
... is a person
who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of
race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group,
or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality, and
is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him/herself
of the protection of that country" (according to all the 1951 United
Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees). Every person
has the right to live free from persecution, or the fear of
persecution, based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in
a particular social group, or political opinion. Though every
government is obligated to provide this right, many fail. Every year
millions of people face persecution for traits they cannot control or
exercising their religious or political beliefs. When governments fail
to protect these rights, people have the right to move to a country
that will protect them. This is the right to asylum. People who seek to
exercise this right are called "asylum seekers" or, in some cases,
"refugees." In 1951, the formal basis for exercising the right to
asylum was established by an international treaty, the Geneva
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Countries signing that
Convention have an obligation to provide asylum or refuge to people
fleeing persecution.