Thread on terminology:
"Refugee" is declaratory definition based on someone meeting the criteria set out in the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
"Asylum seeker" is someone who is actively seeking asylum having met the criteria of being a refugee. 1/

"Refugee status" is granted upon a successful application by an individual who meets the terms of the Convention.
"Economic migrant" is a largely bogus term used to dismiss people who may otherwise need assistance. 2/

Someone is a refugee as soon as they have fulfilled the criteria if the Convention, but may not gain full access to the rights of being a refugee until granted the status of refugee. 3/

Meanwhile the term "illegal migrant" is an entirely fictional term used by groups rather than "undocumented migrant" to create the perception that the individual rather than acts they have carried out are against the law. 4/

An "undocumented migrant" is someone who, due to a variety if reasons more often down to issues within the immigration system, i.e. delays or red tape, does not have the requisite documents entitling them to certain rights within a country. 5/

Important to note, the vast majority of "undocumented migrants" enter a country perfectly legally and become undocumented due to no fault of their own, however once you become undocumented it is incredibly hard to become documented again. 6/

The asylum system and immigration system are two distinct things, recognising the individual circumstances faced by asylum seekers which may preclude them for justifiable reasons from accessing the immigration system. 7/

Could we please stop conflating terms in order to make it sound like everyone attempting to the UK is doing so for nefarious reasons and instead recognise that this is a complex situation which relies on a better understanding of people's needs than currently applied. 8/