Redefining Refugee: A Proposal for Relief for the Victims of Civil Strife

This Article examines the legal protections afforded by immigration law for victims of civil strife. Using the displaced victims of civil strife in El Salvador as an example, the author examines the predicament of such victims, surveys various solutions that exist under current law, and concludes that United States immigration law fails to offer relief or remedy. In light of these deficiencies, the author proposes that current asylum law be amended to redefine "refugee" to include victims of civil strife in order to further humanitarian goals.