EAST GRAND FORKS — It has been a little more than two years since Mutware "Phillippe" Ngomirakiza came to the United States. During that time, he has learned many people don't understand what it means to be a refugee.

Ngomirakiza said he met with some staffers of lawmakers last summer, and was surprised to learn they didn't understand the difference between a refugee and undocumented immigrant.

He expressed concern that people may be making decisions without fully understanding, and encourages community members to be advocates for knowledge. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, "refugees are people who have fled their countries to escape conflict, violence or persecution and have sought safety in another country."

Ngomirakiza is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but

See Full Page