Many people are unaware of the differences between a refugee (and the intensive screening process they go through) and illegal immigrants.  Refugees are legal to hire as soon as they get here.  They are invited by the US government.  They have a limited time to learn a new language, a new culture and get employed before the assistance of the resettlement agency is finished.  (They are also some of the hardest hit by the economic chaos-bottom of the food chain minimum wage jobs seems to disappear when times are tough).  

Wikipedia explains:  “According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.  “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.”