Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction and Scope of the Report 6 The Role of UNHCR in Addressing Statelessness 8 Statelessness: A Global Phenomenon 10 International Treaties Addressing Statelessness 11 Defining Statelessness 12 Causes of Statelessness 13 International Obligations and the United States Framework 15 The U.S. Framework 17 Stateless Issues in the U.S. Immigration Law Context 18 Stateless Individuals in the United States 22 Addressing Statelessness in the United States 28 Conclusions and Recommendations 30 Appendix: Government Statistics Regarding Stateless or Potentially Stateless Individuals Who Made Affirmative or Defensive Asylum Requests and the Outcomes 33 Notes 36