Lou Dobbs and "refugee"

There are times when Lou Dobbs really gets on my nerves. He insists on calling American citizens, victims of government ineptitude and a horrible natural disaster, "refugees".

Yes, the word is a complex one -- as is our language. But once someone complains about using a word, you should look into the definitions.

American Heritage:

ref·u·gee
Pronunciation Key (rfy-j)
n.
One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution.

Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: ref·u·gee
Pronunciation: "re-fyu-'jE
Function: noun
: an individual seeking refuge or asylum; especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)

Can any of you see, based on these two definitions -- especially the latter -- that the term is offensive, insensitive and, well... Perhaps worse.