How about displaced hurricane evacuees?
Temporarily homeless hurricane victims works for me. There has already been well over FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS allocated to them by government. This does not include the millions of dollars pouring in from private charities.
Calling them refugees is pure hyperbole to help 'sell' the news. Or to make President Bush look like a leader who has forsaken his own people. Take your pick, my guess is that it's both.