personal statement for political asylum

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How To Write An Asylum Statement

Individuals in the US who are afraid of persecution in their home country may file for asylum in the US. Asylum is a type of protection the US government grants someone who has been persecuted or fears future persecution, in their home country.

Part of the asylum filing process is to write an asylum statemen t, and we will take a close look at how to write an asylum statement.

Individuals who demonstrate past or potential future persecution, due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and/or due to their political opinion, are generally eligible for asylum . This is true as long as the persecution is carried out by the government and/or a group that the government cannot or will not control.

Asylum Application Rules and Your Personal Statement

Although there are several ways to apply for asylum, including an affirmative asylum application process and a defensive asylum application process, the rules, requirements, and best practices are often the same.

For example, if you are filing for asylum, you should consider submitting a personal declaration as part of your asylum application. A personal declaration, or personal statement, explaining your story and why you are filing for asylum is generally helpful to your case. Although a personal statement is not strictly required, it is often better to have a well-written declaration submitted prior to your interview or court date .

What To Include In Your Personal Asylum Statment

In the personal statement, you have the ability to explain what happened to you in your home country clearly and without interruption.

A well-written personal statement also helps the Immigration Judge or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer by giving them the opportunity to read about your story and understand the grounds of your case ahead of time.

It is always a good idea to work with an experienced immigration attorney when applying for asylum, especially as immigration attorneys can help you with your personal statement to ensure that your statement is the best possible for your case.

Beginning To Write An Asylum Statement

Many asylum applicants are uncertain about how to write a personal statement and don’t know what type of information to include. While there are no exact official rules about how to write a personal statement, there are a number of things to keep in mind to help you write your story.

Personal Asylum Statment Introduction

First, the statement should begin with a general introduction of yourself and your dependents on your asylum case . This section may include the names and birthdates of all applicants/dependents as well as the location of births, and citizenship country or countries. You can also provide background information including your education status, especially if this information is important to your case or it helps readers understand your current status and situation.

The introduction section is specifically an introduction point to your statement, so it is best to include information that you feel will best help the judge or officer understand who you are.

Write An Asylum Statment In Multiple Sections

There are multiple ways to write a personal statement. For example, you could write down all the things that happened to you in chronological order, this means that you would describe everything that occurred in the order that they happened to you.

Or you could write your statement in sections describing what you are afraid of and using the incidents that happened to you as examples of the persecution you are afraid of. You could also create a statement that combines different styles.

What To Include In Your Asylum Statment

There is no exact formula for describing your story. Instead, what is important to keep in mind is that you make sure to include the following items:

Explain the persecution you experienced and/or the persecution you fear will happen in your country, and explain why you are or will be persecuted.
Make sure to describe how the persecution is due to or connected to your race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and/or due to your political opinion.
Describe everything that happened to you in your country that made you leave the country.
Explain what you fear will happen to you if you returned and explain who/what group you are afraid of.
Include any incidents that depict your fears such as incidents of threats, warnings, attacks, violence, and/or any other harm, etc.
Include descriptions of incidents or targeting of other family members or even friends if they face similar risks or are similar to you in their situation.
Explain why you cannot relocate to any other part of your country to be safe and explain why the government or law enforcement cannot, will not, or did not help you.
“I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of The United States that the foregoing is true and correct.”

Once you have completed the statement, make sure to sign and date the document. You may also want to consider going to an official notary and signing the document before them so they can notarize the statement. Again, this is NOT a requirement, but it does add a layer of verification to show that you did in fact sign the document.

How Much Detail to Include On Your Asylum Statement

When you are writing your story, do not get held up by unimportant details. Make sure to include details that are helpful to your case, but it is not important to describe every color, shape, and smell of every incident. When there are too many details included, the reader can get overwhelmed.

Similarly, many applicants think that they must include every single date and time that something happened, but they often have trouble remembering these details. You do not have to be so exact. If you cannot independently recollect a date or time, then do not include it. You can make more general statements about the date. For instance, you might say that it happened in “early January.”

If you can’t remember the month, you could say “at the beginning of the year.” Sometimes it is even ok to say something happened a “few weeks or months later.” Just make sure that you do not guess on dates and write them into the statement because if you can’t remember the date you wrote during the interview, the officer or judge could think that you are not telling the truth.

Addressing Major Changes With Your Asylum Statement

In addition to these details, make sure to address any major changes in your country since you left, if it makes a difference to your story. If there have been major elections or if social or political conditions have changed, make sure to explain why you are still in danger despite these changes. Similarly, if there have been additional developments to your case since you came to the US, please make sure to include this in your statement as well.

For instance, if you have found out that people have been searching for you since you left, or if family or friends have been threatened because of you, or if more warnings have been issued to you or about you, make sure to provide this information.

Also, if you have continued to engage in activity that puts you at risk in your country, especially activities like posting on social media, or publishing information some other way, make sure to describe this and explain why it puts you even more at risk for persecution.

Keep in mind that any major developments should be at least mentioned in your personal statement. You will always have the opportunity to discuss details and specifics in your interview or before the judge, but you don’t want to leave out anything that will be important to discuss at that time.

FAQs To Write An Asylum Statement

How long should an asylum personal statement be, is there an exact template or best way to write a statement, how should i write my statement if my english is not good, conclusion on how to write an asylum statment.

Your personal statement is an important part of your asylum application. The asylum personal statement gives you the opportunity to tell your story and describe why you are seeking asylum. There are many different ways to write your asylum personal statement. If you have any questions about applying for asylum or writing your personal statement, consult a trained immigration attorney .

Table Of Contents

Asylum Denial Reasons in 2024

How to provide evidence for your asylum case, what is race-based asylum, can i apply for asylum while on a j1 visa.

Table of Contents
Preface & Acknowledgements
Acronyms & Abbreviations
1. A Brief History
2. Sources of Law
3. Elements of Asylum Law
4. Precedential LGBTQ/H Asylum Cases
5. The One-Year Filing Deadline
6. Withholding of Removal
7. Relief Under CAT
8. Voluntary Departure
9. Real ID Act
10. Safe Third Country
11. Challenging Asylum Cases
12. Working with Asylum Seekers
13. Working with LGBTQ/H Asylum Seekers
14. Elements of an Application
15. Preparing the I-589
16. Sample I-589

17. Preparing the Asylum Declaration

18. Declaration Dos and Don’ts
19. Annotated Sample Declaration
20. Corroborating Client-Specific Documents
21. Corroborating Country Conditions
22. Indexed Country Conditions Sample
23. Sample Cover Letter
24. Assembling Everything
25. Affirmative Application Process
26. Immigration Court Proceedings
27. Board of Immigration Appeals
28. Federal Court Review
29. Detained Asylum Seekers
30. Obtaining an Employment Authorization Document
31. Asylee Status
32. Withholding Status
33. CAT Status
Important Resources

The information contained herein is for reference only and may not be up to date. It does not constitute legal advice. You should always consult an attorney regarding your matter.

Every application for asylum should include a declaration, or narrative from the client, detailing their experiences in their country of origin, reasons for fleeing, and reasons that they fear returning. This document is the single most important component of the written asylum application because it allows the client to tell their story completely and, as much as possible, in their own words.

It is often advisable (if the client speaks English, or if you and the client both speak another language—otherwise the burden of translation can be too great) to ask the client to write a draft statement which will serve as the starting point in revisions which you and client will work on together. There are no rules about what length a declaration ought to be, as long as the declaration thoroughly conveys the client’s story. That being said, most declarations will be in the 10-25 page range. The declaration should be written in numbered paragraph form for easy reference during testimony, in written briefs, or in closing arguments.

Each declaration will of course be different, as every applicant’s personal experience is different. In general, the declaration should provide a detailed view of the client’s life in their country of origin. The representative should help the client to edit out material that is not relevant to the claim, but it is important for the declaration to convey a complete understanding of the situation in the client’s country of origin. Thus, even relatively minor incidents of discrimination and harassment, which would not rise to the level of persecution on their own, can be important to provide context for the incidents which led the client to flee their country of origin.

» Practice pointer: Details matter! It is very important to include as many details as possible in each incident described in the declaration. It is also important to break down generalities like, “I was called names throughout my childhood” to specific examples. The client can start with the generality, and then use specifics to illustrate the point, “For example, I remember once in third grade, I walked over to a game of soccer that the other boys were playing when one of them called me a ‘sissy’ and told me to go home and play with my dolls.”

The declaration must include all of the elements of a successful LGBTQ/H asylum claim: membership in a particular social group; past and/or well-founded fear of future persecution; and, if relevant, an exception to the one-year filing deadline. At a minimum, the declaration should hit on the key points discussed below.

17.1 Client’s Childhood

The client should describe how they were treated as a child by their family, peers, school, religious or other authorities because of actual or perceived LGBTQ/H identity. If they experienced problems, describe the who, what, where, when and why of the experiences and their effects on them. Although clients are often unaware of their sexual orientation or gender identity during their childhood, they may have already felt “different” or preferred the company or activities of the opposite sex. Often, LGBTQ/H children experience sexual abuse because adults sense their vulnerability and know that the child’s “difference” would lead to their being blamed if they reported the abuse.

17.2 Client’s Realization of Identity

The applicant should explain at what age and how they realized or came to understand their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or HIV status; what reactions this caused and why; what changes the client made in their life because of this realization or understanding. Remember that essential to proving an LGBTQ/H asylum claim is proving that the client actually is LGBTQ/H. One of the primary ways to prove this identity is through detailed written and verbal testimony about the client’s coming to terms with their identity.

17.3 Client’s Adolescence

The applicant should detail how they were treated as an adolescent by their family, peers, school, employer, religious or other groups or authorities like the police, military, etc. because of actual or perceived LGBTQ/H identity. If they experienced problems, describe the who, what, where, when and why of the experiences and their effects on the client. Adolescence is often the age at which individuals first begin to understand their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, so this period can be particularly important in LGBTQ/H cases.

17.4 Client’s Adulthood

The applicant should describe how they were treated as an adult by their family, peers, school, religious, employer or other groups or authorities like the police, military, etc. because of actual or perceived LGBTQ/H identity. If they experienced problems, describe the who, what, where, when and why of the experiences and their effects on the client. While problems directly at the hands of the government (such as the police or military) most clearly qualify as persecution, other problems the client experienced should also be included. This may mean include being gay-bashed, threatened by neighbors, fired from work, called names, or denied medical treatment. Even incidents which would not rise to the level of persecution individually may cumulatively be held to be persecution. If the client was mistreated by non-government actors, they must explain why they believe that the government would be unable or unwilling to protect them from these private actors.

17.5 Availability of Legal Protection for Client

It is important for the applicant to explain whether they reported any incidents of abuse to the police or other authorities. If they did not report the incident(s), they should explain why it would have been unsafe or impossible to do so. If the incident was reported, what were the effects of the report, if any, on the client or their family?

17.6 Client’s Knowledge of People Similarly Situated

The applicant should describe what they know about how other LGBTQ/H individuals in their country of origin have been or are being treated, and how they know this. Since the application is generally based at least in part on a well-founded fear of future persecution, treatment of other, similarly situated individuals is relevant to explaining the client’s fear of return. As with all aspects of the declaration, details matter. It’s better for the client to say, “I remember reading a newspaper article a couple of months before I left about a transgender woman who was killed in my city” than to say, “Everyone knows they kill transgender people in my country.”

17.7 Client’s Possible Delay in Departure after Abusive Experience

The applicant should explain whether and why, if persecuted in the past, they did not leave her country of origin immediately. Adjudicators may try to use a delay in departure to argue that the client suffered an isolated incident and that they lived in their country of origin safely afterwards. If the client did not leave immediately after an abusive experience, they should explain why and also explain what steps, if any, they took to avoid further harm while they were still living in their country of origin.

17.8 Event(s) Triggering or Culminating in Client’s Departure

The declaration should include what, if any, specific event or series of events led to their decision to leave their country of origin. For some applicants, the decision to flee from their country of origin may be the cumulative result of many incidents; for others, a single compelling incident may cause them to flee. If there was a particular incident that triggered the departure, this should be highlighted. It is especially important to focus on the triggering event if the client had traveled to the United States or other countries where they could have applied for asylum in the past but then returned to their country of origin. A specific triggering event (such as an incident with the police, or an attack on a friend) can be very important in explaining why, in spite of having willingly returned to their country of origin in the past, the client reached the decision that they had to flee their country of origin permanently.

17.9 Client’s Destination Choice

The applicant must explain why, when they decided to leave their country of origin, they did not opt to pursue: 1) relocation elsewhere in the country; 2) refugee status or relocation to another country, and/or; 3) immediate relocation to the United States.

17.10 Client’s Comparison between United States and the Country of Origin

The declaration should also include the client’s experience in the United States as an LGBTQ/H person and an explanation of how has it been different than in their country of origin (e.g., in the areas of employment, health care, social support, involvement in organizations or events for sexual minorities).

17.11 One-Year Filing Deadline

If the client missed the one year filing deadline, they should detail the “changed circumstances” that now make them eligible for asylum or the “extraordinary circumstances” which prevented them from timely filing. They should also explain why their current filing is within “a reasonable period of time” after the exception. If the client has filed late and cannot demonstrate an exception to the deadline, they cannot win asylum, so you should spend almost as much time developing this section of the declaration as you spend on the rest of the declaration.

17.12 Challenging Issues

If the client has any negative facts in their application, such as arrests, return trips to their country of origin, or a past opposite-sex marriage, it is important for them to fully explain the circumstances surrounding the negative facts. The adjudicator will hone in on the negatives, so it’s best for clients to head this off and explain themselves in their own words. See Section #11 for an in-depth discussion of challenging issues that commonly appear in LGBTQ/H asylum cases.

17.13 Client’s Specific Concerns over Return

What specifically does the client, as an LGBTQ/H individual, believe would happen to them if they had to return to their country of origin? Why does the client believe this to be true?

17.14 What Not to Include in the Declaration

Opponents of political asylum often argue that asylum seekers are abusing the U.S. immigration system, “cutting in line” in front of other immigration applicants, and really coming to the United States for economic opportunity. In fact, an asylum seeker may be influenced by several motives in coming to the United States While the declaration cannot contain any untruthful material, it is the representative’s job to help the applicant decide which information should not be included because it does not help the case.

Generally, any statements that the applicant wanted to come to the United States because they believed it was the land of opportunity, or that they could get a better job here, should not be included. If this is the applicant’s primary motivation, then they probably should not be seeking asylum. If, primarily, they fled their country of origin because of feared persecution and hope that their economic situation will also improve, this economic motivation information will not help their application.

Although, as discussed above, the applicant should give a detailed description of their “coming out” process and write about important relationships they had in their country of origin, they should not include graphic sexual detail. Such information is private and not relevant to the outcome of the case. Likewise, if an applicant has suffered sexual abuse or assault, it is important to include this information in the declaration in a manner that the reader can understand but which is not unnecessarily graphic. For example, it would be better to choose the phrase, “then the officer anally raped me” then to say “then the officer f***ed me up the a**.”

Avoid legal terms and conclusions. It is up to the adjudicator to determine whether or not the applicant suffered “past persecution” or has a “well-founded fear of future persecution.” Thus, the client should detail fear and harm that they have suffered or fear in the future, but should avoid drawing legal conclusions. It’s better to write, “I felt so scared and humiliated when the police officer beat me” than to write “I was persecuted by a police officer in my country.” The most important part of the declaration is to include a detailed statement of the applicant’s life in their country of origin and fears of returning to that country. Leave the legal conclusions to the adjudicator.

17.15 Translation Issues

If the applicant does not speak English you should include a certificate of translation. As a practical matter, if you only submit an English declaration, it’s unlikely that anyone will question why you have not included a certificate of translation, but best practice is to include a translation certificate.

You have two choices for submitting the translated declaration. One choice is to submit the final version of the declaration in the applicant’s native language along with an English translation. Another, less time-consuming, option is to submit the declaration in English only, along with a certificate of translation such as:

17.15.1 Sample Certification of Accurate Translation

I, Rita Garcia, hereby certify that I orally translated the attached affidavit into Spanish and read it to the affiant who indicated that he understood it and agreed with its contents. I further certify that I am competent in both English and Spanish to render and certify such translation. Rita Garcia Sworn to before me this 14th day of September 2005 _________________________________ Notary Public

This Manual is intended to provide information to attorneys and accredited representatives. It is not intended as legal advice. Asylum seekers should speak with qualified attorneys before applying.

This handbook is intended for use by pro bono attorneys and immigration attorneys working on LGBTQ/HIV asylum cases.

Self-help asylum guides for LGBTQ and HIV-positive people without attorneys.

Detention Hotline

If you are in detention, call:

Calls from people outside of detention will not be accepted.

For general inquiries, call:

I want to apply for asylum, but I don’t know how to tell my story. How do I create the most compelling personal statement in an asylum application?

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Asylum Application and Evidence

In general, you can apply for asylum within one year of entering the United States by submitting an asylum application, Form I-589. Where you submit the asylum application depends on whether you are applying for asylum in immigration court or with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Scroll down or click on the links below to read questions and answers from the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP). You can also watch this video about how to fill out your asylum application.

When do I need to apply for asylum?
If I did not submit an asylum application within one year of entering the United States, can I still apply for asylum?

Is there a fee to file the asylum application?

Do i need to include that i am a member of asap in my asylum application, where do i file my asylum application, how do i file my asylum application in immigration court, how do i file my asylum application with uscis by mail, how do i file my asylum application with uscis online, should i list my spouse or children in my asylum application, what is a certificate of service, how do i get a receipt for my asylum application, i have a case in immigration court, but it does not appear on the automated hotline or website. how can i apply for asylum, what additional supporting evidence can i submit to support my asylum case, when do i need to submit supporting evidence, can i submit evidence in my own language, my asylum application was rejected and returned to me by uscis. what can i do.

See other questions.
Find legal help.

When do I need to apply for asylum?

Generally, you must submit your asylum application ( Form I-589 ) within one year of arriving in the United States. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Read more below.

If I did not submit an asylum application within one year of entering the United States, can I still apply for asylum?

Maybe! If you did not submit an asylum application within one year of arriving in the United States, you may still be able to apply for asylum depending on your situation. If your case fits one of these below situations, you may still be able to apply for asylum.

You are under 18 years old. In many cases, if you are under 18 years old, you may be able to apply for asylum even if you have been in the United States for more than a year. Read more about applying for asylum as a child .
You had or currently have lawful status in the United States , such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), parole, or a valid visa. You can apply for asylum anytime while you have the lawful status, even if you have been in the United States for more than a year. You can also apply for asylum after your status expires, and it is best to apply as soon as possible after your status expires.
The conditions in your country of origin have changed and it would now be dangerous for you to return. For example, the country has a new leader that intends to harm people like you.
Your personal circumstances have changed and returning to your country of origin would now be dangerous for you. For example, you converted to a religion that is not allowed in your country of origin. Or, you recently decided to live openly as a gay person and it would be dangerous for you to return to your country of origin as a gay person.
You were originally included in a family member’s asylum application, but you no longer qualify to be included in their asylum application. For example, you were included in your spouse’s asylum application, but you and your spouse have divorced since filing the application.
You suffer from serious illness, physical disability, or mental disability.
You suffered a serious crime or domestic violence recently.
Your attorney committed fraud, and you filed a complaint against them.

If your case fits one of the above situations, you may still be able to apply for asylum after one year of entering the United States. However, you still need to apply as soon as possible . You will also need to submit proof about how you fit one of the above situations.

Also, even if you do not qualify for asylum, you may still qualify for other similar forms of protection under U.S. immigration law, such as withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”) . These are similar to asylum because they are also for people who are afraid of returning to their countries of origin. You can apply using the same form as the form for asylum, Form I-589 .

No! Regardless of whether you are applying for asylum with USCIS or in immigration court, there is no fee to submit your asylum application.

No, you do NOT need to include information about ASAP in your asylum application (Form I-589). There are questions in the asylum application that ask about your membership in organizations (Questions 3.A and 3.B in Part B in the paper asylum application, and under “Party or group affiliations” in the online asylum application). However, these questions are only asking about organizations in your country of origin, not in the United States. So you do not need to include information about ASAP in your answer to these questions.

You do NOT need to attach your ASAP membership card to your asylum application.

Where you should file your asylum application depends on your situation. To understand where to file, you can answer the questions on this USCIS website . You can also read more below.

Most people who have a case in immigration court should file their asylum application with the immigration court .

Read instructions about how to file your asylum application in immigration court.
If you are not sure whether you have a case in immigration court, you can check this website or call the immigration court hotline at 1-800-898-7180. You can also read about other ways to know if you have a case in immigration court .

In some special circumstances, people with a case in immigration court should file their asylum application with USCIS by mail . These are the special circumstances:

If the automated hotline or website says that your immigration court case was closed or dismissed, you can mail your asylum application to USCIS. Read more information and instructions .
If you believe you will have a case in immigration court in the future, but your information does not yet appear on the automated hotline or website, you can mail your asylum application to USCIS. Read more information and instructions .
If you are an unaccompanied child with a case in immigration court, you can mail your asylum application to USCIS. Read instructions .

People who do NOT have a case in immigration court should file their asylum application with USCIS, either by mail or online .

If you do not have a case in immigration court, in general you should file your asylum application with USCIS. There are two ways to file with USCIS: by mail, or online.
If you would like to file your asylum application with USCIS by mail, read these instructions .
If you would like to file your asylum application with USCIS online, read these instructions . However, unfortunately not everyone is eligible to use the online filing system. You cannot apply online if you are in one of the situations described under the “Special Instructions” tab on this USCIS webpage . If you are in one of those situations, you will need to mail a paper asylum application to USCIS instead.

You can follow the steps below to apply for asylum in immigration court.

1. Complete your Form I-589.

Download or print Form I-589 . The form is long and asks some hard questions. But do not let this discourage you! You can watch this video for step-by-step instructions about how to fill out the asylum application. You can also see Appendix F of this guide for more instructions.
Your answers must be written in English.
Read each question carefully. All of your answers should be complete, accurate, and truthful.
You may be able to include qualifying family members in your asylum case.
After you are done, review the entire application to catch any mistakes.
If you are filling out the application on paper and writing by hand, make sure that your handwriting is clear and easy to read. Use a black pen.
Remember to sign and date your application.

2. Prepare your application packet.

One original Form I-589 for the judge.
One copy for the government attorney.
One copy for you to keep for your records.
You may also need to prepare a certificate of service, if you are submitting your asylum application by mail or at the filing window of the immigration court. A certificate of service is a document that states that you sent a document to the government attorney. You can download and fill out this certificate of service .
You can include other supporting evidence .

3. Submit your application packet. You have three options for how to do this.

Option 1. You can submit your application packet in person during your hearing. You can hand your original asylum application and the two copies you prepared to the judge. The judge should stamp them. The judge should keep the original, and give you back the two copies. Give one of the copies to the government attorney, and keep the other copy for your records. This copy is your receipt proving that you submitted your asylum application.
Take the original asylum application, two copies, and a certificate of service to the filing window in your immigration court. The clerk should keep the original and the certificate of service. The clerk should stamp the copies and give them back to you.
Keep one copy for your records. The copy is your receipt proving that you submitted your asylum application.
The other copy needs to be sent to the government attorney. You can do this by taking the copy to the government attorney office, which is usually located in the same building as the immigration court, or by mailing it to the government attorney. You can find the addresses for government attorneys here .
Make sure you use a mail service that offers tracking. For tips on how to mail documents, watch this video .
Mail the original asylum application, a copy of the application, and the certificate of service to the immigration court. You can find addresses of immigration courts here . In addition, make sure to include an envelope with your address and postage. The immigration court should stamp the copy of your asylum application and then mail it back to you using the envelope. If you do not include an envelope, they will not mail you your copy. The copy is your receipt proving that you submitted your asylum application. Keep this copy somewhere safe.
Mail another copy to the government attorney. You can find the addresses for government attorneys here .

4. Send documents to USCIS for your biometrics appointment (also called fingerprint appointment) .

You have to send certain documents to USCIS in order to be scheduled for a biometrics appointment for the government to collect your fingerprints. Please read these instructions or watch this video .

5. Continue with your asylum case in immigration court.

You can submit more evidence before your individual hearing.
Read about the immigration court process .
Read about applying for your first work permit .

There are two ways that you can submit your asylum application to USCIS: by mail or online. You can follow the steps below to apply by mail. If you want to apply online instead, find instructions for applying online here .

You can include the documents below, in this order. Do not staple the pages – you can use a paperclip, binder clip, or rubber bands instead to hold all the pages together.
Form G-1145 (optional). If you want, you can include Form G-1145 to receive notices about your application by text message or email.
Your completed Form I-589.
A copy of your passport, if you have one. If possible, include a copy of every page, including the front and back covers.
A copy of your Form I-94, if you have one. It may look like this , this , or this .
A copy of a document that proves your family relationship – for example, a copy of birth certificate for a child or a copy of a marriage certificate for a spouse.
A copy of your family member’s passport and Form I-94, if they have one.
If you had an immigration court case in the past but it was dismissed, you can find more specific instructions here .
You can also attach other supporting evidence to your asylum application. You can also choose to submit them later. Read more about additional evidence here .
If a document is not in English, you should also include an English translation with a certificate of translation .

3. Make a copy of the whole packet and keep it for your records.

4. Mail the original application packet to USCIS.

The USCIS address where you need to send your application packet depends on where you live. You can find the correct address by going to this USCIS webpage , and looking under “Where To File.”
However, if you are in one of the special situations described under the “Special Instructions” tab on this USCIS webpage , you have to submit your asylum application to a special processing center called the Asylum Vetting Center.

5. Continue with your asylum case with USCIS.

You should receive a receipt notice in the mail.
You can submit more evidence before or during your asylum interview.
Read about the USCIS process .

There are two ways that you can submit your asylum application to USCIS: by mail or online. Only some asylum seekers can apply online . If you are not sure, read this question to understand whether you can file online.

If you are eligible to file online, you can follow the steps below to apply online. If you want to apply by mail instead, find instructions for applying by mail here .

1. Log in or create your USCIS online account.

Go to this USCIS online account website . This website is only available in English.
Next, log in to your USCIS account if you already have an account. If you do not have an account, click the blue sign up button to create an account. You can watch this USCIS video about how to create an online account.

2. Start the asylum application.

If you are using a phone, click “Menu” in the top right corner, click “Account actions,” then click “File a form online.” If you are on a computer, click “My Account” in the top right corner, then click “File a form online.”
Next, select “I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal” in the drop down menu.
Click “Start form.”

3. Complete the asylum application.

Most of the questions in the online asylum application are identical to the paper asylum application. You can watch this video for detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the paper asylum application. Below are some useful things to know when completing the online asylum application:
Pop-Up Window: When you are filling out the application online, you will likely see a pop-up window that looks similar to this:

If you would like to continue, choose “Allow” because the government only accepts asylum applications from people who are located in the United States. If you choose “Block”, the website will not allow you to proceed.

If you entered the United States with parole or a specific type of visa (such as a B2 tourist visa or F1 student visa), choose that from the list.
If you are an asylum seeker who did not enter the United States with parole or a visa, you can choose “999 – Alien awaiting decision of asylum.” You can then leave “Date this status expires” blank.
If you are not sure what to choose, you can choose “ZN – Unknown.” You can then leave “Date this status expires” blank.
Blank questions: If you do not answer a required question, you will get an alert when you reach the “Review and Submit” section. You can then go back and answer. If you do not know an answer, you can write “unknown” or leave it blank.

4. Upload evidence.

You can upload evidence in the online form. There are size limits, so you may have to split large files into more than one file.
We recommend submitting a copy of your passport and Form I-94, if you have them.
A copy of your family member’s passport and Form I-94, if they have them.
Some of the evidence categories may not apply to you. In that situation, you do not have to include evidence for that category, even if you get an alert that says you should provide evidence. For example, if you do not have a Cover Letter, you do not have to submit one. Or, if you do not have a spouse or children, you do not have to submit evidence for Family Identification.
You do not have to submit all evidence at the same time that you are submitting your online asylum application. You can submit more evidence later, before or during your asylum interview. Read more about additional evidence here .

5. Submit your application and get your receipt notice.

Carefully review your application and evidence before you submit.
After you submit your asylum application, check your USCIS account frequently . You will not receive your receipt notice or other important notices by mail. Some people receive their receipt notice online in just 1 to 2 days.
You should be able to see and download a copy of your asylum application from your online account.

6. Continue with your asylum case with USCIS.

Yes! There are 3 things to know about this process.

1. List any spouse or children you have.

If you have a spouse or children, no matter where they live or how old they are, you should list them on your asylum application. You can provide information about them on Part A.II. on the paper asylum application (Form I-589) or in the “Your Family” section if you are filing online.

2. You can include qualifying family members in your asylum case.

If you have a spouse or unmarried children under age 21 who are living in the United States, you may also be able to include them in your asylum case. If you do this, your spouse or children can generally apply for a work permit at the same time as you! And if you win asylum, they will win asylum too – even if your child has turned 21 by then. The steps to include your family members in your asylum case are different depending on if you are applying for asylum with USCIS or immigration court. Read more below.

If you are filing your asylum application with USCIS and want to include your family member in your case, answer “Yes” to the question “If in the U.S., is your spouse/this child to be included in this application?” This check box is in Part A.II. on the paper asylum application or on the “Your Family” section if you are filing online. All family members that you include must attend your asylum interview.

Note: If you file your asylum application with USCIS, but later your case is sent to immigration court, your family members may no longer be included in your asylum case. Read below about how to check if your cases are together in immigration court.

Immigration court:

The process in immigration court is more complicated. To include your family member in your asylum case, your cases must be together in immigration court . This means that you have the same immigration judge, the same court dates, and you are listed together on court documents such as the Notice to Appear or Hearing Notice .

If your cases are already together in immigration court, your family member can automatically be included in your asylum case. When you complete your asylum application, answer “Yes” to the question in Part A.II, “If in the U.S., is your spouse/this child to be included in this application?” Each family member may also want to file their own separate asylum application, because then an immigration judge can grant other protections from deportation .
If you and your family members have separate cases in immigration court , you can all apply for asylum using separate applications. You can also consider requesting that your cases be combined. You may want to seek advice from an immigration attorney to help determine the best strategy for your family.
If your family member does not have a case in immigration court at all , they will not be included in your asylum case.

3. If you win asylum, you can petition for qualifying family members.

If you cannot include your spouse or children in your asylum case but you later win asylum, you may still be able to request immigration status for them.
If you win asylum, you can file a petition called Form I-730 to request asylum for your spouse or unmarried children under age 21 who were not included in your asylum case. You can request asylum for these family members even if they are outside the United States or are living in the United States without immigration status. You must file Form I-730 within 2 years of winning asylum.
Also, if you win asylum, you can become a Permanent Resident after one year . Eventually, you can apply to become a citizen of the United States. Permanent Residents and U.S. citizens have additional options to request immigration status for more family members .

A certificate of service is a document that states that you sent a document to the government attorney. You only need certificates of service if you have an immigration court case! If you are applying for asylum with USCIS, you do not need this document.

If you have a case in immigration court, you may need a certificate of service when you submit your asylum application , or when you appeal your case to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) .

You can download and fill out this certificate of service .

The way to get a receipt showing that you submitted your asylum application (Form I-589) depends on whether you are submitting your application to USCIS or to the immigration court. Read here if you are not sure where to file your asylum application .

If you are applying for asylum with USCIS by mail , USCIS should automatically mail you a receipt notice after they receive your asylum application. Read here if your receipt notice is delayed .
If you are applying for asylum with USCIS online , USCIS should automatically post your receipt notice to your USCIS online account .
If you are applying for asylum with the immigration court , the immigration court will not send you a receipt automatically. Instead, if you want proof of receipt, you need to take action. You may want a receipt because it is useful to have one when you apply for a work permit . Your proof of receipt is the first page of your asylum application stamped with the date of receipt by the immigration court.

If you have not submitted your asylum application yet, follow these instructions to request a stamped copy of your asylum application.

If you already submitted your asylum application to the immigration court , but you did not receive a copy of your asylum application with a date stamp, first you should check that the immigration court received your asylum application. Call the immigration court hotline at 1-800-898-7180. Press 1 for English, enter your A Number, press 1 to confirm your A number, and 1 again to confirm your name. Finally, press 2. If you hear a message indicating that a certain number of days is on your “clock,” this means that your asylum application was received by the court that number of days ago.

If you confirmed that the immigration court received your asylum application, and you want a copy with a date stamp, you can call your immigration court to find out how you can get a copy. You can find the contact information for your immigration court here .

This can be a confusing situation. Some people know that they will have a case in immigration court, but when they check their immigration court case status, it says “the A Number information did not match a record in the system” or “no case found for this A Number.” If this situation applies to you, it is best to mail your asylum application (Form I-589) to USCIS within one year of entering the United States. This may seem confusing because your case will actually be in the immigration court, not with USCIS. However, this is the only way you can file your asylum application if the immigration court has not yet entered your information in their system yet.

How do I know if I am in this situation?

You know that you are probably in this situation if both of the following statements are true:

You know that you will have a case in immigration court (for example, because you received a Notice to Appear or you were detained by immigration officials after entering the United States), AND
When you check your case status by calling the immigration court hotline at 1-800-898-7180 and after entering your A Number, the hotline says: “The A Number information you entered did not match a record in the system or the case has not been filed with the immigration court.” OR when you check your case status by entering your A Number on the immigration court website , it says “No case found for this A Number.”

If you are in this situation, you can take the steps described below to submit your asylum application. If you are not in this situation, read this question to find out how to submit your asylum application .

How can I apply for asylum in this situation?

To apply for asylum in this situation, you can follow these steps:

Mail an asylum application to USCIS before the one-year deadline. You can follow these instructions to complete your asylum application package and mail it to the correct USCIS address. You cannot file for asylum online in this situation.
Keep a copy of your application because you will need to submit it to the immigration court again later.
After you submit your application, USCIS should send you a notice. Keep this notice in a safe place because it proves that you submitted your asylum application before the one year deadline. You can also include a copy of the notice when you apply for your work permit .
The immigration court should eventually schedule you for your first hearing, known as a master calendar hearing . Check your case status every week so that you learn when your hearing is scheduled. At your hearing, it is important to tell the judge that you filed your asylum application before the one year deadline. You can bring a copy of the notice you received from USCIS and a copy of your asylum application.

You can submit different types of evidence to support your asylum case. This is usually a good idea, but it is not required. It is possible to win asylum based only on your own testimony during your immigration court hearing or your asylum interview. The evidence that you submit should answer these five key questions:

What was the harm you suffered in your country of origin, or what harm do you fear you may suffer if you have to go back to your country of origin?
Who harmed you, or who would want to harm you? If you do not know for sure, who do you think it was?
Why were you, or why will you be, a target for harm in your country of origin?
Why are you not able to seek help or protection from the police or the government of your country of origin?
Is there a safe place inside your country of origin where you can live?

You can watch this video that can help you think about these questions and prepare your asylum case.

Here are some examples of the kinds of evidence you can submit:

However, every case is different! This list is not meant to be complete and the examples will not apply in every case.

A written declaration, describing any harm you suffered in the past, who harmed you, why they harmed you, whether you tried to get help from the police or the government of your country of origin, whether there is a safe place inside your country of origin that you can move to, and what you think might happen to you if you were to return to your country of origin.
Identity documents, such as your passport, birth certificate, and marriage certificate.
Police reports, if you made a report to the police about the harm you suffered.
Medical reports, showing any physical injuries you may have suffered.
Mental health evaluation, showing any mental harm you may have suffered.
Newspaper or magazine articles about the issues that make you afraid to return to your country of origin, or articles about bad things that happened to people who are similar to you in your country of origin.
Letters or declarations from people who know about what happened to you in your country of origin.
Photographs that show parts of your story. For example, the photos can show any harm you suffered, or your participation in a group or activity, if you believe your participation in that group or activity is making you a target for harm.
Text messages, Facebook messages, or any other written communication that contain threats made against you.
Membership cards or other official documents from a group, if you believe your membership in the group is making you a target for harm.
News articles or reports from national or international human rights organizations about the situation that you have fled from.
If you are applying for asylum more than 1 year after arriving in the United States, you can also submit evidence that shows why you should still be able to apply for asylum. Read more about exceptions to the 1 year deadline here .

You can also find more ideas beginning on page 13 of this guide , page 8 of this guide , and page 15 of this guide .

If you are afraid of going back to your country of origin because of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status, you can read this guide for more ideas.

Other tips:

Please also remember that if any of the evidence is not in English, you will also need to include a translation and a certificate of translation .

Do not submit any fake or forged documents. Submitting fake documents can have bad consequences for your case. If you cannot get certain evidence, or getting it will put you or someone else in danger, then you can explain to the immigration judge or asylum officer why you could not get that evidence.

You do not have to submit supporting evidence at the same time as your asylum application (Form I-589). Instead, you can wait until you are closer to your individual hearing in immigration court, or your USCIS asylum interview.

If you have a case in immigration court , you first need to submit your asylum application. Then, once your individual hearing is scheduled, you will need to submit additional evidence. The immigration judge should give you a deadline for submitting the evidence, usually at least 15 days before the individual hearing. Read more about applying for asylum in immigration court here , or watch these videos .

If you apply for asylum with USCIS , you will be scheduled for an interview in an asylum office after you submit your asylum application. You will need to submit your additional evidence before your interview, usually at least one week before your asylum interview. It should be sent directly to the asylum office where you will have the interview. You should read your asylum interview notice and follow the instructions. You can also bring additional evidence with you to your asylum interview. You can contact your local asylum office for more detailed instructions.

Read more about applying for asylum with USCIS here , or watch these videos .

Yes. You can submit evidence in a language other than English, but you will also need to include a translation into English and a certificate of translation .

If your asylum application was rejected and returned to you, you should carefully read the rejection notice. The rejection notice explains why USCIS rejected your application. You can correct the problem and resubmit your application. If you need help resubmitting your application, you can look for legal assistance .

Note: This page is for adults who are interested in seeking asylum in the United States. Our hope is that you will use the information to better understand the asylum process and take control of your case. However, this information is not a substitute for legal advice about your particular case. To look for legal assistance, visit ASAP’s find help page .

Asylum Statement Sample (Preparing your Claim)

Last Updated: 9 April 2020

Preparing your statement

There are three general remarks to make before you start to work with the questionnaire:

Please keep the recommendation regarding truthful statements in your mind. It is extremely important to give a picture that is true, complete, detailed and consistent (without contradictions to former statements or evident facts). Be very precise when indicating time and place.
In order to prepare your interview, always keep a copy of your written statement with you and read it from time to time to help you to remember all of the important details.
In all cases where you have been persecuted or were threatened to be persecuted by a private person or organisation (not belonging to the state), you will need to explain how the state behaved in relation to this persecution. Did the state tolerate or even endorse it? Was the state indifferent? Or did the state try to protect you? Was the state also able to protect you efficiently? Theses questions are of some relevance in many asylum countries.

Questionnaire

Legal disclaimer.

The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.

Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law , Tax , Human Resources , Immigration & Employment Law .

Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing & Content Agency for the Professional Services Sector.

Gill Laing https://www.xpats.io/author/editor/ Commonwealth Visa & BNO Citizens
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ALERT: Court Order on Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Final Rule

On Aug. 3, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a stay of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California’s order in East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Biden , 18-cv-06810 (N.D. Cal.), vacating the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways (CLP) rule . At this time and while the stay remains in place, USCIS will continue to apply the CLP rule.

Under the rule, certain individuals who enter the United States through its southwest land border or adjacent coastal borders are presumed to be ineligible for asylum, unless they can demonstrate an exception to the rule or rebut the presumption. Individuals are encouraged to use lawful, safe, and orderly pathways to come to the United States.

Special Filing Instructions if EOIR Dismissed or Terminated Your Removal Proceedings, and You Want to Apply for Asylum with USCIS

If EOIR dismissed or terminated your removal proceedings, you may apply for asylum with USCIS. Please see the updated information on the How USCIS Processes a Form I-589 Filed After Removal Proceedings are Dismissed or Terminated webpage on the handling of a Form I-589 filed with USCIS after your removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated. For information about employment authorization based on a pending Form I-589 after dismissal or termination of your removal proceedings, see the “Special Instructions” section of the Form I-765 page.

Every year people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution due to:

Nationality
Membership in a particular social group
Political opinion

You may only file this application if you are physically present in the United States, and you are not a U.S. citizen.

At this time, the option to file an online Form I-589 is only available for certain affirmative asylum applicants. Affirmative asylum applicants may not file an online Form I-589 if they:

Are in proceedings in immigration court or before the Board of Immigration Appeals;
Are an unaccompanied alien child as defined in 6 U.S.C. § 279(g) and are in removal proceedings;
Are among the categories of applicants who must currently file by mail with the Asylum Vetting Center as outlined in the Special Instructions section of our Form I-589 webpage; or
Already submitted a Form I-589, which is still pending with USCIS.

If you are eligible for asylum you may be permitted to remain in the United States. To apply for asylum affirmatively or defensively, file a Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal , within 1 year of your arrival to the United States. Visit our Obtaining Asylum in the United States page for more information on affirmative and defensive filings. There is no fee to apply for asylum.

You may include your spouse and children who are physically present in the United States as dependents on your affirmative or defensive asylum application at the time you file or at any time until a final decision is made on your application. To include your child as a dependent on your application, the child must be under 21 years old and unmarried. For more information see our Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal page.

If you were placed in expedited removal proceedings, you received a positive credible fear determination, and USCIS retained your asylum application for further consideration in an Asylum Merits Interview, please visit our Asylum Merits Interview with USCIS: Processing After a Positive Credible Fear Determination page.

If you have an asylum application pending with us, you can check the status of your application at Case Status Online . You will need the receipt number that we provided you after you filed your application.

To apply for employment authorization, you must file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. For more information, see the Form I-765 webpage.

Based on a Pending Asylum Application:

To apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) based on your pending asylum application under the (c)(8) category, you may file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, 150 days after you file your asylum application. You are not eligible to receive an EAD until your asylum application has been pending for at least another 30 days, for a total of 180 days, commonly referred to as the 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock.

Delays that you request or cause while your asylum application is pending with an asylum office or with the Executive Office for Immigration Review do not count toward the 150-day waiting period or the 180-day eligibility period.

Delays you may request or cause may include:

Asking to transfer a case to a new asylum office or interview location, including when the transfer is based on your change of address;
Asking to reschedule an interview for a later date;
Failing to appear at an interview or biometrics appointment;
Failing to provide a competent interpreter at an interview (if required);
Asking to provide additional evidence at or after an interview;
Submitting large volumes of evidence immediately before an interview that requires a reschedule; or
Failing to receive and acknowledge an asylum decision in person (if required).

If you are required to receive and acknowledge your asylum decision at an asylum office but you fail to appear, your 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock will stop, and you may be ineligible to receive employment authorization. If your case has been referred to an Immigration Court, your 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock will not start again until your first hearing with an immigration judge.

If you fail to appear for a scheduled asylum interview without good cause, or fail without good cause to provide a competent interpreter if you are required to do so, we may refer your Form I-589 to an immigration judge, and you will be ineligible for employment authorization based on your pending Form I-589. For additional information about establishing good cause, please review Establishing Good Cause or Exceptional Circumstances .

For more information regarding employment authorization and applicant-caused delays, see The 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock Notice (PDF, 375.08 KB) . If we approve your application for employment authorization based on your pending asylum application, your EAD will be valid for up to 5 years.

After the Asylum Application is Adjudicated:

If you are granted asylum, you are immediately authorized to work. (Some asylees choose to obtain EADs for convenience or identification purposes, but an EAD is not necessary to work if you are an asylee.)

If you are denied asylum, your employment authorization will terminate when your EAD expires or 60 days after your asylum application was denied, whichever is later. If you are not in lawful immigration status (or do not have parole), and an asylum officer “refers” your asylum application to an immigration judge for further consideration, your EAD remains valid through the date of expiration, unless you renew it. If an immigration judge denies your asylum application, your employment authorization will terminate on the expiration date printed on your EAD, unless you appeal the immigration judge’s decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) or, after BIA review, you appeal the BIA’s decision to a federal circuit court. You may be otherwise eligible for employment authorization if you are a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant or have parole or temporary protected status.

ALERT: If you are applying for your initial (first) employment authorization based on having a pending asylum application, you may be a member of the class action case, Rosario v. USCIS, Case No. C15-0813JLR (W.D. Wash. July 26, 2018). To learn more, visit the Rosario Class Action page.

If you are scheduled for an asylum or NACARA 203 interview at an asylum office and you have an attorney or an accredited representative, they may participate in your interview remotely by telephone.

To participate remotely, they must complete Form G-1593, Certification by Attorney or Accredited Representative for Remote Participation in an Affirmative Asylum and/or NACARA 203 Interview (PDF, 248.05 KB) , and submit it to the asylum office where we have scheduled your interview.

Please carefully read the information on Form G-1593 and consult with your attorney or accredited representative to determine whether you want them to participate remotely.

If you are granted asylum you may petition to bring your spouse and children to the United States by filing a Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition . To include your child on your application, the child must be under 21 and unmarried.

You must file the petition within 2 years of being granted asylum unless there are humanitarian reasons to excuse this deadline. There is no fee to file this petition.

You may be approved for a Green Card 1 year after being granted asylum. To apply for a Green Card, file a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status . You must submit a separate Form I-485 application packet for yourself and, if applicable, for each family member who received derivative asylum based on your application.

For more information about Green Cards, see our Green Cards for Asylees page. For more information about asylum, see our Asylum Questions and Answers page.

Asylum News

Asylum and Refugee News Releases
Asylum and Refugee Alerts
USCIS Welcomes Refugees and Asylees (PDF, 1.35 MB)
The 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock Notice (PDF, 375.08 KB)
Rosario Class Action
Notice of Proposed Settlement and Hearing In Class Action Involving Detained Noncitizens Who Are Awaiting a “Reasonable Fear Determination”
Obtaining Asylum in the United States
The Affirmative Asylum Process
Types of Affirmative Asylum Decisions
Asylum Merits Interview with USCIS: Processing After a Positive Credible Fear Determination
Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum Interview
Minor Children Applying for Asylum By Themselves
Immigration through the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) Section 203
Asylum Bars
Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees
Asylum Division Training Programs
"How Do I" Guides for Refugees and Asylees
Basic Eligibility for Section 204(l) Relief for Surviving Relatives
Asylum Division Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting

Asylum Forms

I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal

Find Asylum Offices and Related Areas

Field Office Locator
Asylum Office Locator
Asylum Jurisdiction map (PDF, 757.37 KB)

Questions and Answers

Asylum Questions and Answers

Asylum System: Understanding asylum seeking in the US

Personal statements and the i-589.

Once a migrant steps foot into the United State, they should assume anything they say to a person of authority is being recorded. Beginning with officers at ports of entry through to the asylum officers or immigration court, all records will follow a migrant within the US.

Prioritize honesty in any application and statements made to US government authorities. If the government finds inconsistencies, they will deny an asylum application and could prevent other possibilities of obtaining legal immigration status in the US.

Migrants should remember to include all the reasons they are afraid to return to their home country. US authorities want to know details of incidents and how they tie to personal identity. If someone seeking asylum can’t remember a detail, like a date, do not guess .

Four key points to emphasize: (1) that they have been harmed or could be harmed in their country of origin, (2) that this harm ties to their personal identity (race, religion, ethnicity, political opinion, or belonging to a particular social group), (3) that their home country’s government is directing the harm or will not intervene to help, and (4) that even if they relocated within the home country they would not be safe. Include details relevant to what, who, why, would their government help and if the asylum-seeker could move somewhere within their country to be safe.

For filling out and filing an i-589 (asylum form) check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vsYjgttTUI

A new rule aims to speed up the removal of a limited group of migrants who don’t qualify for asylum

FILE - Migrants listen to a volunteer in a parking lot after being detained and processed for asylum by U.S. authorities, April 12, 2024, in San Diego. A new Biden administration rule aims to speed up asylum processing at the southern border, enabling it to quickly reject a limited group of people believed to have committed serious crimes or who have terrorist links. The change announced May 9 comes during an election year when immigration is a key issue. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

A migrant adjusts his headwear at a parking lot after being detained and processed for asylum by U.S authorities Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A new Biden administration rule announced Thursday aims to speed up asylum processing at the southern border for a limited group of people believed to have committed serious crimes or who have terrorist links and ultimately more quickly eject them from the country.

The change comes as the administration has been struggling to demonstrate to voters during an election where immigration is a key issue that it has a handle on the southern border. Republicans have consistently slammed the Biden administration over policies that they say have worsened problems at the southern border.

In a statement announcing the changes, the Department of Homeland Security said migrants who are deemed to pose a public threat are taken into custody but a determination on whether they’re eligible for asylum isn’t made until later in the asylum process. Under the proposed rule, asylum officers hearing cases at an initial screening stage called credible fear screening — that’s intended to happen just days after a person arrives in the country will now be able to consider that criminal history or terrorist links when deciding whether someone should ultimately be removed from the country.

“This will allow DHS to expeditiously remove individuals who pose a threat to the United States much sooner than is currently the case, better safeguarding the security of our border and our country,” the department said in the statement.

Chinese migrants wait to be processed after crossing the border with Mexico Wednesday, May 8, 2024, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. San Diego became the busiest corridor for illegal crossings in April, according to U.S. figures, the fifth region to hold that title in two years in a sign of how quickly migration routes are changing. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Under current law, certain mandatory bars make people ineligible for asylum, for example, if you’ve been convicted of a particularly serious crime. But those usually come into play when an immigration judge is making a final determination on whether someone gets asylum and that process can take years. Migrants are usually detained during this time, the department said.

When the rule is in place asylum officers can consider evidence of terrorism links for example and use that as a basis for a denial.

The agency gave no figures on how many people would be affected but said it was small.

Republicans immediately criticized the changes as too little. In a statement, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, a Republican from Tennessee called it an “unserious, politically motivated attempt to address a significant problem the Biden administration itself created.”

Separately from the rule announced Thursday, the administration is weighing larger executive action to crack down on immigration at the border. But the timing on when that might be announced depends in large part on whether the number of illegal border crossings increases. After hitting a record high in December, they have decreased in recent months in large part due to Mexican government enforcement.

Under U.S. and international law, anyone who comes to the U.S. can ask for asylum. People from all over the world travel to the U.S-Mexico border to seek that protection. To be granted asylum they must prove persecution or fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

It’s a high bar and the majority of people who apply for asylum ultimately don’t qualify. But the process can take years in overloaded immigration courts.

Critics have questioned whether the asylum system should be fundamentally changed to make it more restrictive while others say the U.S. has a moral obligation to protect people fleeing for their lives.

Last year the administration announced another rule aimed at restricting the asylum process but in much more expansive ways than the one announced Thursday. That rule made it extremely difficult for migrants who come directly to the southern border to get asylum unless they use a government app to make an appointment or they have already tried to seek protection in a country they passed through on their way to the U.S.

Opponents said it’s essentially a rehash of similar efforts by former President Donald Trump and sued. The Biden administration says there are substantial differences between their rule and what Trump tried. That Biden rule is still in place while the issue plays out in court.

Generally, immigration advocates have been hesitant of any steps that would seek to make the initial, credible fear screening harder. They say that migrants are often doing these interviews immediately after surviving life-threatening perilous trips to the U.S. and that these initial credible fear screenings are designed to have a lower bar than final asylum determinations so that people aren’t wrongfully removed.

Gregory Chen, the director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the rules barring people with criminal or terrorist backgrounds from asylum are important to protect the country. But his concern is that these changes will speed up what is already a “highly complex” legal analysis.

“At that early stage, few asylum seekers will have the opportunity to seek legal counsel or time to understand the consequences,” he said. “Under the current process they have more time to seek legal advice, to prepare their case, and to appeal it or seek an exemption.”

The new rule goes into effect after a 30-day comment period.

Biden administration will propose tougher asylum standards for some migrants at the border

The Biden administration plans to propose a new rule Thursday aimed at speeding up the asylum claims process for some migrants

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration plans to propose a new rule Thursday aimed at speeding up the asylum claims process for some migrants — a potential prelude to broader actions from President Joe Biden later this year that would impose a bigger crackdown at the border.

It’s meant to affect migrants with criminal records or those who would otherwise be eventually deemed ineligible for asylum in the United States. The proposal, which the Department of Homeland Security plans to announce on Thursday, was confirmed by four people familiar with its contents who were granted anonymity to detail plans not yet public.

Under current law, a migrant who arrives at the border and undergoes an initial screening for “credible fear” — one criterion for asylum — is allowed to continue with the process even if they have a criminal background or would pose a security risk. A judge would later determine whether that migrant would be eligible for asylum.

The change would effectively let an officer at the initial screening stage make that determination, rather than waiting for a judge, according to the people. The people also said the proposal affects a relatively small universe of migrants and those who would not be qualified to receive asylum protections anyway.

But despite those caveats, immigration advocates have previously raised questions about any changes to the credible fear process, saying that migrants are often doing these interviews immediately after surviving life-threatening perilous trips to get to the U.S.

Because of this, initial interviews are designed to have a relatively lower bar so that migrants aren’t wrongfully deported, they say. And they’ve questioned how much legal help migrants who are in custody can actually get in order to prepare them for this key first step toward an asylum claim.

It will likely be months before Thursday’s proposal, which was first reported by Politico, would actually go into effect. Biden continues to mull larger executive action on the border, whose timing depends in large part on whether the number of illegal border crossings increases — they have been steadily decreasing since December.

The proposed rule also comes amid pressure from fellow Democrats and immigrant rights advocates to support immigrants already in the United States.

Janet Murguía, the president of UnidosUS, a civil rights advocacy organization, said she met with Biden last week at the White House with other Latino leaders to push for relief for immigrants who do not have legal status but have been in the United States for years.

“I believe that President Biden is open to this notion that he can do something. He asked for more specifics,” Murguía said. “We’re going to make the case in the White House. We’re going to make the case here in the Capitol, across the country, in every community.”

At a news conference Wednesday, Latino and progressive congressional Democrats expressed frustration at the idea that the White House would clamp down on the border without also assisting immigrants who crossed the border illegally as children.

“Mr. President, we know what’s in your heart. Let’s reject the extremist messaging vilifying immigrants. Let’s embrace our values as a nation of immigrants and provide relief for the long-term residents of the United States,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat.

The lawmakers are calling for the Biden administration to provide relief from deportation to spouses and other family members of U.S. citizens, as well as extended temporary protected status, which allows people from countries ravaged by disaster and war to live and work legally in the United States.

At the same time, Democrats, especially those in political swing states, are encouraging the White House to take unilateral action to curtail border crossings.

In the Senate, Democrats are considering whether to put a series of border proposals to a vote in order to show that Republicans are opposed to swifter border enforcement. And in the House, 15 Democrats penned a letter to the White House this week encouraging executive actions.

“We need to make sure that we are adjudicating those who are coming across just as quickly as possible, specifically around sort of administrative judges being down at the southern border,” said Rep. Angie Craig, a Minnesota Democrat who led the letter. “And I do think there’s a limit to the number of people who we can accept into our nation on an asylum claim. At the end of the day, we cannot have a border where an unlimited amount of people can simply cross.”

Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.

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The Biden administration is accelerating the asylum timeline for migrants who enter the US illegally en route to five major cities .

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday that a new Recent Arrivals (RA) Docket will swiftly place single adults before immigration judges in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City.

Those asylum claims must be resolved within 180 days, though grace periods would be granted in some circumstances for migrants to obtain the necessary legal representation.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks while meeting with the Joint Chiefs and Combatant Commanders in the Cabinet Room of the White House May 15, 2024 in Washington, DC.

More than 3 million asylum cases were being considered in the US as of December, and many have to wait years before their claims are resolved.

As of May of last year, migrants crossing into Texas from Mexico were handed paperwork that put their court dates in Chicago as far in the future as 2032 .

Pedestrians in front of the Row Hotel, currently a migrant shelter, in the Times Square neighborhood of New York City on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Immigration has become a top issue for US voters ahead of the 2024 election, with many surveys showing it as a weak point for Biden , 81, in his expected faceoff with former President Donald Trump, 77.

Had the Senate passed a bipartisan border bill in February, a provision similar to the RA Docket would have forced asylum claims nationwide to be adjudicated within the same six-month period.

“This administrative step is no substitute for the sweeping and much-needed changes that the bipartisan Senate bill would deliver, but in the absence of Congressional action we will do what we can to most effectively enforce the law and discourage irregular migration,” Mayorkas said in a statement.

Migrants walk around the border fence and into the United States in Jacumba Hot Springs, where they are detained by Border Patrol and prepared for processed for immigration intake.

House Republicans, who impeached Mayorkas in February, have repeatedly pressured Biden to bring back Trump-era policies such as Remain in Mexico, which forced asylum seekers to await their immigration court dates south of the border.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced this week that his chamber would take the legislation back up — only to be called out immediately by the chief Republican negotiator on the bill, Sen. James Lankford.

“Senator Schumer made this statement, ‘It’s a win if the Republicans abandon us at the last minute, because if Democrats put together a tough bipartisan bill on the border, it would not take the border away as an issue for the Republicans, but it would at least give us a 50-50 chance to combat it,'” Lankford (R-Okla.) said in a floor speech Thursday, calling the effort a “political stunt.”

“All the American people see it, everybody sees this is political, but everyone in the country also says ‘Why don’t you guys and ladies fix this instead? Why don’t you actually resolve it?'” he exclaimed, saying Democrats and Republicans should return to the negotiating table.

Students leave the Row Hotel, currently a migrant shelter, in the Times Square neighborhood of New York City on Friday, May 10, 2024.

More than 1.7 million migrant “gotaways” have illegally crossed into America since President Biden took office, new Border Patrol data shows, in addition to the more than 9 million who have entered the US over the same period.

Those numbers have shattered the all-time record for border crossings every year of Biden’s tenure.

Of those apprehended by border agents, over 85% are subsequently released into the US to await their immigration court hearing, Mayorkas admitted in a closed-door meeting with Border Patrol personnel earlier this year.

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Looking back at former Trump fixer on the stand in hush money trial: Who is Michael Cohen?

Michael Cohen , Donald Trump 's former lawyer and fixer, took the witness stand Monday in Trump's criminal hush money trial .

Cohen's testimony could be a central link prosecutors use to show Trump authorized the $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to stop her story about an alleged affair from becoming public ahead of the 2016 election. Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to allegedly disguise reimbursing Cohen.

But Cohen's journey to the witness stand has been complicated. Once an adamant Trump loyalist, Cohen has repeatedly attacked Trump in recent years. He has also been convicted of several felonies, including lying to Congress:

Here is what to know about Cohen, a key witness in Trump's criminal trial:

Trump trial live updates: Latest updates as Michael Cohen returns as hush money witness

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

How long did Michael Cohen work for Trump?

Cohen was Trump's personal attorney and fixer from 2006 until 2018.

How long was Michael Cohen's prison sentence?

Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison . He started his sentence in May 2019, but was sent home early for house arrest due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where did Michael Cohen go to law school?

Michael Cohen went to Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. Politico reported that "Cooley may be, by some measurements, the worst law school in America."

What did Michael Cohen lie about?

In November 2018, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to Congress. In an effort to protect Trump, had told Congress his boss stopped trying to pursue a real-estate deal in Moscow in January 2016 when they actually continued efforts through June 2016.

That guilty plea came months after Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion, making false statements to a bank, and violating campaign finance laws by causing or issuing two hush money payments: $130,000 to Stormy Daniels and $150,00 to Karen McDougal, the latter of which was paid by American Media Inc. Those amounts greatly exceed the personal contribution limits to a political candidate.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison, according to a Department of Justice release .

Why did Michael Cohen turn on Trump?

Cohen's falling out with Trump was partly due to his conviction. In February 2019, he told a congressional committee he made a clean break with Trump.

"I have done bad things, but I am not a bad man. I have fixed things, but I am no longer your fixer, Mr. Trump," Cohen said in a dramatic testimony.

The two have continuously lobbed attacks at one another since then.

Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Erin Kelly, Josh Meyer

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Watch CBS News

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expands migrant bus operation, sending first group to Denver

By Camilo Montoya-Galvez

Updated on: May 18, 2023 / 6:32 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday announced his state had started busing migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to Denver, Colorado, an expansion of a controversial operation to transport migrant adults and families released from federal custody to Democratic-led cities.

Abbott said the first group of migrants sent to Denver were dropped off near the Civic Center park in the city's downtown on Thursday. Before Thursday's announcement, Texas' migrant busing operation was limited to Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. The state has said the migrants travel on the buses voluntarily.

Since launching it in April 2022 , Abbott has said the effort to bus migrants to major cities led by Democrats is designed to reduce the burden of receiving migrants on smaller communities along the southern border. He has also used the operation to repudiate President Biden for how his administration has handled the historically high levels of migrant crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border in the past two years.

"Until the President and his Administration step up and fulfill their constitutional duty to secure the border, the State of Texas will continue busing migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities like Denver to provide much-needed relief to our small border towns," Abbott said in a statement Thursday.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, a Democrat, called Texas' move a "stunt."

"What is happening at the border, and what is showing up at the doorsteps of cities across the country, is a humanitarian crisis," Hancock said. "What none of us need is more political theater and partisan gamesmanship pitting jurisdictions against each other and exacerbating this situation instead of advocating for real solutions to this challenge."

In over a year, Texas has transported more than 19,000 migrants to Washington, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia on more than 400 buses, according to state figures. The number is a small fraction of the hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers released from federal border custody during that period.

Those cities and other major metropolitan areas have also received tens of thousands of migrants who have found their way there on their own or through assistance from local border cities and humanitarian groups.

Asylum-seekers board a bus en route to a shelter at Port Authority Bus Terminal on May 18, 2023, in New York City.

While Democratic leaders in these cities have accused Abbott of using migrants as political pawns and denounced him for not coordinating the bus arrivals, some of them, particularly New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have also criticized the Biden administration and demanded increased federal support.

The cities have expressed concern about their ability to house increased numbers of migrants who lack financial and family ties to the U.S. They also cannot legally work until months after they file an asylum claim in the backlogged immigration court system, which is overseeing over 2 million pending cases.

Adams, a centrist Democrat, has been unusually critical of the Biden administration over the migrant crisis, accusing the federal government of "failing" the city. Adams himself has faced local criticism over plans to house migrants in public school gyms, though he has said the city is running out of space in existing shelters.

U.S. border agents have recorded unprecedented levels of migrant apprehensions since Mr. Biden took office. In fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol made over 2 million migrant apprehensions, an all-time high.

While daily migrant crossings spiked last week to 10,000 before the expiration of the Title 42 pandemic-era restrictions on migration on May 11, they have since plummeted to fewer than 5,000 . Officials have attributed the sharp drop in illegal crossings to efforts by Mexico and Guatemala to slow U.S.-bound migration, increased deportations and a new Biden administration rule that disqualifies many migrants from asylum.

Unlawful entries along the southern border decreased further on Wednesday, falling to roughly 2,500, an administration official told CBS News.

"While Governors Abbott and DeSantis remain stuck on political stunts, unlawful border crossings have dropped sharply since President Biden's plan to humanely manage the border went into full effect," White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan said in a statement Thursday.

In a statement Thursday, Conor Cahill, press secretary for Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, urged the federal government to "secure the border" and "provide financial resources" to states receiving migrants. "This challenge requires problem-solving and collaboration between cities, states, and the federal government, not politics as usual," Cahill said.

Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics.

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IMAGES

Asylum, Legal, and Human Rights
Politics of The Asylum
Essay "Asylum Seekers and Refugees integrative summary "
USCIS Asylum Application Receipt Notice
Sample Asylum Pre-Hearing Brief
Essay on asylum seeking children

VIDEO

Your statement: Part Three
“I asked for political asylum in America”-Diana Makieva
What Are Labour's Asylum Policies? Labour Vision with Phil Moorhouse
Your statement: Part One
Tips on Preparing Your Written Statement and Witness Statements in Support of Your Case
You should talk with an asylum lawyer after your case is dismissed from immigration court

COMMENTS

PDF ASYLUM DECLARATION OF [NAME] A# XXX-XXX--XXX
Asylum - Sample Declaration - DV . 1 . ASYLUM DECLARATION OF [NAME] A# XXX-XXX--XXX . I, [full name], hereby state under penalty of perjury that the following statements are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that I incorporate the following statements into my application for asylum (Form I-589). Summary:
19. Annotated Sample Declaration
statement in support of application for political asylum I, Joao Doe, declare under the penalty of perjury, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. sec. 1546, that the following is true and correct: » Practice pointer: The declaration should begin with a brief introduction which lays out the basis of the asylum claim.
PDF Preparing Your Statement in Support of Your Request for Asylum
Help the asylum officer understand your background. Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights | National Immigrant Justice Center 224 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60604 | ph: 312-660-1370 | fax: 312-660-1505 | www.immigrantjustice.org.
How To Write Your Asylum Story
How To Write Your Asylum Story. Your asylum application will ask for a personal statement⁠—also called your asylum story. In your personal statement, you explain why are you are applying for asylum. Check out our guide about how to write your asylum story effectively. If you have any questions about how to write your asylum story, please ...
How to Write an Asylum Declaration for Your I-589 Application
Writing About Your Background. Each asylum declaration should start with the applicant's basic information, including name, date of birth, and country of origin. You'll also need to explain the "ground" on which your asylum application is based. The "grounds" are your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, and membership in a ...
How To Write An Asylum Statement
Personal Asylum Statment Introduction. First, the statement should begin with a general introduction of yourself and your dependents on your asylum case. This section may include the names and birthdates of all applicants/dependents as well as the location of births, and citizenship country or countries.
PDF "I'm Afraid to Go Back:" A Guide to Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and
• Asylum • Withholding of Removal • The Convention Against Torture, or "CAT" for short. a. What is "Asylum?" "Asylum" is a way to stop your deportation and become a refugee. If you win "Asylum," you'll also have the chance to eventually become a permanent resident in the U.S. If you include your spouse or children
Preparing Persuasive Documents for Your Asylum Application
What Personal Documents to Include With an Asylum Application. Attaching personal documents will make your application stronger, especially documents that show: your identity. your membership in any relevant groups on account of which you had been persecuted, and. evidence that you suffered persecution. To show your identity, include a copy of ...
Asylum Application, Client Declaration, and Supporting Evidence
I-589 Asylum Application. Applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture all require a form I-589. You will file this form in immigration court at a Master Calendar hearing, or your client may have filed this document pro se before you started working on the case.
17. Preparing the Asylum Declaration
The declaration must include all of the elements of a successful LGBTQ/H asylum claim: membership in a particular social group; past and/or well-founded fear of future persecution; and, if relevant, an exception to the one-year filing deadline. At a minimum, the declaration should hit on the key points discussed below.
Craft the Perfect Personal Statement for Your Asylum Application
The personal statement you'll submit with your asylum application is a critical part of your case.It's your chance to tell your story - to show that you have...
PDF Asylum Declaration Drafting Guide
2 • As clarified in the 2014 cases Matter of M -E-V-G1 and Matter of A-R -C-G (2014), an applicant for withholding of removal [or asylum] seeking relief based on "membership in a particular social group" must establish that the group is: (1) Composed of members who share a common immutable characteristic; Gender can be a common immutable characteristic.2
PDF Framing Your Client's Narrative: How to Write an Effective Asylum
The declaration should "tell the asylum officer why your client deserves asylum. It should be detailed, consistent and supported by country conditions documents. It should be a compelling, well written account which intrigues and involves the reader. It should horrify if your client suffered horrible persecution; it should
Obtaining Asylum in the United States
ALERT: Court Order on Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Final Rule. On Aug. 3, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a stay of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California's order in East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v.Biden, 18-cv-06810 (N.D. Cal.), vacating the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways (CLP) rule.At this time and while the stay remains in place ...
Pointers for Writing Asylum Statements
In short, the personal statement is the center of the asylum application - all other parts of the application stem from it. The personal statement is the key part of the application that explains to the government why you should be granted protection in the United States. It has the power to determine whether your application is granted or ...
Asylum Application and Evidence
Your personal circumstances have changed and returning to your country of origin would now be dangerous for you. For example, you converted to a religion that is not allowed in your country of origin. ... If you already submitted your asylum application to the immigration court, but you did not receive a copy of your asylum application with a ...
Asylum Statement Sample (Preparing your Claim)
To improve your chances of getting asylum, you should draft a written statement that explains your story and why you need protection. Using a sample written asylum statement as a basis, you can make sure you are including the right information to help with your claim. The following questionnaire will prompt you and help you to remember what ...
Asylum
Political opinion; You may only file this application if you are physically present in the United States, and you are not a U.S. citizen. At this time, the option to file an online Form I-589 is only available for certain affirmative asylum applicants. Affirmative asylum applicants may not file an online Form I-589 if they:
Personal Statements and the i-589
Personal Statements and the i-589. Once a migrant steps foot into the United State, they should assume anything they say to a person of authority is being recorded. Beginning with officers at ports of entry through to the asylum officers or immigration court, all records will follow a migrant within the US. Prioritize honesty in any application ...
PDF U.s. Department of Homeland Security Citizenship & Immigration Services
Asylum - Sample Declaration - Gang, Religion, Political Opinion . 3 . that I couldn't move. Meanwhile Y climbed on top of me and raped me. I grabbed at his long hair trying to free myself and saw his face for the first Time. That is when I was able to confirm that, my rapist was Y, the same gang member that I had approached a few
Sample Asylum Brief: Particular Social Group and Political Opinion
Catholic Charities Community Services. This brief is for an asylum claim by a Honduran woman who faced death threats from a gang. The grounds for asylum articulated are a family based particular social group and political opinion. Download [64.86 KB]
(PDF) Stories for Asylum: Narrative and Credibility in the United
For example, in the asylum-seeking context, claimants are expected to report detailed autobiographical narratives of personal experiences across repeated interviews and appeals while adhering to ...
Biden administration looks to speed review of asylum cases with new
The Biden administration is taking aim at the backlog of asylum cases from those who have recently arrived at the border, creating a dedicated docket in the hopes of more swiftly adjudicating the c…
New rule to speed up removal of limited group of migrants
A new Biden administration rule aims to speed up asylum processing at the southern border, enabling it to quickly reject a limited group of people believed to have committed serious crimes or who have terrorist links. The change announced May 9 comes during an election year when immigration is a key issue. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
Biden administration will propose tougher asylum standards for some
The Biden administration plans to propose a new rule Thursday aimed at speeding up the asylum claims process for some migrants. Accessibility statement Skip to ... especially those in political ...
Biden speeds up asylum process for migrants headed to NYC, LA, Chicago
The Biden administration is accelerating the asylum timeline for migrants who enter the US illegally en route to five major cities. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney Gener…
Who is Michael Cohen? The 411 about Trump's fixer who testified today
In November 2018, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to Congress. In an effort to protect Trump, had told Congress his boss stopped trying to pursue a real-estate ...
Sample Asylum Brief: Political Opinion
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expands migrant bus operation, sending first
In a statement Thursday, Conor Cahill, press secretary for Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, urged the federal government to "secure the border" and "provide financial resources" to states ...
Application of Certain Mandatory Bars in Fear Screenings
Asylum is a discretionary benefit that can be granted by the Attorney General or the Secretary if a noncitizen establishes, among other things, that they have experienced past persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.