Attorneys for Political Asylum in Los Angeles, California
Cases of political asylum in the United States are becoming more evident. Many people of different nationalities cross the borders requesting political asylum. In the State of California, countless asylum applications are registered, and in this type of immigration process you need the help and guidance of an expert. At Progresso Legal Group P.C., we are here to help you with your asylum application.
It is very important that people who want to make this type of request understand how the process works and everything that it involves, as well as the importance of having legal assistance and guidance in order not to make any mistakes.
Political asylum is known as an immigration benefit granted to a foreign person from another country so that later they may apply for permanent residence in the United States. In order for a person to benefit from this, they must demonstrate that they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin and that their life is in danger because of race, religion, nationality, or membership in a social or political group.
Which people qualify or are eligible to receive political asylum in the United States?
The people who qualify for this type of immigration status are the following:
- Any foreign individual who is physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States may apply for asylum regardless of their status, according to section 208 of the INA.
- Any person who has been persecuted by the government of their country based on race, ethnicity, social group, religion, or political opinion and who fears returning to their country because they may be arrested, tortured, or possibly killed may qualify for political asylum in the United States.
In this regard, something that must be taken into account is that before requesting asylum, the person making the request will be questioned. For this reason, the asylum officer must verify that the information presented in the application is truthful. Likewise, the asylum applicant will be subjected to a series of questions and must always maintain the same answers throughout the entire process.
In this sense, when the person is asked why they are seeking asylum in the United States, asylum officials focus on the central issue or situation of the asylum request, specifically why the person is fleeing their country of origin. Officials will want the applicant to explain the reasons that led them to leave their country. Asylum law establishes that the person must not only demonstrate that their life is in danger in their country but must also present the correct reason. Of course, they must demonstrate to the asylum officer that if they return to their country they will be persecuted again.
How can an asylum application be submitted in the United States?
One thing to keep in mind is that if you have been in the country for less than one year in any state, you have the right to apply for asylum with the immigration service. In this process you should seek an attorney experienced in the case who can guide you and help you properly prepare your asylum application.
How can a person prepare for the asylum interview?
The first thing to always keep in mind is that people who request asylum will be interviewed by the asylum officer, and the interview will most likely not be conducted as an interrogation. The person must remember everything written in their asylum application and must be able to clearly explain why they are seeking asylum in the United States through their interpreter to the asylum officer.
After completing the asylum interview
Once the asylum interview is completed, the asylum officer will ask the person to return after a certain period of time to learn the decision of the asylum case. If the asylum application is approved, the person may request a work permit and after one year apply for permanent residence in the United States. Asylees also have different benefits from the United States government, for example they may receive food assistance, medical care, and other types of programs.
Fraud in asylum applications or false asylum claims
You must be very careful with certain individuals who handle asylum applications in an illegal or false manner. Because of the urgency or need to submit an asylum request, people often seek help from unprofessional individuals who end up harming them and causing them to be deported. In this type of process, the applicant must seek a professional with recognized credentials and experience in the case in order to properly handle the asylum application.
Interpreters in asylum application processes
It is very important that the person attend the asylum interview with a professional asylum interpreter, preferably a court-licensed interpreter or someone with good experience interpreting asylum cases or immigration court cases. These interpreters are usually available for languages such as Russian and Spanish. It is very common for individuals to seek help from people who do not speak English very well, and whose interpretation is not accurate. When this happens, it may cause the asylum officer to believe that the applicant’s statements are inconsistent with the asylum application or that the applicant is lying about the asylum case. This can seriously harm the asylum case. The asylum interpreter must accurately interpret everything the asylum applicant says.
What is the format of the asylum interview?
Some asylum applicants think that asylum officers will pressure them or apply psychological tactics during the interview, but this is not really the case. Officers are not allowed to intimidate or mistreat any person being interviewed for an asylum application. Since there have been many false asylum cases, they must verify that what is written in the application is true. However, asylum officers are trained to identify when an application is false or genuine. During the interview they are able to determine whether the asylum applicant is telling the truth or lying by analyzing posture, the way questions are answered, body language, and other factors.
Asylum officers and their interview methods
Asylum officers know how to interview a person, and through their knowledge of human behavior they can determine when someone is telling the truth. The objective of the officer is to verify whether the facts contained in the asylum application are credible and whether the person is telling the truth. The methods used by asylum officers may vary and may include the following:
- They may ask the same question at the beginning of the interview, during the interview, and at the end, and then compare whether the asylum applicant responded in the same way. If the responses are not consistent, it may lead them to think the person is lying.
- They will always compare the applicant’s verbal responses with the answers that appear in the asylum application. If there is a difference or the answers do not match, this may indicate a lack of credibility and must be explained by the asylum applicant.
- Asylum officers may accuse the asylum applicant of not answering the question with sufficient detail or of not answering the question directly.
- Asylum officers may also accuse the person of answering the question with too many unnecessary details, and sometimes they may pressure the applicant when the responses do not match or do not demonstrate credibility.
- Each asylum officer has their own way of interviewing individuals, and in conclusion it is possible that asylum officers may apply certain psychological pressure methods during the interview. For this reason, a person must always be prepared for the asylum interview.