Whether you are seeking asylum to prevent your deportation or because you’ve arrived in the United States and need a legal status, you should reach out to a qualified asylum lawyer. Asylum is a type of humanitarian relief available in the United States to foreign nationals who fear returning home because going back would mean facing persecution. With an experienced asylum attorney, your chances of being granted this temporary status increase dramatically.
If you are in the United States, an asylum lawyer at Laura Leon Law can meet with you in a confidential consultation to look at the details of your case and plan a path forward. You may be eligible to apply for several humanitarian programs, but your asylum lawyer at our firm is familiar with all of them.
We understand that if you are a foreign national in the United States, you may be scared to meet with an asylum attorney without more information so this guide to meeting with an asylum lawyer will address some of the questions you may have.
The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) will allow you to apply for asylum if you are already in the United States or at a port of entry into the country under certain circumstances. Once you are here, your asylum lawyer will make sure that you are eligible for asylum before encouraging you to apply for the status.
The INA requires that you can prove you have a reasonable fear of persecution in your home nation based on your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
An asylum attorney at Laura Leon Law will also look at whether you are eligible to apply for affirmative asylum or defensive asylum.
Your asylum lawyer will see if you are eligible for affirmative asylum. Affirmative asylum is reserved for eligible foreign nationals in the United States when they have not yet been placed in removal proceedings.
If you are eligible to apply for affirmative asylum, your asylum lawyer will help you file your request through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
They will use USCIS Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal.
Your asylum lawyer will see if you are eligible defensive asylum if you are in the U.S. facing removal proceedings. Defensive asylum can prevent your deportation. Instead of applying for asylum with USCIS, your asylum lawyer will file your request with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
Sometimes, people can’t apply for asylum because of their history. Certain actions can bar a person from applying for asylum or other immigration benefits. Your asylum attorney will examine your history carefully, and it’s important that you are honest with them. Remember, your consultation is confidential, so you can trust your asylum lawyer.
Your asylum attorney will ask if you’ve done any of the following:
No two asylum cases are exactly alike. An experienced asylum lawyer will evaluate your unique circumstances to determine the best legal strategy for pursuing protection in the United States. Whether you are filing for affirmative asylum through USCIS or requesting defensive asylum while facing removal proceedings, your asylum attorney will tailor your case to your specific facts and immigration history.
Applying for asylum involves much more than describing why you are afraid to return to your home country. U.S. immigration authorities require evidence showing that your fear of persecution is credible and connected to a protected ground under immigration law. An experienced asylum attorney will help identify the documents and information that strengthen your application.
Depending on your circumstances, your evidence may include personal statements, medical records, police reports, witness declarations, photographs, country condition reports, or news articles documenting the conditions in your home country. If certain documents are difficult or impossible to obtain, your attorney can explain alternative ways to support your claim.
Your asylum lawyer must establish that you have a “credible fear of persecution” to help you apply for asylum. U.S. officials won’t grant you asylum status unless your fear is credible. This means that they need to figure out if you have a realistic reason to think that you or someone in your situation would face persecution if you were to be sent home. They do this with a credible fear interview. Your asylum lawyer can help you prepare for this interview and build evidence to support your case.
An asylum lawyer will also help you prepare for every stage of the process. If you are applying for affirmative asylum, your attorney will explain what to expect during your USCIS asylum interview and help you answer questions clearly and consistently. Preparing in advance can help you feel more confident when discussing sensitive or traumatic experiences.
If your case involves defensive asylum, your attorney will prepare you for hearings before an immigration judge. This includes reviewing your testimony, organizing supporting evidence, and helping you understand how the court process works. Careful preparation allows your attorney to present your case as effectively as possible while ensuring that your testimony remains accurate and credible.
Your asylum lawyer may ask about other family members in the United States because if you qualify for asylum, certain family members may qualify for derivative asylum status. Your asylum lawyer can request derivative status for eligible family members, including your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21, if they are already in the United States. In fact, your asylum lawyer might even be able to help you bring family members to the U.S. through your status. This is why your asylum lawyer will ask about your family members.
Your asylum attorney will ask you about your long-term interest in immigrating to the United States because the INA allows asylees to apply for a green card through an Adjustment of Status once they’ve been an asylee for one year.
Missing filing deadlines, submitting incomplete forms, or providing inconsistent information may negatively affect your case. These mistakes can create unnecessary delays in your asylum application timelines or lead to requests for evidence.
Your asylum attorney will carefully review your application before it is filed to make sure it is complete, accurate, and supported by appropriate documentation. They will also monitor important deadlines, respond to government requests, and keep you informed about the progress of your case.
Many asylum seekers are concerned about when they can legally begin working in the United States. Depending on your circumstances, you may become eligible to apply for asylum work authorization while your case is pending. However, strict eligibility requirements and filing timelines apply, and submitting an application too early or incorrectly may result in delays.
If you have pending asylum application for 180 days, you may be eligible to work and support yourself in the United States. After 150 days of filing your asylum application, you must file Form I-765 for asylum work authorization.
An experienced asylum attorney can determine when you become eligible to request asylum work authorization and help prepare the necessary forms and supporting documentation. They can also answer questions about maintaining your eligibility throughout the asylum process.
Your asylum lawyer will ask you about your long-term interest in immigrating to the United States because the INA allows asylees to apply for a green card through an Adjustment of Status once they’ve been an asylee for one year.
CONTACT US TODAY
If you are in the U.S. and afraid to return to your home nation, you should consult with an asylum attorney that has experience helping foreign nationals through this complicated process. An asylum lawyer at Laura Leon Law will greet you with compassion and fight aggressively to protect you. Contact us today.
(979) 810-8880
