Police officials in Cologne, German have received over 500 criminal complaints about attacks that occurred this past New Year’s Eve. Forty percent of the attacks involved a sexual offense, and a large majority of the victims were women. Most of the culprits “were said to have been of a North African or Middle Eastern appearance,” and so far, 22 of the 32 identified suspects are asylum seekers. Similar assaults were reported in other European countries.
Not surprisingly, those who oppose refugee resettlement have seized on the attacks to denounce Germany’s generous asylum policy. There were also several xenophobic assaults on refugees, supposedly in retaliation for the New Year’s Eve incidents.
The whole situation seems a bit strange to me: What exactly did these asylum seekers (and others) do? Why did this happen now? Have there been previous attacks that we have not heard about? What explains this behavior?
First, based on the reports I have seen, I am really not sure what happened. Was this Spring-Break type debauchery exaggerated by anti-refugee hysteria, or something much worse (there is at least one report of Syrian nationals raping two girls at a New Year’s Eve party, but the suspects are not asylum seekers and the incident seems unconnected to the other attacks)?
I must admit that I am of two minds about this question. On the one hand, if scores of young women are reporting sexual assaults, that is deadly serious and must be addressed forcefully. On the other hand, I am wary of the old trope where the swarthy foreigner violates the innocent white female. This same story has been used many times to justify violence against “the other.” For example, last year a young man entered an African-American church in South Carolina and murdered nine people, yelling at them: “You rape our women… You have to go!” Jews have long dealt with this issue in Europe, where for many centuries, we were “the other” (until Hitler eliminated that problem). In those days (and unfortunately still today in some places), Jews were accused of killing Christian babies in order to use their blood for ritual purposes. These “blood libels” were notorious lies, but they were used as an excuse to harm Jews. There’s a tragic/comic joke about the blood libels that I’ve always appreciated:
In a small village in the Ukraine, a terrifying rumor was spreading: A Christian girl had been found murdered. Realizing the dire consequences of such an event, and fearing a pogrom [a murderous anti-Jewish riot], the Jewish community gathered in the synagogue to plan whatever defensive actions were possible under the circumstances. Just as the emergency meeting was being called to order, in ran the president of the synagogue, out of breath and all excited. “Brothers!” he cried, “I have wonderful news! The murdered girl is Jewish!”
You get the point. Obviously, this does not mean that the attacks in Cologne did not happen the way they have been portrayed, but it does urge us to be cautious in drawing conclusions, especially since there is so little publicly-available detail about those attacks.
Assuming that the initial reports are correct and the attackers are asylum seekers, what is going on here? Maybe one explanation is that the asylum seekers in question are young men from sexually repressive countries who have been living in instability for many months. Now that they are in safe, open societies, where men and women mix freely, they cannot handle the adjustment. Not to let them off the hook—if they are guilty of assault or other crimes, they should be punished—but when refugees behave badly, there are often underlying pathologies that need to be examined. Maybe it is too late for these particular refugees (who might be deported), but at least this highlights an issue that can be addressed for other asylum seekers with similar backgrounds.
Another explanation–the one favored by opponents of refugee resettlement–is that asylum seekers are a danger to the receiving communities, and that their values are incompatible with Western society. The New Year’s Eve attacks, under this theory, are just one iteration of the problem. I think this view is incorrect. Refugees are not perfect, but the evidence suggests that they are no more likely to commit crimes than anyone else.
But of course, many refugees are damaged people who have suffered trauma. They come from societies that are much more repressive and conservative than those in the West. While these factors may help explain criminal behavior among refugees, in my opinion, they do not in any way excuse it. Nevertheless, we need to keep this in mind when considering refugee resettlement. We need to help refugees deal with their trauma. We also need to help them understand and integrate into their new communities. This is easier said than done, especially in a situation like Germany’s, where tens of thousands of people are arriving each month.
In the U.S., our refugee numbers are much lower, and we are more able to help people adjust to their new lives. As a result, the overall crime rate for non-citizens seems to be the same as, or lower than that for native-born Americans. Vetting refugees and helping them integrate is the best way to protect ourselves, while at the same time meeting our humanitarian obligations and ideals.
The doors to Europe appear to be closing, and the New Year’s Eve attacks will only make things more difficult for all refugees. My hope is that we in the West will learn from this experience. Receiving countries should step up their efforts to recognize and pro-actively address the psycho-social needs of refugees, so that they will better acculturate to their new homes. This, to me, is the best way forward for everyone.
Hi Mr. Jason
Thank you for your time and effort to help all those people.
I have a pending asylum case in VA office, and I’m about to move to a new apartment in the same city and as far as i know, i have to change my address with USCIS. So, could that case any kind of delays in my application interview ? I’ll move to a new apartment in the same zip code.
You should change your address, and it should have no effect on your case, since you will not move to a new asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, according your experience do think it is good idea to attach US education documents, letter of recommendation showing the person involve in gin volunteering activity and community help in case refer to the judge
Yes – you do need to show that you are a person of good character. Normally this is assumed, but such letters can be helpful. We often submit them if we have them. Take care, Jason
(I’ve already submitted my question a few days ago, but I can’t find it, so I am reposting it..thanks)
Hi Jason,
First of all thank you so much for this insightful blog, it’s very helpful and one of my favourite blogs!
I would like to ask you please about my case, but let me first summarize it:
I am Syrian. I sought asylum on July 30, 2013 and till today I haven’t been interviewed.
On March 2014, in response to a letter that my lawyer sent to the USCIS requesting if I could be interviewed in Chicago (I was in Ohio until July 2015), the USCIS just repeated that they cannot interview me in Chicago because they have a big backlog of cases. I finished my Master’s degree and I moved to Massachusetts to start my PhD and yet nothing happened.
On Aug 4, 2015, my case was transferred from Chicago to Newark Asylum Office because I moved from Ohio to Massachusetts.
According to the last Affirmative Asylum Scheduling Bulletin, people who filed in Chicago on May 2013 have been interviewed on September, October, November 2015. And the same for people who filed in Newark, NJ on May – June 2013, (they also have been interviewed on September, October, November 2015).
My questions are:
1) Since my Recipient Number: ZCH… indicates to the Chicago Asylum Office, shouldn’t I receive a different USCIS number (Newark Asylum Office (ZNK)?
(Chicago Asylum Office has notified my lawyer that they have transferred my case to the Newark Office)
2) Why I can’t check my case online?
3) I don’t know how the process would work in my case since it was transferred from one office to another, would that affect my case? if not (given the fact that I filed my case on July 30, 2013), does that mean I might hear back from the USCIS very soon (according to their Bulletin)
Thank you so much for your time and thoughtfulness, I really appreciate that!
I responded to it on “The Bloggers” page. Please check there. Take care, Jason
I know you are selected one for asylum seeker by GOD to help us like the other
GOD messenger helped the past and will help in the futuer with out exhuast :
My question is about the delay still
If you answer the reason why the hiring and the interview is not proportional as per
the past question
1 / why ? Those interviewed asylum seeker are waiting too long for hearing there decision, i have notice alot such cases in your websit
2/ if the officer finshed his interview let say garanted / who is going to taker of the case , is there also a shortage of an officer to excuit the case in that departement ?
One member notice about the websit to share our idea on line this is realy encouraging and lets do it . if the goverment supports us !!!
Thanks for your time !!!!!! I appreciate you take car dea sir jason
I am not sure I understand the question, but I do agree that people are waiting a long time after the interview. This is generally related to security background checks, but it is very frustrating, and there is not much we can do about it. Maybe the new officer they have hired will help. I hope. Take care, Jason
Apologist pieces like this damage the credibility of otherwise well-conceived arguments for increased protections for refugees. Two-thirds of this article lay the responsibility for a horrific incidence of sexual violence at the feet of un-punishable “trauma”. If the author is so put off by speculation among Western (and let’s be more frank, “white”) citizens as to the motives and mental state of the perpetrators, he does his cause no benefit by answering it with just as ill-informed speculation on these particular cases.
Why is the revulsion and concern German citizens feel about these incidents given a shade of xenophobic racism? Does it not bother apologists in slightest that if a dozen American or European men were wandering the beaches of Tunisia (oops) or the streets of Dubai acting in this way, they would almost be subjected to de jure or de facto death sentences, and the incident highlighted by our own media as an example of bigotry and chauvinism on a societal level? We do not need to dwell on the hypothetical, but if we are seeking to be tolerant and understanding of the attitudes and experiences of the newly-arrived, we should extend the same considerations towards our fellow citizens if we want to be effective community-builders.
I’m not sure I get your point – I am urging caution about drawing conclusions about the New Year’s Eve incidents.
Hi Jason,
Quick question for you sir!
I have a derivative asylum case for my spouse (I-730) that is 10 months outside processing times. We are from Zimbabwe and my asylum was approved by IJ in October-2014 and we immediately filed her derivative Asylum in November-2014. The normal processing time on the TSC office is 5 months. Prior to applying for Asylum my spouse was on F-1 which has now expired and she cannot get a national ID or Drivers license before the derivative case is approved. I have done numerous infopass appointments and called customer service with no avail. The case has been transferred 3 times and they never requested for an RFE, all the documents were in order and she was included in the initial i-589. My question to you with this background info i provided is what options are available to me to expedite the case. Is an inquiry via congress representative available in this case or should we just wait a little bit longer?
Try using the Ombudsman’s office (a link is at right) as they can help with things like this. There is no harm in requesting help from a Congress office, though I think it is generally a waste of time. My guess is that the case is slower because she is in the US, but I do not know. Good luck, Jason
Thanks Jason, i did the Ombudsman’s and the congressional inquiry and an approval was issued last friday. I’m not sure if it was a mere coincidence or if the inquiries helped in expediting the approval.
I do not know either, but that is good news – Congratulations and best of luck in the US, Jason
Hi Jackson,
Thank you for providing this valuable information. What you are putting here is making a big difference.
Currently, I am in F1 (student) status. I filed my asylum application in August 2014 at LA asylum office and am still waiting for my interview. Last month (December 2015) my wife came to US as my derivative (F2). My question is which form I have to fill to include her (my wife) with my application. And if she is included in my application, will she be eligible for employment authorization?
Thank you,
You should contact your local office for guidance about how to add her to the case – email them using the link at right called Asylum Office Locator (or go in person to ask them). She can be added and she will be eligible for a work permit. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason
I applied to asylum in Arlington since Dec 2014 am still waiting my interview i did added my family wife and 2 kid,i read someone appliedon jan 2014 and he had his interview last month and he get his approval i have 2 Q , the first one how long am gonna wait more ?? The second Q if my wife and my kid got a visiting Visa to US they can be with me and not going back home ? Is it gonna efect my asylum case ?
Thanks for ur concern
If your family can get to the US, they can join your asylum case (assuming the children are minors). For waiting time, you have to check the link at right called Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Since I came in USA I am thinking about asylum, but all the time it looks like a enormously huge step that I am not sure I wanna make, because of my family that I want to see again. I am for year and half here, but in last 6 months I am off status, which means that I am imigrant right now… Now finally when I moved to San Francisco two months ago, after long time I am happy again and I feel comfortable and confident enough for that step. Is it to late for me now? (LGBT)
Thanks,
You are suppose to file for asylum within one year of arrival. If not, you can be denied asylum. One exception to that is for people who are in lawful status. You have now been out of status for 6 months, which means you might have trouble meeting the exception. There are other exceptions. I would recommend you talk to a lawyer about it, and given that you have already missed the one-year filing requirement, there is some urgency to make a decision as soon as possible. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason
I’m Syrian living in Dubai since 2011, I’m not being able to go back to Syria, and I’m a fried to loss my residence in Dubai as many did, I’m thinking to come to USA and apply for asyilnt, do you recommend or not,
Thanks
It’s up to you – we have had many clients from Syria and Iraq who lived in Dubai or other places and then successfully sought asylum in the US. If you meet the requirements for asylum, the fact that you had temporary status in Dubai should not block you for getting asylum in the US. Take care, Jason
Does this look like the light at the end of a dark tunnel?!
“U.N. to Help U.S. Screen Central American Migrants” published in The New York Times just today.
http://nyti.ms/1mZ3GSW
I had not heard about that; my guess is that it is more for refugees Boeing screened outside the US than for asylum seekers in the US, but it could help. I hope. Take care, Jason
thanks, Jason..
It’s good to monitor the refugees in Europe situation, and learn from other experiences is the best idea to avoid other things and reach the goals for all. thanks… again and hope you tell us in the next article about the plans of the asylum office with all kind of pending situation in this field for 2016 as we all interesting in better hopes.
I have no particular news in that regard. They are hiring new people and hopefully that will make things faster. Take care, Jason