This week marks the beginning of Passover (called Pesach in Hebrew), the holiday celebrating the Jewish people’s liberation from slavery in Egypt.
In some ways, the story of Passover is the quintessential refugee story: A persecuted people flees oppression, undergoes a long, transformative journey, and arrives in a new land. Of course there are some unique twists: G-d directly intervenes to save the Israelites and ultimately transform them into the Jewish people, and–for a change–the persecutors get their comeuppance (there’s quite a bit of smiting in the story).
Like most Jewish holidays, over the years, many traditions and stories have been incorporated into our celebration. One of my favorite stories involves the tradition of welcoming the prophet Elijah—who heralds the coming of the Messiah—into our homes by opening our door near the conclusion of the Passover meal (called a Seder). Here is my favorite Elijah story. It originates with the Baal Shem Tov, also known as the Besht, a Jewish spiritual leader from the eighteenth century, and comes to me via the late writer Leonard Fein (who apparently heard it from his mother, an eighth-generation descendant of the Besht himself):
It happened that a Hasid (a disciple of the Besht) came one day to the master and said: “I don’t understand. Every year, we have a wonderful Seder, we do everything we have been instructed to do, and every year, we open the door for Elijah — and he never arrives. How can this be? I feel we are spurned.”
The Besht considered his disciple’s complaint, and then told him to load a wagon with food, wine, matzos, and also clothes and gifts for the children, and travel to a certain hut in a nearby village and spend the first two days of Pesach with the destitute family that lived there; it was there that he would certainly see Elijah.
The Hasid followed the Besht’s instructions punctiliously, and the next morning he arrived at the dilapidated hut in the nearby village. He was greeted warmly, his gifts were accepted with tears of gratitude, and that night, the entire family — mother, father, five children, along with their surprise guest, celebrated Pesach together.
Yet when the door was opened for Elijah — no Elijah.
Bitterly disappointed, the Hasid returned to the Besht and told him what had happened — and, more important, what had not happened. The Besht explained that Elijah must have been delayed, but that at Pesach time next year, the Hasid would surely encounter him. So he must at the time of the holiday return to the hut, once again with a wagon filled with food and gifts — but this time, before knocking on the door, he must first eavesdrop on the goings-on within the hut.
The next year at Pesach, the Hasid did as told, putting his ear to the door before knocking. He heard the mother’s lament: “We have no food for the holiday. Nothing. How can we celebrate?” And he heard the father’s reply: “Not to worry! Don’t you remember that last year, Elijah came with all that we needed, and gifts for the children as well? Have faith; he will surely come on time once more.”
So ends the story, save for its moral: Rabbi Hillel taught, “Where there is no man, be thou a man.” The Besht, through this story, taught, “Where there is no Elijah, be thou Elijah.” Through acts of loving kindness, each of us has the power to bring us all closer to redemption.
For those who have devoted themselves to helping refugees (or helping anyone else, for that matter), I think this story has particular resonance. While we continue to hope that the world situation will improve, and that fewer people will be forced from their homes by war and persecution, we must also continue our efforts to help those in need. As we read in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” In other words, Keep on Truckin’ and have a Happy Pesach!
Dear, Jason Dzubow.
Asylume office transfer my case to Court and i got master hiring date on january 2017 this is my situation, My question is can I give “Affidavit of Support” of any one of my Family member to visit me here? Is it possible as a asylumist? I want my parents visit me here. Please explain as much as you can.
Thank you Dzubow
They can apply for a visa like anyone else. I think you need to be an LPR or a citizen to do an affidavit of support, but I am not sure and you should double check the form. Take care, Jason
Hi,
Thanks a lot for your time , i have question .
i had green card through asylum and want to travel out side of U.S.A.
can i used my original passport?or i should apply for refugee document or reentry permit ?
what the different between these two types ?
which better ?
best regards
tark
You would normally use a Refugee Travel Document – it is better than using your own passport, which can potentially get you into trouble with USCIS. You apply using form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
I thought about going to school again and getting a masters degree. I have a BSc in Information Technology. My question is: can my wife and daughter join me based on me being a graduate student? Or I have to obtain F1 visa first? I came here on a visa and never went out of status. I applied for asylum long before my visa or the admission date expired. I truly appreciate the time you take to answer my questions.
If you are attending school based on your EAD, your wife and child will need to obtain their own visas to come here. However, if you now have a valid F-1 visa, they should be able to apply for F-2 visas. The fact that you have filed for asylum could make it more difficult for them to obtain F-2 visas, so you might want to talk to a lawyer to help them apply for their visas. Take care, Jason
Thank you very much for the information on asylum issues in the US, very much informative. I have a question, hope you time to give your remark. I have applied for asylum coming to US on B1 visa. Since the asylum process takes on average around 2 to 4 years due to backlog, and therefore I have not received my interview yet. My question is regarding withdrawal of asylum application before interview and its legal consequences. My B1 visa is not expired, what happens if I leave US, will I be able to visit US on this visa in future before its expiry, or if it is expired, will I be able to get another visa having withdrawn my asylum case, will I be banned for getting another visa? Thank you very much!
If you already have a visa, and you withdraw your asylum and leave, you should be able to come back – it is unlikely (though not impossible) that the US government will invalidate your visa. It may be more difficult to get a new visa once your old visa expires, however. If you leave, you should be sure to inform the asylum office that you are leaving and you should keep evidence that you left (plane ticket, passport stamps). Take care, Jason
Thank you for the advice. It sounds that there is no legal ban (restrictions) like 10 years ban or so on those who voluntarily withdraws their cases either because of change of situation or other reasons. Will USCIS requires any written justification beside plane ticket, and passport stamps? and normally how long it takes to get permission for leaving the country?
There is no bar specific to withdrawing an asylum application. Once you submit a letter/email requesting to withdraw the case, USCIS may or may not acknowledge your request. Mostly, in my experience, it seems they do not acknowledge it, and they try to schedule you for an interview. Perhaps if you submit proof that you left the US, that would help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied for TPS a few years ago then, shortly after that, I filed for asylum. The asylum application took a long time and eventually was denied. Also asylum application blocked the progress on my TPS. I filled an Ombudsman Request and its conclusion was the following:
“A final decision on the applicant’s asylum claim was made today. The decision will be sent to the address the applicant has on file with our office. The file will be forwarded to the Vermont Service Center to complete the adjudication of the I-821….”
And now I am in the waiting limbo all over again. Is this normal?
Do you have an idea how long it is taking to complete TPS applications for nationals of Syria?
I have not seen that before, but nothing surprises me. When a file moves from one office to another, there is often a delay, so your TPS case may not be very fast – typically, I think it takes less than 6 months for TPS, but in many cases, there are delays for different reasons, and so it is difficult to predict. Take care, Jason
I just found your blog, and this is a great post. I have that Ethics of Our Fathers quote on my bulletin board. In Boston, we ask which will come first–the extension of the green (subway) line, comprehensive immigration reform, or the messiah.
Nice – I am betting the messiah will come first.
i would like to thank you for all your contributions as i have been reading alot of new and updated information on your website
long story short .. am currently in the US on a B2 visa so “officially” i dont have an address but i live with some folks
i want to apply for asylum and i always knew that waiting for interview would take long time a friend of mine applied in SF area and has been waiting for 13 months which makes sense.. i currently live in DC area
my question is should i apply where am i or go to SF or where exactly ?
another friend of mine lives in VA was rejected in the interview and has been waiting for court date for 2 years now !!
also another friend advised me to apply in a state with low population cause that would make things faster than applying in crowded metro areas but now that i know about the eight AO it doesnt make much sense
what is your advice given that its a big decision that i will live with for years before settling the matter ?
you can check which office is fast.
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/asylum/affirmative-asylum-scheduling-bulletin
The rejection rate is not related to the procession time.
thank you
My advice is that you should live where you need to live for purposes of job, family, friends, etc. The cases take a long time, and you can’t just sit home waiting, so you should pick the place to live that is best for you. I wrote a blog post about this on February 25, 2016, maybe that will help. Take care, Jason
but shouldn’t a person at least start in a city close to AO and also hire an attorney in that area at least until filling the application and then move somewhere in that jurisdiction so that he is cost and time efficient -most lawyers find it hard traveling across the states to meet a client specially if the case went to the court-
You do not have to meet your lawer. After submission your application ang getting your money, he will not answer you except respectafual lawer like Jason, if i were you i will hire him.
a lawyer should be someone who you think will help you and you feel that he suits you personally and financially and its important to have a lawyer from the beginning not after filing and making a mistake or having a problem with your application later on
It is helpful and less expensive to hire a lawyer who is closer to the asylum office or court, but it is probably more important to find a lawyer you trust who helps you.
My work permit is very late for more than three months.
I submit follow up query to (NSCFollowup.NCSC@uscis.dhs.gov)USA Nebraska office and get that I have to submit first Service Request Management.
How can I submit this Service Request Management Tool?
Do you have a link?
From the below link I get the average processing time for work authorization in Nebraska service center:
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do;jsessionid=abc7Qc-LZFrHr_oymqErv
I-765 Application for Employment Authorization Based on a pending asylum application [(c)(8)] 3 Weeks
is it 3 weeks or 3 months?
I think this is the link where to submit your query if it is outside the normal processing period.
https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/displayONPTForm.do?entryPoint=init&sroPageType=onpt
The processing times they post have very little relation with reality. It typically takes about 4 months to get the work permit. Sometimes it is faster, but if you have waited 3 months, you should get it soon. I doubt an inquiry will help, but it won’t hurt. Take care, Jason
I am talking about the Application for Employment Authorization which is based on a pending asylum application [(c)(8)]. There are four service center which has different processing time which they update their processing time on February 29, 2016 like below:
California 3 weeks
Nebraska 3 weeks
Texas 3 weeks
Vermont December 21, 2015 ; that means the last approved case was on 21 December 2015, so the processing time like 2 months in Vermont center.
I read many posts on your article about work permit delay, who they confirm receive it after only 10 days specific from the above three centers.
What do you think Jason?
Thank you
I think those processing times are a fantasy. Most EADs take about 4 months. Last year, things were faster, but the still took over one month. The wait times go up and down, but I do not ever see that reflected in USCIS’s estimated processing times. Take care, Jason
I applied for my first EAD (officially received by Dallas office) on Aug 04 2015 and received it in my mailbox exactly on Sept 17 2015 just to give u an idea. Cheers!
Wow – Thank you for letting us know. I hope it is a trend. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I appreciate your commendable work for us asylum applicants and families. I do have one question: I filed my application in April 2014. My lawyer recently (some six months ago) got a position in the government and told me that he will no longer take up my case. Thus, currently I don’t have a lawyer on file. Partly because there is almost nothing to do until interview is scheduled, I haven’t yet readied a replacement. Does it matter? Does it affect my case? He didn’t tell me whether or not he has notified the USCIS about the change as well.
Thank you
You should probably tell USCIS if he did not – just to make sure you receive the interview notice when the time comes. Otherwise, it should not matter. It is helpful to have a lawyer, as they can help you prepare for the interview, but that is up to you. Take care, Jason
Happy Passover to you Jason! I have two questions need to be answered. One is that my current apartment lease will end this summer but I haven’t decided yet where to live after that, but my work permit needs to be updated ASAP there’s around 110 days till the expiration date and I heard we’d better apply 120 days ahead of time. So my question is “can I leave my church’s address for receiving the i765 receipt? “and if it’s ok can I update my asylum case’s address to the church’s as well since I just keep moving all the time.
Another problem is “are we supposed to bring the church’s certificate with us in the interview?” (I mean the certificate that states you are the member and attend to the activities regularly)I always get to know that people take that at the court but during the early process of interview, should we take that as well?
sincerely
Lulu
You have to tell USCIS where you live, but you can use your church for the mailing address. Unfortunately, I do not think the I-765 gives you the option to list a mailing address and a living address, so maybe you have no choice but to list your church address so you get the EAD. As for the church certificate, if it is relevant to your case, you should bring it. Most asylum offices have rules about submitting evidence (in my office – Virginia – we have to submit evidence at least one week in advance of the interview). You can contact your local office to ask them – contact info can be found if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
cant thank you more Jason! I originally submit the application the January of 2015 in SF and notified the address changed to Chicago area like September 2015. roughly speaking, can I expect my interview to be held this year??
God bless
Supposedly – according to USCIS, when a case is moved, you keep your place in the queue. In other words, you will be interviewed in Chicago as if you had originally filed the case in Chicago – there is no delay due to the move. I am not sure that it always works that way, but that is what USCIS tells me. To get an idea of your interview date, you can check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is provided at the right. Take care, Jason
your words are really helpful to not only me but everyone who is in need. Thank a million Jason!
Hi…
I got a call from my attorney saying that the asylum office in Chicago called his office and notified him that I have scheduled for an interview. Is that possible to schedule an interviee just by calling his office. I tried to expedite my case in the past , also I applied fort the short list notice and provided my phone number on that.
Yes it is possible
It happened with me in LA, is it your first one?
For me it was for second interview
Good luck
Yes – When you are on a short/expedite list, the asylum office usually calls the lawyer. They will probably also send something by mail later if there is time before the interview. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
I have a pending asylum application for over a year now. How often should i have the fingerprints taken? Do I need to worry about that?
Thanks,
The fingerprints has 15 month validity for adults, for kids i think no expiry date.
The rules on fingerprints keep changing, but generally, you do not need to worry about it. USCIS will tell you when you need to be fingerprinted. Take care, Jason
No one wants to celebrate with me! The Chicago asylum office is moving faster than ever! Check the bulletin! From May 2013 to August 2013 in just three months! I am so having a drink tonight haha.
Make that two drinks. Something is definitely up with my star sign today. I got two job offers, the Chicago asylum office is moving fast, and I found a 50$ bill on the street today. Way too much luck in one day haha. Fingers crossed it lasts!
Just be careful – whenever I have too much luck, I start to get nervous…
I thought about going to school again and getting a masters degree. I have a BSc in Information Technology. My question is: can my wife and daughter join me based on me being a graduate student? Or I have to obtain F1 visa first? I came here on a visa and never went out of status. I applied for asylum long before my visa or the admission date expired. I truly appreciate the time you take to answer my questions.
Hi
I was granted asylum on Feb 2016, my husband has a visitor visa that expires on Aug 2016, he wants to come visit on June but I heared that he might not be allowed to enter the United States on a visitor visa after his family granted asylum is that true?
FYI he visited three times without any problem while the asylum case was pending.
That’s not true. If he already has a valid visa, he could come and go as the visa permits. There would be a problem only if he did not have a visa at all, and was asking for one at any U.S. embassy. That is the only time your asylum case might hinder him from getting a new visa.
If he already has the visitor visa, he is probably ok, but there is no guarantee. He should gather evidence that he plans to leave the US once his visit is over, and he should bring that with him in case the customs officers question him. Take care, Jason
Is that so? That sounds invasive. CBP needs to give people more space.
It’s unlikely, but I suppose it is good to think of worst-case scenarios.
hi, please if you have A PENDING case and get married to a US Citizen. should you withdraw your application? advice please
You should make sure you are eligible to get your green card based on the marriage. If you are, I recommend that you apply for the green card, and then once you have it, cancel the asylum case. If you cancel the asylum first, and the green card does not work out, it will create problems. Take care, Jason
Thanks so much
Good morning Sir,
Hope you are doing perfect. With due respect sir I have a query regarding my case please guide me. I applied for asylum in January 2015 (Tx-Houston), finger printed in February 2015 and got my first Ead in October 2015 now I have moved to new place but same zip code i called uscis for change of address they told me I need to write a letter to Houston asylum office instead of sending Ar-11 form to change address please guide me what should I do? My second question is if I don’t change my address (from where i applied for asylum as that address is my sister’s residential address) and receive my second ead on new address will it cause any effect on my case and my 2nd fingerprints? Because when I went for my social and driving license I received it on my new address. Thank you and God bless you. Take care.
You are required to change your address – I do not know anything about calling them. You can submit the form AR-11 to the local asylum office and also to the address on the form. You should apply for your EAD using your current address as well. Take care, Jason
Thank you Sir.
Hello Jason
Thanks for information updating, I applied asylum august 2013 in LA and Aug 2015 I moved my case in Chicago because of my moving. Today I see updating asylum interview schedule and wondering here about my schedule I didnt get any letter about interview till to April last week. And I have also applied for TPS that still pending. Here my quire is my case put in new line? Do TPS affect my case?
Thank You
TPS should not affect the scheduling of the case. If you move, supposedly you retain your place in the queue, but I am not 100% confident that works all the time. If the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin shows that USCIS has passed your filing date, and you did not get an interview, you can contact the local office to let them know. You can find contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason
Hello Jason,
Like always before really good article.
I was asking about the process time of Green Card through asylee status?
How much time will take after applying that an asylee recieves his Green Card nowadays?
Processing time to get a green card based on asylum is typically 6 to 8 months, but sometimes security checks cause much longer delays. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
For my ead renewal application (i-765) could I use a PO.BOX as my mailing address? ( I did this before but I think this is the reason that my ead renewal been delayed last time)
It says “mailing address” and not “physical address,” so you can use a P.O. Box address.
Yes – You do need to give USCIS a physical address where you live, but you can have them send mail to a PO box. Take care, Jason
Thanks for your responce Jason &Thomas, I have another question regrding freind of mine
USCIS received her application for asylum on 10/2013, her B2 visa expired on 11/2013, she left to Canada on 12/2015 while her case was still pending adjudication in Asylum office, is she subjected to 10 year bar or not?
I doubt she is subject to the 10 year bar, but she may be subject to another bar – for example, if her case was denied and ultimately she was ordered deported in absentia (meaning, she did not show up to court). One way to check that is to call 1-800-898-7180 and enter her Alien number. The computer will tell whether she has been ordered deported. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Whats happend in her case when she left U.S and entered Canada she sent a letter to the Asylum office asking them to cancel her petition for asylum so she does’nt have a pending case anymore.
Depending on the situation, they could cancel her case or send her case to an Immigration Judge where she will be ordered deported, which will affect her ability to return to the US. If you Google the “Asylum Office Procedures Manual” and spend some time looking through it, it discusses the procedures when a person leaves the US while an asylum case is pending. The short answer is that it will probably be difficult to return here anytime soon. Take care, Jason
Thank you very much Jason
Hi
When you interview why the did not send my decision even it is deniy?
Why they take long time to decide?
May be the put the file under table because they did not find strong case and they can not reject because war in my country.
Am i right?
Nope. They have thousands of other cases too. They study a lot at once. That slows down decisions. Also background checks. The more you’re from a red zone area (syria, afghanestan, iraq…) the longer.
There are many reasons cases are delayed. The most common is because of the security background check, which unfortunately can take many months or even years. Hopefully, you will get a good decision soon. Take care, Jason
If that is the background check is the problem, why the did not send conditional approval?
My friend get approval and it takes time for the check.
I understand that the background check occur after the conditional approval not before. Am I wright?
Second, Can I call them or send email asking for my status, or it bother them?
Thank you
You can send an email. They do not always respond, but you can try. Why some people get the recommended approval and others do not, I do not know. Perhaps there is another reason for your delay, but in most cases, long delays are caused by security checks or because the case was sent to headquarters. Take care, Jason
Chag Pesach Semeach to you and your family!!
Thank you – I hope to see you soon, Jason
How are you dear Jason Dzubow the father of asylum seeker , Before I ask you some things about my case I would like to say
God blesse —— you , your family and your work
Here is my question
1- on next week I will be finishing my pending 150 day and applying for work permit application EAD , and so I was emailing to my lawyer to advise me what to do to fill the form but he is not replaying for the message and I am confused because I do not want to let pass my 150 day with out filling the form , so what should I do . Do I myself can fill the form ( I-756 )
2- As I have mentioned last time my case is in Arlington, but for some economical reason I am living in Charlotte with my sister for the time being and I would like to have a driving license in charlotte how do you advise me is that possible and acceptable
3- if my lawyer is too tight on other costumer and not replaying to me what would you advise me in the future interview
4- Why the asylum backlog is not updating on April
Thanks for your time wishing for all the best
Sounds like you need a new lawyer.
It is a problem if your lawyer is not responding to you – maybe you need a new lawyer. I can only suggest that you fill the form I-765 and carefully read the instructions. You have to change your address to where you live. It his best if you can do that after you get the EAD, just to be safe. As for the asylum scheduling bulletin, they will update it soon, I think. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I am waiting for asylum interview and my TPS is also pending.
My wife is going to appear for B1 visa interview at my home country soon. Her purpose of visit is related to a conference related to her own career. what should she reply if she is asked about my status?
I am aware that this has been discussed earlier. But do you think my case will still affect her visa decision eventhough she is not coming to visit me?
Thx
sachin
Your case could affect her – we have seen people denied B visas specifically because their spouse had an asylum case pending. If asked, your wife needs to tell them the truth. They probably know already, and if she lies, it well certainly result in a denial. Maybe USCIS will grant the visa, but I am not very confident about that. Take care, Jason
Perfect pesach parable.
Here’s one just for you:
A blind man is sitting on a park bench. A Rabbi sits down next to him. The Rabbi is chomping on a piece of matzoh. Taking pity on the blind man, he breaks off a piece and gives it to the blind man. Several minutes later, the blind man turns, taps the Rabbi on the shoulder and asks, “Who wrote this?!!”
Happy Peach to your and your family. I hope to see you all soon, Jason
Jason,
I did my interview 9 months ago with no decision ….
Please advise what I can do to expedite that?
Not much -you can contact the asylum office to ask (there is a link at right called Asylum Office Locator where you can get contact info). You can also contact the USCIS Ombudsman (also a link at right). Otherwise, you can file a mandamus lawsuit. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that you can do something effective to make them go faster, but you can try the first two, and if that does not work, look into the mandamus. Take care, Jason
Try to relax, i know it is hard, i have smiliar story, i know a guy waitting for the decision from LA office for 20 month
What office you applyed in?
Good luck
Oh my God. I can’t stop laughing at “Yet when the door was opened for Elijah — no Elijah.” I can relate though. Everyday I open the mailbox for my asylum interview letter, yet no letter.
That’s funny. I wonder which will come first – your interview notice or the Messiah.
Haha….. That’s hilarious….