Mahir Ahmed really wants you to know that he’s a “legitimate” asylum seeker. Not like those other people who are “deliberately breaking U.S. laws” and “jumping in line” ahead of good people like him. To confront this crisis, which has delayed a decision in his case, Mr. Ahmed declares his support for President Trump’s border wall.
I have some sympathy for Mr. Ahmed ‘s frustration at the slow pace of his case, since many of my clients are similarly delayed. But his desire to slam the door on certain asylum seekers who he considers illegitimate demonstrates a deep ignorance of our asylum system, not to mention a profound arrogance about his own moral standing.
First, let’s take a look at Mr. Ahmed’s “legitimate” asylum case. Mr. Ahmed is from Ethiopia. He was born Muslim, in a “community that is virtually 100 percent Muslim.” After he came to the U.S. (legally!), he converted to Christianity. He writes that his “decision to leave and criticize Islam publicly forced me to resort to asylum.”
As an asylum lawyer, I have done apostasy cases from many countries. In some places, apostasy is illegal, and can be punished by death. Ethiopia is not one of those places. In fact, Ethiopia is mostly Christian, and while Mr. Ahmed’s community may be “virtually 100 percent Muslim,” his country is only 34% Muslim. This means internal relocation is a real possibility. If Mr. Ahmed can live safely in some other part of Ethiopia, he is ineligible for asylum. Further, it is unlikely that Mr. Ahmed fears persecution from the Ethiopian authorities, and so if the government can protect him from his Muslim community, he would also be ineligible for asylum. This is not to say that his claim is illegitimate, but an apostate from a country like Iran, Pakistan or Afghanistan might consider Mr. Ahmed to be unfairly blocking up the asylum system when he could potentially live safely in his own country. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Or something like that.
Now let’s take a look at some of Mr. Ahmed’s claims about these “law breaking” asylum seekers who have supposedly delayed the decision in his case. In fact, Mr. Ahmed was one of the lucky asylum seekers who received an interview quickly, based on LIFO. The Asylum Officer told him to return two weeks after the interview to collect his decision. Mr. Ahmed was excited: “You can imagine how thrilled I was knowing that no matter what the decision was, it would all be over within two months of filing. No more worrying, wondering, and being in limbo.” But then, the Officer called and informed Mr. Ahmed that he could not pick up the decision after all; it would come by mail. He “was told they have no idea when [the decision would be made] and that the fact that I had legal status might be a factor in the delay since priority is being given to illegal immigrants.” Mr. Ahmed was shocked: “I couldn’t believe that illegal immigrants would be given higher priority than someone who followed the law. It just seemed unfair to me that jumping in line would put you ahead.” More than seven months later, Mr. Ahmed is still waiting for a decision.
After doing a bit of research, Mr. Ahmed found that since the time he filed his case, “more than 460,000 illegal crossings took place” at the Southern border. The “vast majority of the crossers claimed asylum and basically got priority processing over everyone who filed their cases legally, myself included.” “That is exactly why I’m for the border wall,” he writes. “True asylum seekers will still be able to file for asylum at the ports of entry [and] maybe even in their home countries soon,” if a proposed anti-asylum bill becomes law.
There’s a lot to unpack here, and we only have time to address the major points of Mr. Ahmed’s thesis. Let’s start with his data–the 460,000 “illegal crossings.” If you look at his source for this number (Customs and Border Protection or CBP), you will see that this figure represents people “apprehended between points of entry” from October 2018 through April 2019. While Mr. Ahmed writes that the “vast majority” of these border crossers claimed asylum, a review of the latest asylum office data reveals a different story. During this period, about 70,000 people sought credible or reasonable fear interviews, which indicates their desire to apply for asylum at the U.S. border (this is an estimate since the asylum office data is not as current as the CBP data). Thus, even assuming Mr. Ahmed is correct that these “illegal crossers” are jumping ahead of him in line, the number of line jumpers is “only” about 70,000; not 460,000.
Regardless of the statistics, Mr. Ahmed misses a more fundamental point: The law makes no distinction between “legal” and “illegal” asylum seekers. It is legal to arrive at the border (at a point of entry or elsewhere) and seek asylum. It is also legal to enter the U.S. without inspection and file for asylum. The relevant legal statute, INA § 208(a)(1), states that “Any alien who is physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival….), irrespective of such alien’s status, may apply for asylum.” And so these “illegal immigrants” that so concern Mr. Ahmed have the exact same legal right to file for asylum as he does.
Do “illegal immigrants” jump ahead of the line? Do they get priority over “legal immigrants,” such as Mr. Ahmed? In one sense, they do. When an alien arrives at the border and expresses a fear of return, she receives a credible fear interview or CFI (or if she was previously in the U.S., she receives a reasonable fear interview). This is an initial evaluation of asylum eligibility. Such interviews receive priority over “regular” asylum cases. The large number of CFIs in recent years is a major contributor to the backlog of asylum cases. In Mr. Ahmed’s case, however, he received an interview within a few months of filing. In other words, his case did not fall into the backlog. Thus, unlike other asylum seekers who filed and did not receive a timely interview, Mr. Ahmed’s case was not delayed due to “illegal immigrants” receiving CFIs.
Even for those “regular” asylum seekers who land in the backlog, I do not see how they have much basis to complain about CFIs. This is the system our country created to enforce its humanitarian immigration law. CFIs get priority because those applicants must either be approved and sent to Immigration Court for a full asylum hearing, or denied and deported quickly. If anything, people seeking asylum at the border need more protection than asylum applicants who are already in the U.S., since the latter are in no immediate danger of being returned to a country where they face persecution. As such, it makes sense to adjudicate CFIs first.
Mr. Ahmed also claims that a decision in his case was delayed because USCIS gives priority to “illegal immigrants.” He references a USCIS webpage, which indicates that “longer processing times may be required if you… are currently in valid immigration status.” First of all, this website lists several different reasons for post-interview delay, including “pending security checks” and headquarters review, which are common reasons for post-interview delay (especially, as far as I can tell, for cases involving Muslim–or formerly Muslim–men). Second, the reason a “legal” immigrant’s case may be slower than that of an “illegal” immigrant is because it requires more work to deny such a case. People in legal status receive a detailed Notice of Intent to Deny letter. People who are out of status receive a much less detailed Referral letter. Since it takes more work to create a NOID, it makes sense that such cases takes longer. A final note on this point: I have done many cases for people who are in status, out of status, and who have entered the U.S. illegally. At least in my anecdotal experience, I see no pattern of differences in processing times, and so I doubt that “illegal” cases are processed any faster than “legal” ones.
Based on his analysis, Mr. Ahmed endorses a border wall as a way to help “legitimate” asylum seekers like himself. But this “solution” has no relationship to the problem. If you want to prevent “illegal” aliens from seeking asylum, you need to change the law that allows such people to seek asylum. Perhaps by building a wall and increasing punitive measures, you can deter asylum seekers from coming here. This would help reduce the backlog (at the expense of our nation’s integrity), but you could achieve the same ends (more cheaply) by simply blocking aliens from coming here legally. If fewer people come here, fewer will ask for asylum. Indeed, the Trump Administration is trying to make it more difficult to obtain a visa if you come from a country that tends to produce visa overstays (had it been in place when he came to the U.S., this rule may very well have blocked Mr. Ahmed from coming here).
The bottom line for me is this: Anyone who reaches the U.S. and fears return to his country is a legitimate asylum seeker, and deserves to have his case carefully reviewed. Mr. Ahmed’s effort to distinguish himself from asylum applicants at the Southern border represents a basic misunderstanding of our country’s humanitarian immigration system and the values that that system represents. This is a difficult time for asylum seekers, and sometimes, among desperate people, there is an inclination to attack each other. Mr. Ahmed should resist this temptation. Instead of undermining his fellow asylum seekers, he should stand together with them. By supporting each other, we can improve the asylum system for all.
Hi Jason,
I want to don’t if you have had this situation before. After my interview, the AO said the decision will be mailed in two weeks. However, about a month later, I inquired the status of my application, to my greatest surprised I was asked to resubmit all my documents again. What could be the possible reason? I thought if the AO responsible for my case moved or retire, the office will request for a new interview and not just the documents. My interview was in Cleveland since Dec 2018 and no decision till now.
Thanks a lot.
Problems like this are pretty common. Maybe they lost the file, or part of the file, but there is no way to know. Maybe they will ask you for another interview. If you do not have a decision soon, you can inquire about the status of the case. You can find contact info for the asylum office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason
My father applied for asylum in CA, and I was a dependent person (I have a F1 visa) in the application. However, I was ‘excluded’ from the application and did not get EAD because USCIS believed that I was ‘in status’. I did not attend the college for a couple of months, and thought that I was out of status. Having talked to several attorneys, they told me that there is a need for SEVIS to expire. It is still unclear for me when a person falls out of the student status and what is the exact moment of that. Could you please shed some light on this, Sir? Thank you very much for being supportive to us.
Whether you are in status or out of status, if you are a dependent on the asylum application (meaning, a signed page I-589 with your photo was submitted with your father’s application and you were fingerprinted), then you should be eligible for an EAD (assuming your father’s asylum clock has reached 180 days). At least that is how I understand it, and we have gotten EADs for clients who were in-status students, so that should be possible for dependents as well. Maybe you are not a dependent on the case (you said you were “excluded”, but I do not know what that means), so that might be the problem. If you are a dependent, you might try again for the EAD (the first application is free) and see what happens. If they want to deny you, they should send you a letter explaining why they want to deny and give you a chance to respond. At least then you will have an idea about what is going on. Take care, Jason
Hello everyone! We had our interview done more than one year ago and never got our decision yet. Can I go to a college or university? I tried several times and I was rejected since I don’t have a permanent residency. Thank you.
Many of my clients who have pending cases are able to attend university using their EAD. Maybe if one university refuses, you can try another. Also, you might inquire with the Asylum Office about the status of your application – you can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Is it possible that it can negatively affect the decision if i inquire? Thanks!!!
I do not think so; I think it is safe to inquire. Take care, Jason
There are many children of undocumented migrants in CA and they attend community colleges somehow. You may want to ask them for ‘tricks’ and how they do it. I also recommend you emailing several departments within the same university/college to find out their opinion as to whether they are ready to accept asylum applicants. You will notice that they do not have the same position on this issue. They work strictly according to their policies but if the situation is a bit unusual, they are stuck and its easy to require green card rather than understanding you.
Hi Jason,
I’m from Iran and and my religious asylum case is approved. I need to give power of attorney to my sister in Iran to sell some properties. I will have to go to Iran’s “interest section” office inside Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC to do the paperwork. Would this be any problem for my asylum case when I file for Green Card?
I do not see how this would cause a problem for you. Unless maybe your asylum case says that the government is trying to arrest you. If so, you may need to explain why the interest section cooperated with you and issued the power of attorney. Otherwise, I do not see that you would have any issue. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
We have pending asylum application in Asylum office, but last year I visited my parents in 3rd country but I had TPS status so I had travel documents. My question is can my wife apply Asylum though she is already in my pending asylum application.
Please it will be help if I get some sugessation .
best
Mukul.
If she is a dependent on your case, and she files her own case, she has to file it with the local office (where your case is pending) and it will be joined with your case. I do not think it will get her an earlier interview under LIFO. If you want to double check about that, contact the local asylum office to ask them. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Eid Mubarak Dear Muslim brother and sisters of this forum!
I want to know how far is the expiration date for the GC based on asylum. Is it five years or 10 years?
It is 10 years. Eid Mubarak, Jason
Dear Jason
Please help.
I had two car accidents in one week Oct 20th and 26th 2018 and none of them was my fault. Two texting and drunk people rear ended me and T boned me. At the end I sustained bad injuries and since then I can’t go back to work.
I’m receiving workers compensation but my asylum case is still pending. I have neurological issues and body parts problem. Would my situation affect my case since I can’t work and I have accident in my record?
Someone told me it would affect my case but how would I prevent accidents that wasn’t my fault? Above all I was perfectly fine and now I have concentration, focus, thinking my overall cognitive capacity is impaired.
If that situation doesn’t hurt my case can it help it therefore? It’s been three (3) years since I applied and I never received a letter for an initial interview yet.
Thank you for your help and your comment as always.
This would only negatively affect your case if you were charged with a crime, but if it was not your fault, there should be no effect. I would include evidence of the accident (and the police report showing you were not at fault). The medical records might help explain any cognitive issues that affect the interview. Also, they may generate some sympathy. Finally, I suppose you can try to expedite based on the health issues – you have to show that finishing the asylum case would help improve your health situation. I wrote about expediting on March 30, 2017. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I am preparing to file for a GC based on asylum. I don’t have the capacity to pay for a lawyer. Thus, I am filing the application by myself. Can you give me some idea about what to include in the “cover letter” of my application that accompanies the forms.
Thank you,
Taju
It depends on the case, and you have to check the form. At the minimum, you should include a copy of your asylum approval, passport, birth certificate and 2 passport-style photos. You may try for a fee waiver (form I-912, available at http://www.uscis.gov) or pay the fee. Other documents may be needed as well, depending on the case, but if you read the instructions, you will see that. Also, I did a post on November 13, 2017 that might help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied for my asylum in nebraska which is under the chicago asylum jurisdiction. 3 months ago i moved to texas and i notified uscis of my move. I would like to write to the asylum office to ask about the decision which i have been waiting for almost 2 years. Should i write to the texas office or to the chicago office. Thanks for you help. Take care.
I think you have to write to the Chicago office, but you can just send the same note to both offices if you want – you can email it. Their email can be found if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I’m going to apply for GC after one year of approved asylum, but there is a problem almost a year ago goverment took money from my bank accout under civil forfetiure law they told me that a company which deposit this check to your accout commited fraud and there is no charge against me. do you think this cloud bring problem during AOS? should I reveal this issue in form i485 eventhough I did not charge for any crime and never been as defendent in court?
thanks
I am not familiar with the case to be sure about this, but it sounds like it will not affect your GC process. However, I would review the I-485 carefully – there are many questions, and you want to make sure none apply to you. Also, I would include info about this incident in your cover letter, and maybe attach the relevant documents. My concern is that USCIS will accuse you of hiding it, and this could cause issues. It is better to just reveal it, and they probably will not care. If you want to be careful, talk to a lawyer before you apply – maybe the lawyer can review the civil forfeiture documents, just to be certain there is no immigration issue. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I recently inquired about my case. And i got a letter saying “aslyum application under supervisory review and pending a final decision”. What does this mean. Is it a good sign or a bad sign. Have you ever received a reply like this and if yes, was it a approval or denial?
Hi Asylee,
Can I please ask you which office you applied to and your timeline since you applied? I am still waiting for decision from Chicago office since 2017.
Thanks
I interviewd at Chicago office e7 month ago, inquired for few time, yet there is no response from them
Hi OMAR,
I am in a similar situation. I was interviewed in Chicago since Dec 2018 and have no reply yet. Whenever I inquire, they send the same response “decision is pending in this office……” no further details about the status of the decision. Do you receive the same response?
They give several different responses that seem to all mean “the case is still pending.” To me, this is one of those generic responses – it really tells you very little. Even assuming the case is undergoing supervisor review, there is no way to know how long that will take. In short, I do not think this response tell you much, other than that the case is pending – you may get a decision soon, or maybe not. And it tells you nothing about whether the decision will be good or bad. Hopefully, though, you will get some positive news soon. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
It also says that it requires a extensive review. Does this mean something negative?
Thanks
I do not know, but I tend to think such statements are generic and do not apply to your particular case. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason and Asylum community,
(1) How is the success rate for an I-730 form for someone who is legally married prior to asylum case approval? Especially when the marriage happened in the USA and the beneficiary is already in the USA.
(2) What are the outcomes of the form I-730? Acceptance? Denial? Referral to court? Anything else?
1 – I have not heard about people having problems getting those approved, so I think it is fine. 2 – They seem to be accepted, though in a few cases, there are long delays at the embassy. For people in the US, I know of no problems. If the I-730 were denied for someone in the US, I do not think the case would go to court (though maybe it would, if the person is out of status). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Would you please write something about meaning of processing time for different forms? What does that mean? When it says 14 months, what is the exact meaning of that? Days without weekends? Days without holidays? Why USCIS is not clear about this timing? It is so frustrating.
ASYLEE, first of all, you have to understand that processing times for the different immigration benefits constantly change. As such, you can’t necessarily put an exact time frame- though you might be able to do a reasonable prediction based on available information, pattern, and previous data- on when an application will be processed.
Second, processing times vary depending on the office/court (this is largely determined by your geographic location in the U.S.) that receives your application/form. Compounding the aforesaid is the fact they move cases around to share workload. It is reasonable to infer, then, that moving around cases, and assigning cases based on geographic location, can impact the time you wait for a decision on your application for immigration benefits.
Third, the date ranges that USCIS provides the public are estimated time frames. Though there is not much to glean from available public information, one can draw reasonable conclusion(s) that the processing times provided by USCIS are determined by a number of factors- the number of applications the office is receiving versus the number of applications the office has, the amount of resources the office has at its disposal (human and non-human), etc. They then give a range which may or may not be accurate. For instance, the office that processed my GC had a date range for processing I-485, based on a grant of asylum, of 9-21.5 months. Luckily, mine was processed in 4 months, despite the processing time shown on the website. I would want to imagine that, for the most part, the information available on the website is a little close to reality: Chances are that your application will be processed within the date range that USCIS publishes. Of course, there are always exceptions.
Finally, if I am not mistaken (Jason, please correct me if I am wrong), “days” and “months” at USCIS are just that- days and months. I don’t think that USCIS makes a distinction- at least as far as making that information public is concerned- between weekdays and weekends for the purpose of determining the time frame in which applications are processed. With that said, obviously, USCIS is closed on weekends, and if they were to work on weekends, things would go a little faster. Aside from weekends, my opinion is that holidays don’t have an appreciable impact on processing times, especially since there are very few public holidays in the U.S. (I understand that other people may disagree).
At least some of the USCIS offices are open on Saturdays, as we periodically see interviews scheduled on Saturday. Otherwise, I agree with all this. And it is impressive that they completed your GC in 4 months. Most cases, though, are closer to the posted processing time than that, but nothing is very predictable these days. Take care, Jason
Jason, yes, it’s very impressive! At one point I almost contacted USCIS to ask them if they possibly made a mistake (LOL). I was in state of disbelief and skepticism for quite a while. But I am definitely grateful and would want it no other way.
My understanding is that 14 months of processing time means 14 calendar months. What it means is that USCIS is currently completing cases that were filed 14 months ago. This does not guarantee that a case filed today will be completed in 14 months, but it gives a rough idea. At least this is my understanding of USCIS processing times. Take care, Jason
Mr Jason I have an urgent question, I am unemployed and taking some classes . Can I request a fee waiver for my EAD card , it is about to expire and have no money. thank you MR
You can try that – use form I-912, available at http://www.uscis.gov. The form gives instructions about how to qualify for a fee waiver. Take care, Jason
Hi Hopfan can u pls share your timeline with Houston asylum office?Thanks I couldn’t get my Daughters EAD and SS,though I got mine because I received a mail that I have been approved since February so I’m meant to file under a different category but My lawyer made inquiries twice now but no response and the clock is still reading.
Is anyone in the same shoes with me?
Thanks for response and Jason you are doing a great Job giving hope to the hopeless…Thankyou
I have a current status of asylum seeker since 2015 and waiting to be called for an initial interview. However, I’m a derivative applicant of the asylum application and my parents are the principal applicants. I’m currently married to an American citizen and we also have a baby, but she’s living in a different state while I’m also in a different state working and finishing up with school. We visit each other every other month and our marriage certificate is from the state she resides. What’s the process to file a change of status for me to get my green card and how do we go about it. Also, what are the required steps to be taken in order to file a compelling change of status application that is geared towards my unique situation? Thanks
– Bosun
You can talk to a lawyer for all the details, but assuming you entered the US legally, it should be pretty easy. I wrote about the process on August 2, 2018 – that post should give you an idea. Take care, Jason
My Question to the whole Asylum Community and Jason
Has anyone been able to receive their decision in the mail within two weeks to a month? Do the shorter time span decisions tend to be recommended approvals or referrals and not the complete approvals?
Thank you all for your help & I wish you all good luck with the process.
Well, I got my decision last year 2018 from Houston asylum office in less than 2 weeks and I was approved.
The delivery mail didn’t drop it at the mail box, but he came to my apartment and my sister had to sign b4 collecting the mail.
I knew my pathetic situation and tears won’t give my office rest ! My God saw me through.
Best of luck!
Can you please share your timeline?
I received my approval letter in the mail about 15 days after my interview (interview in dec 2016, letter early jan 2017 – filed sep 2015) They just dropped it in the mailbox with no signature needed. The asylum office also called to congratulate me the day they sent it out and told me to expect it in the mail. This is in Chicago. Hope this helps.
The Asylum Division states that about 70% of decision are made in 2 weeks. This is not my experience, but my cases tend to come from countries with longer background checks. We do get some decisions in 2 weeks. I do not notice any difference between quick and slow decisions in terms of the grant rate. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I really need your help, I’m afraid I might be missing out something. My husband’s i730 was approved and sent to the NVC. The last time I called the NVC, they gave me a case number. I have been calling that same number for a week now to no avail. Last two weeks the status said an interview date has already been provided by the NVC. But I have never recieved any mail from them. Today status changed to this👇👇
“Your case is ready for your interview when scheduled at the U.S. Consular section. If you have already scheduled an appointment for an interview, please prepare your documents as directed in your appointment letter and appear at the consulate on the appointed date and time. Otherwise, please wait until you have been notified of your interview appointment. Additional information about how Immigrant Visa interview appointments are scheduled can be found at:http://nvc.state.gov/interview .
Please Jason I getting frustrated, I don’t know how to go about this. No medicals or anything has been done. I’m completely lost.
Please what normally the procedure. I will greatly appreciate
I can’t even contact the NVC, thesame number I called and they provided a case number I have been calling that same number but to no avail. And it’s the cell number on their website 😔😔. Do you think I should contact my home embassy because I was expecting a mail from nvc by now but nothing. I don’t even know what to do
Hi,
Don’t need to worry .You should be happy….The concerned embassy/consulate will send you email in regards to this.Please keep an eye on ur email.They will give enough time to your family to get medical done.My family has been interviewed already in May.They are going through AP… visas still not issued
Thank you Sarah.
Can you please share the procedure.
What happens next
And what will I have to do
Please I will greatly appreciate , I’m completely lost.
I assume you are overseas? If so, you might want to contact the US embassy in your country by email to check on the status of the case. You should have received an email about how to proceed with the I-765 and the G-325C forms, but different embassies are doing cases slightly differently. It may also be that they just did not send you the info yet, as it can take a few months and it does not sound like you have been waiting that long. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason.Thank you again.ot has been a tuff month but God is good.i left you a voice message.Thank you because by your blog i was able to receive an interview even if i don’t have a smile yet because it was sent to court.please if you can help.
I think I called you back and we spoke, but if not, it may be easier to email me – the email address is at the right side of this page. Take care, Jason
Very well said Jason,
“By supporting each other, we can improve the asylum system for all”. I feel that the US is still fine when viewing minds like yours. I am sorry to see such methodologies like Ahmed’s which seek to gain advantage no matter what. I am on my 6th year of pending status. I don’t believe that in someday I seek an advantage by undermining other peers. My frustration pushes me to ask the asylum office to deny my case rather than keeping it in limbo, but definitely not to ask them to block others so I take the advantage!
In some ways, it is easier to be in Immigration Court, as compared to the asylum office. At least in Court, you have a date for your next hearing. At the asylum office, you can wait forever without any idea about when it might be your turn. Take care, Jason
Hi, Jason:
Can I ask a question ? I don’t understand why some people are so worried about the delay/no interview scheduled.
As far as I know, asylum seeker can legally stay in the U.S. as long as their case is not finally adjudicated. And there is option to stay PD…What’s the difference compared to GC/Citizenship if you can live and work indefinitely ?
We’ve been suffering from the family separation from 2014, still in line from Los Angeles (applied June 2015).
My husband is out of the U.S. and I’ve been living here with 2 sons. My little son, who is 5, lives with his dream to see his dad soon. Emotional effects From family separation is a huge struggle that only people in this situation realize it.
This is very true. If the case is in LA, you might try to expedite – that office is moving pretty quickly now (it used to be the slowest office), and so an expedite request might work. I wrote about expediting on March 30, 2017. Good luck, Jason
The delay can be very damaging in terms of stress, career advancement, job opportunities, etc., but it is the worst for people who are waiting to re-unite with family members. I wrote something about this all on January 9, 2018, if you are interested. Take care, Jason
Can I follow up on this ? So is it that…people who go on PD can’t bring their family members here ?
If by PD, you mean prosecutorial discretion, that is not really used any more. But if you get PD, all it means is that your case is removed from the active docket. You get to stay here, but your case is technically still pending. So you cannot file to bring family members to the US. Maybe they can come to the US by getting a visa on their own, but not based on the PD of their family member. Take care, Jason
Thanks for illuminating me on this…The situation just keeps getting worse…
Jason, I came to The US 5 years ago from Russia. I am minority. Living here I have stopped fearing and do not fear to return to the country, because I psycologically became healthier, nobody here calls me gook and other bad names. I do not fear that I can be killed because of my ethnicity or arrested because of my political opinion. I doubt that on interview I can demonstate the fear of returning back home. Life in this country heals people who had past persecution. It tends that these people forget their past bad experiences in the countries where they came from. Do you have something to say to these people? How they should behave on the interview? What are your thoughts of it?
It depends on the case – if you were “persecuted” in the past you may qualify for asylum even if you have been gone for a long time. That term – persecution – is a legal concept, which usually (but not always) refers to physically harm. If you have not been persecuted in the past, you have to show there is a chance you will be persecuted if you return. This may be difficult if you have been gone a long time, but in cases involving ethnic violence, it may still be possible – usually, countries do not get safer after only a few years, but again, it depends on the case. It may be worthwhile to talk to a lawyer to get a better idea about how best to present your claim. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason：
Idk to ask about Advance Parole , If I get one , can I use it multi times during the valid period ( I know usually it is one year valid ) ? I would like to use it to visit my families in third country, however , Idk to know can I use the same one again to other countries ( for business travel ) after I get back from visiting my families. Please indicate ， thank you .
You can ask for a multiple entry AP. Once you get it, you can travel as much as you want, to wherever you want (except it is risky to go to your home country). As long as you return to the US while it is still valid, you should be fine. Take care, Jason
hey Jason：
thanks for telling how to use the AP appropriately ， here Ｉstill have some questions need to ask below：
First， my case is still pending （ decsion pending
） Ｉmean ， is there any risk when Ｉ re-enter US during the travel time my case referred to the court.
Second, Are you sure is it ok for me come back using the same AP for busniness travle（ not the home coutry）， if the officer will question me because Ｉapplied it with the reason of visiting family， but after that ＩMay be use it for business ? I am really confuse about that ? Appreciate
I have never heard of anyone with AP being refused entry into the US, or being refused the ability to board a plane, so I think it is safe. One issue would be if they made a decision and referred you to court while you were outside the US. I do not know what would happen there, but I suspect you would get back anyway, given that you have the valid AP document (though I am 100% sure about this). As for business travel, that should be fine as long as you did not get the AP based on a fraud. If you got it for a humanitarian reason and use it for other reasons, I do not see how that is an issue – it still lets you re-enter the US. Take care, Jason
I am asylum seeker from back 2015 waiting patiently and praying for my interview. I never blame asylum seekers for this delay. This delay is from government that suddenly decided to keep us in backlogs. They now interviewing someone like Mr. Ahmed who is ungreatful that he atleast done with his interview. I came here legally too. What he stated is totally irrelevant and I think he is lucky that he already completed his interview. It was basically our turn from 2015 to be first in line and if it was not because of illegal immigrants (that he stated and I don’t understand we are all asylum seekers! legal or illegal) (Which was the reason government decide to change the interview to LIFO) he would never get his interview this soon. So he should be thankful to what he called illegal immigrant!
He is just selfish! And he is not even from the country that persecute Christian.
Only God knows how patiently we all are waiting from back 2014, 2015, 2016,…! Whosoever is in backlog I can only tell you have patience. For me I pray and ask God to give me patience. Just believe this that one day this will all pass and better days will come soon my friends!
God bless you all!
You make a good (and ironic point) – if it wasn’t for the long delays, caused in part by “illegal” migrants, they would never have switched to LIFO, and Mr. Ahmed would not yet have received an interview (under FIFO). Take care, Jason
Hi,
He is frustrated as I am. I have no beef with economic emigrants or domestic abuse asylum seekers or gang violence as far it does not make my case pending for infinity!! Again I won’t blame the ppl seeking asylum for whatever reason they may find legit, USCIS has to come up with a policy where applications are not processed just based on the time of application like LIFO or even FIFO but consider other aspects too e.g. a domestic violence case can be at lesser risk of harm than an apostasy case from Afghanistan or Iran or Pakistan. If USCIS doesn’t process apostasy from Afghanistan, the dependents of the asylum seekers left behind are at higher risk of those in domestic violence. So the asylum seeker community stuck in backlog should start a petition to ask for a more inclusive policy on processing cases.
Really? If you are going to die, how you die and who kills you is irrelevant.
Is this Samir?
Good luck.
Tina,
Is the question to me? If so, then the chances of a person getting killed in Muslim countries like Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan… because of apostasy way higher then getting killed because of domestic violence. Secondly, I think even the way getting killed is also different (of course once dead, then no difference) but shooting with a bullet in the head and cutting throat with a thread aren’t the same for me! If someday someone wants to kill me, I would prefer a bullet in the head!!
Yes Jay.
If you fear harm or persecution under any of the 5 protected grounds, the US allows you to present your case. Now the USA decides how and when they hear these cases.
Do you think apostasy cases will ever end? If the govt decides to give apostasy cases priority, it means other cases may never be heard. It will be an indefinite suspension of other cases, because apostasy cases are filed everyday, I believe.
I am not for or against people applying for asylum on the basis of apostasy or domestic violence/gang violence. You just need to understand that everyone is fighting for freedom, and to think people fighting for freedom on the grounds of apostasy have superior asylum cases does not make sense to me. Not implying that you are not making sense.
How to adjudicate the different claims is up to US government.
In essence, a DV or gang violence victim is trying to save his/her life, escape harm or persecution, or live free just like you and I.
Per your analysis as to how people die, people are stoned to death for being gay. People put a rope themselves around their necks to end PTSD and depression. Is stoning a person to death a better way to die since they are not fleeing on the basis you think is superior? I beg to disagree with your analysis.
I do understand how difficult it must be to be separated from family members, but I think we should stop pointing fingers at one another. Let us support one another and let the govt we are asking for help decide what is valid or superior.Try expediting your Case if you have not tried, and concentrate on your own case. Who knows.
It is just plain arrogance in my opinion to think certain cases are superior.
FYI, Jews, Christians, and muslims are killed everyday in the United states too, so if it’s only about staying alive, and how we die,we can die anywhere, anyhow. It is a fight for freedom, a fight to live freely, a fight for our lives.
Good luck.
Correction: Jews, Christians and muslims are not killed everyday in the US, but that has been quite rampant in recent times.
They are killed more often than they should be, anyway. Take care, Jason
He is very happy on Twitter that President of the USA shared his article. Well, bro, maybe it will expedite your case, you may get a US passport instead of the decision on you Asylum claim lol.
I bet you he did it for this exact reason. He knew that Trump would jump on it. Sadly, that’s the world we live in now.
Hello,
I received Recommended Approval recently from Newark office and waiting for final approval. Since I already have recommended approval, would it be possible if I file Mandamus lawsuit after six months and receive final approval? If final approval is not issued by then. But I also don’t wana file lawsuit if there is greater risk of going to immigration court.
Thank you Jason as always
I would contact the asylum office first, before any mandamus, but you can file a mandamus if there is no final decision. The issue is, if you file the mandamus and they are unable to complete the background checks, it could result in a denial (since they cannot grant unless background checks are complete). This may be better than waiting forever in limbo (since, if you go to court, you likely will not see a long delay for background checks), but it is something you need to consider and maybe discuss with the mandamus lawyer. Take care, Jason
I think Mr. Ahmed is just frustrated, he obviously thought his case was a fine deal when he applied, just because he apostated and was vocal (whether intentionally or otherwise) and that’s all you gotta do, Cade closed. But what about if he kept his mouth shut and moved elsewhere in his country as suggested in the article. Also apostasy in country like Afghanistan or Iran is a different story, you will be lynched to death by a mob in Afghanistan or hanged by a crane in Iran. Pakistan has a draconian blasphemy law and apostates are considered blasphemous, government seldom arrests them as they are lynched well before law enforcement can reach them.
A question here though, if an apostate from a country like those arrives and seeks asylum based on apostasy or conversion, how likely is their case to be approved as compared to our friend Ahmed here.
For countries like Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, I think the key is the credibility of the conversion – if they believe the conversion is true, you should win. We’ve only ever had one referral to court for an apostasy case (from Iran), and I am not sure why – they found the person not credible, but there was no real basis for such a finding, and I think it was unfair. It may have been that he filed a mandamus case, and for whatever reason, they could not issue a positive decision in the time frame required, and so they came up with an excuse to deny. I don’t really know, but I think we have a strong case, as the conversion seems very genuine. For a case like Mr. Ahmed’s, from a country that does not automatically harm/kill apostates, he also needs to prove that he cannot internally locate, that the government cannot protect him, and that his community really does want to harm him. In short, it is harder to win. That does not mean he will lose, or that his case is not legitimate – I suspect he can win. It just means that he has more elements to prove in order to get to a grant. Take care, Jason
I had to Google him. He came on a student Visa, and studied Engineering. I guess US trained engineers conveniently thrive better as Christian activists, living and working in the US.
He also has the expertise to differentiate between economic migrants, and ‘real asylum’ seekers like himself per the article online.
If his country is over 60% Christian as Jason pointed out, the worst that could happen is that he is ostracized in the community. That in itself is persecution, but I doubt it will rise to the level of harm, if he did not decide to go public against another religion, unnecessarily.
One question I would like to ask him is his family’s take on his new found love for christianity, because if he has the support of his well off family, I do not know what he is talking about. How do I know his family is well off, one would ask? Except he came on a scholarship, coming to America from Africa for an undergraduate degree is not cheap.That is my beef with him referring to people as economic migrants. Aren’t there colleges in Ethiopia? The fact that you could afford to fly to US does not make you more deserving of mercy than the people who risk their lives to make it to the border, regardless of the validity of their claims.
The second question would be how he decided that going publicly vocal against another religion is necessary to practice Christianity. He would ‘win more souls’ by preaching privately to individuals in his home country.What was the purpose of going public against another religion?
I also do not even understand why he decided to focus on other people’s problems(‘illegals at the border’)
I could go on and on, but I guess I will leave it here.
Positive of Samir Ahmed: He gave me a venting outlet after a sleepless night😜
Samir, if you visit this blog and already have a bible, I will like you to read Matthew 7:1-3. “Judge not, so that you will not be judged……………………….”
I am not going to judge Ahmed asylum claim here but I found his complain about illegal
Immigrants baseless. The US law states that a person who can fear prosecution can claim asylum at the port of entry whether he came legally or illegally or simply with Visa or without entry visa. I think Mr. Ahmed is really confused the intent of his B1/B2 visa he obtain from his home country’s US embassy.
I can only say “poor Ahmed please dont point finger on other poor asylum seekers who are in similar situation as you”
Thank you Jason for sharing such asylum seekers idea here😊
I truly am sympathetic with his situation – the delay in some cases can be more painful than the past persecution, especially where the applicant is separated from a spouse or child. What bothers me (obviously) is that he blamed his plight on other asylum seekers who are in exactly the same legal posture as him. He should have done more research before posting this piece (and doing other media appearances), which help reinforce misconceptions about the legality of asylum and ultimately harm asylum seekers and the humanitarian immigration system. Take care, Jason
Great article, but one misconception needs clarification. I write as longtime employee in the asylum program (1992 – 2012). You state:
“Second, the reason a “legal” immigrant’s case may be slower than that of an “illegal” immigrant is because it requires more work to deny such a case. People in legal status receive a detailed Notice of Intent to Deny letter. People who are out of status receive a much less detailed Referral letter. Since it takes more work to create a NOID, it makes sense that such cases takes longer.”
A NOID doesn’t really take any longer than doing a referral or a grant. Every decision an asylum officer makes has to include a detailed explanation of their decision, whether grant, referral or denial. The only real difference between the detailed decision that goes into a grant or referral and a NOID is the pronoun. A grant or referral is written as “he/she claimed” and a NOID is written as “you claimed”. Back in the dark ages, when I first joined the asylum corps, in the early 1990s, every decision had to be sent to the DOS for comment and after someone from the old BHRHA commented on the preliminary decision, if it was a grant, the final grant was issued, and if it was a denial a NOID was issued. Smart officers took their preliminary decision and changed all the he/shes to you and all the him/hers to your, did some minor editing, and voila, a NOID. After reform, when NOIDs were done away with except for instances when the applicant was in valid nonimmigrant status, for those rare times when a NOID was called for the officer would just write up his decision as the NOID, the SAO would review it and sign off on it and out it would go. Same amount of research and writing as goes into any other decision. There is nothing in a NOID, such as a summary of the evidence and a legal analysis of the claim that you won’t find in every affirmative asylum file.
If a decision is delayed after interview it usually has to do with some sort of security issue (security checks aren’t back, a TRIG issue has been raised our CAARP) or the case falls under one of the criteria for HQ review. If it is anything other than late security checks, it has fallen down into a black hole and good luck.
Thank you for that. I wish I had a better sense of what goes on “inside” the system. I do have a couple ex-interns working as AOs, but for some strange reason, they won’t spill the beans. I do wonder then, why the USCIS webpage indicates that people in status are processed more slowly. Maybe that is just a reference to CFIs. Take care, Jason
When there is a backlog, applicants in status will be scheduled for an interview after applicants who are out of status, since the in-status applicants are not in any immediate danger of being returned to their country of origin. Once they’ve been interviewed everyone is on the same track.
Interesting. Thank you, Jason
Hello Jason
I applied for asylum ead first time but rejected due to a missing page in ead application. Uscis sent me a green page and asked me to include it with missing page when I apply again. I did not pay first time for ead application. do you think I need to include application fee this time?
Thank you
If this is your first time EAD, you do not need to pay. Put the green page on top when you re-submit the application. Take care, Jason
He is such a petty and sad person. I just read his article on the Federalist. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as I was reading. I found it really funny how he thinks that being inspected at a point of entry makes a person a “legal immigrant.” Everyone else to him is “illegal.” The fact that he was inspected, and that he possessed a student visa at one point in his life made him think that he is “legal,” and that we should acknowledge his hard, hard work of abiding by the law and obtaining a visa (Im being sarcastic) and grant him a decision fast on his case. What’s really ironic is that if anything, he is considered an “illegal immigrant.” He claimed to have come here with a student visa and ultimately intended to stay permanently. I’m pretty sure he did not mention his immigrant intent to the embassy person, and that constitutes fraud and misinterpretation. Already he’s in hot waterers. I feel like it is everyone’s duty to educate such people on what asylum is, being obviously such people don’t understand it is solidarity and not charity.
I am not sure, but from his piece, it seems he came here as a student and then converted to Christianity after arrival. If so, that would not be fraud. But certainly, you are correct that by applying for asylum (and expressing an “immigration intent”) he violated his student visa, which requires that the student leave the US at the end of his studies. To me, his asylum application is fine, but the idea that he is somehow better than other asylum seekers, who also fear return, is the problem. Take care, Jason
Unfortunately, the Asylum Law isn’t fair. I hope, it is reviewed and getting better and fairly ASAP.
I mentioned it to Mahir Ahmed on Twitter and I hope this fact-check piece would help him work on his arrogant.
Please copy my post and post on his Twitter page, Lol. I do not do any social media for obvious reasons.
Hi Jason,
I have a question:
I did the interview about two months ago, and the officer told me, they will mail the decision.
My question is: Is it common that they deny the case after months of the interview?
Some lawyers say, usually if they want to deny the case they do that within a month. They do not wait for the background check.
Hi, i got referral 9 months after interview. i hope you get approval.
That may be true, but I have not really observed that. I have seen denials after long waits, but it is not very common, so I am not sure. Take care, Jason
Do you know anyone interviewed from 2017 in Los Angeles Jason ?
I don’t think so, but the LA office looks like it is moving pretty well (see the “Asylum Division Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting” statistics – you can Google that). They used to be the slowest office, so there is probably still a big backlog. Maybe someone else here knows about 2017 cases. Take care, Jason
That was very encouraging . I tried to look at it but when I saw the number of pending application I got freaked out . Do you know if they are actually working on backlog cases ? From last to the first , if they following Lifo ?
I do not know, but I suspect they are doing some backlog cases. However, I do not know what order they are doing backlog cases in (oldest to newest, or newest to oldest). Maybe someone else here knows. Take care, Jason
just selfish
tsiup
Hi mr jason
I have a good question. I applied my asylum case around 2016 Oct., haven’t yet get interview. After waiting I decided to expedited an interview based emergency healthy , I send it to uscis an email with every support evidence that I had . Then they respond me saying that they gonna forward to asylum director and consider my case. But I didn’t get after any news that was April 28 this year.
1 -how long they gonna take to make a decision on my expedited interview . And second I hired a lawyer and this happen before him. And if they deny can I have to try second round with more evidence to support the same claim.
2 – I also apply my renewal work permit and is going to expire in jun. After jun can I inquired too so that they can process faster. Thank you Mr Jason.
Sincerely people
1 – Wait times vary. I would give them a few more weeks, and if there is no response, email them and follow up (you can find their email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator). If they deny you, or never respond, you can try again. If they deny the first time, you should get additional evidence to support your request. We have had a couple cases where they denied once (or even twice) and we tried again and the case was expedited. 2 – The work permit and the asylum are independent and so you would have to contact USCIS about that. However, keep in mind that it usually takes 4 to 7 months to process a renewed EAD and the receipt for the renewal automatically extends your old EAD by 180 days. If you need to, call USCIS (the number can be found at http://www.uscis.gov) and ask to expedite. It may not work, but you can try if you need to. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Just wanted to provide an update. I have been informed my EAD card is available for pick up, recently applied for my SS and it will ready in 10 days. I am just filled with joy and relief. It’s not just being able to have a work permit, but thinking about the journey to here. Just 9 months ago, I was filled with such uncertainty and anxiety; I left my country because of tremendous fear and danger, going into the unknown.
When I think about the process, it still feels daunting; especially in this political climate. I didn’t know if my life story would have been understood at the time. God bless this country, since I have been here for nearly 9 months now, I have never felt so welcome. The LGBTQI2++ community of which I am a part of has welcomed me and listened to my story; showing a level of compassion I could only dream of in my country of origin.
Again, to others beginning this process, I think of you and send you thoughts of strength and perseverance. I wish you nothing but the best.
Thank you for these comments, and I wish you good luck with the case, Jason
Dear Jason
I have a question
Iam a citizen.
1-But was wondering can my father apply for asylum even though am citizen.
2- would they ask him why you applied for asylum while your son is a citizen ?
I can not apply for him as IAM low income
1 – If he fears return to his country, he can. 2 – Maybe, but usually they do not ask this at the asylum office (they are more likely to ask in court). If the only reason you cannot apply for him is that you are low income, you can find a friend or family member to serve as a joint sponsor. You/he might also qualify for a fee waiver (form I-912, available at http://www.uscis.gov). Some US citizens cannot apply for their parents – maybe because the parent entered the US without a visa, for example. If you can apply for him, that is probably the better and safer path, and you can maybe deal with the income problem by finding a joint sponsor. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Can i travel overseas only with Green card based asylum without RTD ,or its depend of the countries .? because RTD its for one years and its takes time to renew it every time ,!
thank you
I don’t understand why you are aware of the risk but not taking cautionary step of applying early…
I also have obtained my GC through asylum and I do travel at least twice a year. Every time I travel I have to use RTD and I agree a RTD is valid for one year and takes much longer now to get one . In my case I was advised by my attorney that using my national passport was not an option for me when traveling out of the US. Again it may depend on particulars of your asylum case. You should consult an experienced attorney and find out if it is advisable for you to travel without obtaining a RTD
I agree – some people fear harm from the home country and others fear harm from terrorists or others in the home country where the home government cannot protect them. I think it is more risky for the first group to use a national passport. However, I think for all asylees, especially these days, it is best to use the RTD if possible. Take care, Jason
The RTD is a pain because of the limited period of validity. As long as it is valid, you can return to the US. However, whether a particular country will accept it instead of a passport, and how much validity needs to be on that document, I do not know – you would have to ask the embassy of that particular country. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason ,
Thank you form having such helpful platform where we can seek impatiently information and updates about Asylum .
I have 2 questions :
1- Is it safe for Asylee to Travel with only the RTD without GC ? have you heard about any complications for asylees with RTD only upon attempting Re-entry ?
2- Can yo apply for another Citizenship rather than the country you fear persecutions , will acquiring that citizenship complicate your Asylee status ?
Thank you
1 – It should be safe. Some people have an RTD and asylum status (and no GC). They can travel. One issue is that not all countries accept the RTD in lieu of a passport. However, for purposes of returning to the US, all you need is an unexpired RTD. 2 – If you are an asylee and you acquire citizenship in a third country, you can (and likely will) lose your asylum status. If there is a third country where you can live safely, you are not eligible for asylum, and if you get that citizenship after you win asylum, they can take the asylum away (once you get a GC, it should not matter if you acquire a new citizenship, but these days, I would be careful and not seek additional citizenship until after I had US citizenship). Take care, Jason
Hi, Jason. May I ask a question, I checked the USCIS link related to the article. It did say that
: Longer processing times may be required if you are currently in valid immigration status.
May I ask what might be the reason for such delay ?
I discuss that above in more detail, but I am not sure if that is really correct. If it is, one reason could be that it takes more work to deny an in-status case. Another reason could be that they prioritize out-of-status cases, but I have never seen that, and I know (because the asylum office director told me) that when they have open interview slots, and too many applicants, the computer randomly assigns applicants to interview slots – it has nothing to do with status, country of origin, or anything else. It is just luck. Take care, Jason
I guess it’s just human nature. But I believe that innately humans are selfish, that why sometimes we need laws. If there are no punishment for robbery, I guess the banks will be robbed in minutes…… It’s more precious when people like you Jason, would like to help us in need during this difficult time. And for that, I am really grateful for your work 🙂 Keep it up !!!
Thank you, Jason
Hi Jason,
We have a pending I-730 petition for the last 18 Months. I am the beneficiary, not the petitioner. As the beneficiary of the case I want to expedite the case. The expedition reason is related to me, not the applicant or petitioner. Do you think USCIS will accept this expedition? The expedition reason must be related to petitioner or the beneficiary?
You can use any reason to try to expedite. If the I-730 is pending with USCIS, the petitioner (not you) should submit the expedite request to them (or call them – the phone number can be found at http://www.uscis.gov). Once the case goes to the embassy, the petition could request that the expedite, even if the problem relates to you, the petitioner can make this request. Take care, Jason
It will be good if asylum offices process at least 10-20% of cases from backlog and create some schedule. So people waiting 3-4-5 years could get interview in one year or so.
I agree – the waiting and not knowing is the worst part. If you at least had a date to look forward to (as you do in a court case), it would help. Take care, Jason
This dude is extremely selfish because the problem he faced back home is similar to the problems these people crossing border facing. They came here becuase US is a better place for human protection compared to others. So what is bureaucratic practice is not related these people who run for safety. Even if trump build the wall his likelihood of getting asylum is completely independent.
A classical case of I am more deserving of mercy than the rest of them.
I wish him luck.
Too many self-entitled asylum seekers…Like, I would expect the asylum seekers to be humble and humiliating. But a lot of them seem so self-righteous.
There is a joke that says a Jew is like everyone else, only more so. That is how I think of asylum seekers. Take care, Jason
The opinion of Mr Mahir Ahmed is selfish.. I am asylum seeker of 2014 (with my children and wife), and as christian I’m happy for the people that have the blessing of a interview first me (before me). i know that i will be call for USCIS (interview) in yours time. waiting for my dream in the time of God, thrush other could have the same chance first , what is the problem…
He (Ahmad) may be future Miller.
Apt!
That is just sheer ignorance and selfishness . Seeking asylum is not illegal even if someone cross the border illegally .People who are afraid about their lives should be heard and given a chance to stay safe in this country or any country .My case has been pending is court for 6 years and it’s frustrating ,however, if anyone is to be blamed is the government who can not provide sufficient resources for USCIS to get the job done faster .
Sometimes people can be so selfish. Just because he wants to live his life. Rest of the people seeking asylum have become irrelevant. I cant believe how certain humans can be so selfish and ignorant. Mankind is after human being. Thafs why some say animals have better feelings that humans!