Recently, I learned that one of my clients committed suicide. The client was a young man who filed his asylum case in 2015. He had been waiting for an interview ever since. I did not know this client very well. He started his case with a “helper” who did a poor job of helping. Later, he hired me, but since the case was stuck in backlog limbo, there was not much for me to do. Because I am busy, I have little time to check in with clients waiting in the backlog, and so I had not heard from this person for some time.
I mention all this because, the fact is, I do not know whether the long delay in his asylum case or the underlying issues that caused him to leave his country were contributing factors in his death. Very possibly, there were other issues as well. That said, I can’t imagine that the delay and uncertainty, and the other issues related to his asylum case, improved my client’s mental health.
Indeed, the data available about asylum seekers and refugees supports a conclusion that such people have a higher prevalence of mental health difficulties than the general population. For example, one recent meta-analysis (a study of many different studies) found “lifetime prevalence in the general population is 3.9% for PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] and 12% for any depressive disorder compared to… 31% for PTSD and 31.5% for depression” among asylum seekers and refugees. Whether this correlates with higher suicide rates is not entirely clear, as we have limited data on that point. But the evidence that is available suggests that suicide rates among refugees is higher than the general population–and in some cases, significantly higher.
Of course, this makes intuitive sense. People who have been forced to leave their country, their family, and all that is familiar, and who have arrived in a new place that is often not very welcoming, are facing many stress factors. Our asylum system, with its interminable delays and uncertainty, clearly adds to that stress. I have heard this many times from my clients, and I have had many clients treated for mental health difficulties, including suicide attempts.
All this raises some practical questions for those stuck in asylum limbo: What can be done to empower yourself in a situation that seems beyond your control? Where can you find support? What do you do if you are having thoughts about harming yourself?
I am no expert, but it seems to me that one psychological issue for my clients is their lack of control over the situation. They have to wait and wait, with their lives seemingly on hold. To the extent possible, I think it is important to live your life: Go to work or school, buy a house, start a relationship. This is easy advice to give, but much harder to implement. Even so, for those who can find meaning and purpose, and who can build a future–even amidst uncertainty–it will likely be easier to heal and to endure the long wait. Also, asylum seekers are not entirely powerless. They can try to expedite a case at the Asylum Office or in Immigration Court. Asylum seekers can also take action to improve the asylum system, by lobbying Congress, for example. I plan to write more about that in a future post.
Also, support is available for asylum seekers. This includes mental health assistance, support groups consisting of asylum seekers helping each other, and organizations that can assist with many aspects of resettlement in the United States. To find these groups is not always easy, but a good starting point is this state-by-state guide to immigration non-profits. Find a non-profit near you, call them, and tell them what you need. They may be able to direct you in the right direction. If they can’t, there are plenty of other non-profits to try. In addition, religious communities are often an excellent places to find support and friendship. Many larger churches and mosques have committees devoted to assisting refugees (my synagogue does), and people at these institutions are usually eager to help.
Finally, what to do if you are thinking about suicide or self harm? Or if you fear that someone you know is considering suicide? Help is available in these situations. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) “is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” This help is available in many languages (through a telephone interpreter) at 800-273-8255. The NSPL makes several important points about preventing suicide–
- Suicide is not inevitable for anyone. By starting the conversation, providing support, and directing help to those who need it, we can prevent suicides and save lives.
- Evidence shows that providing support services, talking about suicide, reducing access to means of self-harm, and following up with loved ones are just some of the actions we can all take to help others.
- By offering immediate counseling to everyone that may need it, NSPL’s local crisis centers provide invaluable support at critical times and connect individuals to local services.
The NSPL also provides a list of risk factors and warning signs to keep in mind.
Asylum seekers and refugees have often undergone past trauma. Combine that with the challenge and loneliness of moving to a new place and starting a new life, and the uncertainty of the asylum process itself, and you have a perfect recipe for mental health difficulties. We can mitigate these hardships and help prevent any more asylum-seeker suicides by staying connected and being aware of the warning signs, and by reaching out when we see others in need of help.
Hi, Jason! Just could not stop myself and not to say what a great article you wrote! Being an asylum applicant with pending case since 2015 my life and mental state changed a lot in many different ways (good and bad). Leaving successful career, family, friends and all I achieved before in a different country without way back was a suicidal immigration decision by itself. Then arriving to a new country where no friends, no right to work, no place to live, being literally fully exposed to not friendly environment day and night month after month did not help mental health too. Crying every time I slept seeing in my dreams that I was forced to return where I came from then waking up, kissing rocks which were my new bed and home, falling sleep in cold again… Got very sick and almost died once (thanks to a man, the only one hero in my new life who picked me up and saved that time)… Then finally working like a slave without weekends, living in my car, saving money to buy a home. I could not stop thinking about a suicide for more than a few minutes first 3 years living like that. You advised right, living normal life, not thinking about what you can not change was and still is the most helpful. Bought a home, made good friends, invited my girlfriend to live with me, started a few exciting hobbies I have been dreaming about for decades and life started getting better. I am 40 years old now and finally I can live my own life for the first time ever, that would never happen in dictatorship country I came from. While I still check my mailbox with shaking hands every time expecting our government will ask me to leave one day and I am still intended to commit suicide when that time comes, I am grateful for what happened to me, for years of life I gained applying for political asylum and for the chance this country gave me. I am adjusted to think about today and tomorrow only and live normal life pretending everything is normal. What is not normal after all? That is all just in our heads.
Thank you for the comment. It sounds like you have been very resilient, which is difficult and extremely impressive. Those applicants who apply that same type of energy to preparing their cases tend to do well, and so I think there is hope for a successful outcome to the immigration case. Take care, Jason
This is the situation for me currently…I can finally feel your clients…how much desperation and hope-shattering that individual must feel…to carry out this act…
If not mind…may i ask…is your client religious ? does s/he/they believe next life ? I am not exactly religious…but recently I’ve been thinking…maybe next time…The situation for me could be better…asylum-wise and other-wise…It just seems to me that increasingly…my life is heading towards a losing finale in slow motion…
I also want to say that I don’t plan to act on it…persecutors haven’t been held accountable yet…and they need to be…There is a lot of evil in the world…I want to do something good to carry it to next life, if I have one…
https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Technology/story?id=894217&page=1
a real case about possible reincarnation…
Some are, some are not. I did a posting touching on this point on January 9, 2018. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, hoping this note finds you well.
I am an asylum applicant since 2013. I interviewed in 2017 and the decision is still pending in 2021. My FOIA file shows my case is APPROVED but the asylum office is not releasing my approval as I contacted them.
On the other hand, I completed my Ph.D. and have approval in hand for my National Interest Waiver EB2 visa. I am from Afghanistan. I have three questions for you that I could not find anyone to address:
– I cannot apply for adjustment of status due to the pending asylum. I am considering going through the Immigration Visa processing in Afghanistan (as I cannot go to any other countries). What is your recommendation? I am thinking to apply for advance parole when NVC schedules my visa interview; enter the country for my interview and exit back to the US until my immigration visa is ready.
– I applied for asylum before the one-year deadline when I was on F1 status. Am I considered a student visa abuser which will make me inadmissible to the US?
Please note I did not seek asylum from the Afghan govt but the insurgent Islamic group like the Taliban. Hence, I believe my commute to the home country for a brief visit which is out of my control may be valid, considering I have been waiting for my approval for 7 years and want to get out of this hell limbo.
1 – You could try this. It is not easy to coordinate the timing. Also, returning to Afghanistan could cause USCIS to think your asylum case was fake. Most Afghans fear terrorists, and not the government, and if that is you, you can explain that you are able to return to your country for a short time, and live in hiding, but you cannot stay there for long, since the terrorists will eventually find you. This explanation may or may not work, and so there is some risk. It does seem to me that if you can explain how you stayed safe, and if that makes sense in the context of your case, there is no basis to conclude that your asylum case was fake. 2 – I highly doubt this. You have a right to file for asylum. I think you could not leave the US and get a new F-1 visa, but the fact that you applied for asylum should not block you from getting a green card now. Alternatively, you might consider a mandamus case (we wrote about that on October 2, 2018), assuming you already tried contacting the asylum office. That would force them to make a decision. The risk is that they would deny the case if security background checks are not complete. Take care, Jason
Good morning,
Following up with the comment of Alex. Mentioning FOIA. I would appreciate if you explain for me what the FOIA is and how to use this way to check my case status.
Thanks,
Regards,
FOIA stands for freedom of information act. You can request your USCIS file and see what has been going on in your case throughout the years such as asylum officer’s notes and all.
Thanks Jason for the comment.
@ Alex. First of all, thanks for your response and explanation. That’s amazing! I did not know that. And as you wrote in your first comment, you could know that your case was approved. That’s lead me to ask , once you knew your case was approved, did you contact the asylum office? Because it looks like you are still waiting for the decision. What was their response and the excuse not to issue the final decision?
Thanks again,
Regards,
FOIA stands for freedom of information act. You can request your USCIS file and see what has been going on in your case throughout the years such as asylum officer’s notes and all.
Thanks Jason for the comment.
The asylum office did not care. It was just a good sign for me that case is in a good shape and gotta be hopeful.
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) is used to get a copy of your case from the government (there is a link under Resources for FOIA EOIR (the immigration court) and FOIA USCIS (which includes the asylum office)). If there is a decision already made in your case, that decision should be included in the documents you receive in response to the FOIA request. Take care, Jason
@Jason@Alex, thanks for your response. And excuse me to keep asking. What’s making me confused, how did the asylum office make the decision but not issuing and sending it to the applicant? Does it mean that there are still procedures to be completed such as the background and security checks?
One more thing, when an applicant ask for a copy of his file through the FOIA, would that make the asylum office officers angry in a way that may affect the decision? Especially if their continuous answer, and I quote “ the final decision is pending at this time, we send a request to expedite the process”. The process means: the checks.
Thanks,
Regards,
I do not know, but maybe the background check is holding up the decision. A FOIA would not make the asylum office angry, but it could possibly cause additional delay, as I think the file need to be sent from the asylum office to the FOIA office for copying, and that can cause a delay (that is my understanding at least, but I am not completely sure). Take care, Jason
Jason,
I have a technical question.
Asylum pending is not a status that you can use for I-485 adjustment of status if you have EB2 NIW right? But how about approved asylum? Could this be accepted as a temporary status for Alex that could be used for I-485 without leaving USA? I am not familiar with the I-485 but does it something we can try?
I have not researched it and you/Alex would need to double check, but my understanding is that once asylum is granted, you are now in status and can adjust status on any other basis (family, job, lottery). In some cases, such as where an I-130 or I-140 is already approved and current, this could save some time and be faster than waiting the one year to apply for the GC based on asylum. Again, you would have to double check this, but I am pretty confident that is correct. Take care, Jason
I escaped from my country when I was followed to be killed because I am a gay Christian who was born into a Muslim family/society.
I never intended to be an asylum. I have a degree in engineering, a UK degrees in Business and management. Worked and traveled around the world. But all in all I chose to go for asylum.
The USCIS has made me homeless, jobless and they cut my work permit as it stuck in the process. I couldn’t pay for lawyers and today I started google how to take my life. These might be my last few lines. Until I find a way to buy a gun. I wish I was killed back in my home country, other than being stripped, humiliated, mentally tortured in the US. I was so positive in every negative evet of my life that my religion and gender identification would ever stop me from enjoying the ife.
This is very difficult, but there are organizations and people that are ready to help (I provide some links in the above article). I urge you to try to contact them. They may help put you on a more hopeful path and connect you with others who are similar to you – and having represent many LBGT asylum seekers, and many Christian converts, I can tell you that there are other people who are on similar journeys. I still think about a friend of mine who committed suicide after high school. I am sorry he was not able to overcome his difficulties then, as I think things would have improved for him. I suspect that maybe he was gay, but never came out (it was more difficult then, maybe). In any event, I hope you will reach out to the organizations listed in the article above, or to friends or people at church. Many people are ready and eager to help, and you might find that the situation can be improved. Take care, Jason
Hİ Jason
I applied for asylum in December 2016 and I interviewed in October 2019, unfortunately, ı did not receive my final decision yet and The Ombudsman just emailed me your decision was made in December 2020 but ı did not get my final decision yet
I just applied for my EAD renewal last month it will be expired the incoming may.so I sent the fee and my renewal form to USCİS . I have not received my renewed EAD and I just worried about it.
They sent a letter and it says you have to create a USCIS account and add a case and then we will waive the fees.
I am just confused and before my status was pending final decision …right now it shows your current status: fees were waived.
I just wanted to ask what do all things mean? will they send my approval letter or ???? please advise
thank you
james
People here think that is a positive sign. However, I think you have to be patient and wait for the letter. Since the decision seems to have been made months ago, you should email the asylum office and ask – you can find their email if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. Good luck, Jason
I want to be careful but our cases are pretty much similar. See my post two weeks ago. I think it is coming
Congratulations.
Check my post for the last two-three posts it will be helpful to see what is coming
FIRSTRESPONDER
March 25, 2021
No matter what it says if it is “decision is mailed” it is most likely you will receive your decision. It may be different for others but I am receiving an online update in this order; initial application (October 2016), interview scheduled (February 2019), Decision pending (March 2019), initial application (August 2020) It stayed that for a while.
Then last week (last 7-8 days) I have a series of updates in 24 four hours cycle; decision is pending, fees were waived, desicion is made, decision is mailed, cards is being produced, case status was updated to show fingerprints were taken.
Thankfully my decision was approval.
Here is the whole timeline; I hope the system gets better soon and we do not wait long for green card and citizenship
*Nov 2016: First application
• Nov 2018: First expedite request (with the attorney)- Approved & Interview is scheduled.
• Feb 2019: The interview is done.
• Aug 2019: 1st follow up (with senator): Response-Unresolved issue-
• Dec 2020: 2nd follow up (with senator): Response-Unresolved issue-
• Apr 2020: 3rd follow up (with senator): Response-Unresolved issue-
• Nov 2020: Second expedite request (Individual): No response.
• Nov 2020: Second attempt for expedite request with Senator: Accepted, Response- The decision at final stage of processing.
• Jan 2021: 4th 5th follow up (with senator): Response: Issue with the background
* Jan 2021 Ombusdman application
**March Decision is made; approval
I applied for asylum in 2015 and I’m still waiting for the interview, waiting brings depression and with depression comes losing, losing your friends, your spouse, your job, your health.. and every meaning of life.
In the last two years every time I think of committing suicide I remind myself that this’s exactly what the USCIS want me to do.. Stay alive and never give them what they want
It is a very difficult struggle. I do recommend you try to get some support – from friends or a church group. There are also support groups like tassc.org that can make referrals and introduce you to others in your situation. Such actions can make the wait more bearable. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason
Astaf,
I don’t know if you are familiar with my story, but I can say to you, keep being strong, and it’s okay to be weak sometimes.
I can relate to the losses! People do not understand depression and PTSD. They think we are always sad-why are you sad, they often ask? Some call it mood swings, some say you are frustrated, but depression is a mental cancer. I HATE it. I want to be free! But it is like steel bars wrapped around me- I want to break free, but the rear view mirror is difficult to disable due to the uncertainty before most asylum seekers.
My case has been resolved, but the mental trauma unfortunately was not set on default to resolve itself. It is still a daily struggle.
My past and the asylum system has so messed up my head that I still feel I am a curse to everyone around me.
However, there are people I consider my responsibility, and for them, I try to take it one day at a time, undergoing mental health treatment and hoping to be well one day.
You can try to write your congress person if you have not done so. Tell s/he exactly how you feel. You never know.
All the best.
Thank you Tina, you are very kind
Dear friend,
Never think of committing suicide. I have the same struggle.
-Initial application: Feb. 2015
-Interview: May 1st 2017
Till today, no feedback from USCIS. Whenever I write asking about my case even using a senator, they tell us to wait… Nothing else to do. Suicide is cowardice.
Respondent,
With due respect, I disagree with you that suicide is cowardice.
Please take care of your health ASTAF, I learn it hard way, I was like you, the waiting created depression and that affect my health. I finally get my Asylum, but at the cost of unreversable health damage that depression has caused to my health. You will get it, sooner or later, but don’t compromise your health for it.
Hello Jason,
Hope you are great and happy spring! I was granted asylum status in 2018 and applied for my green card in 2019 but the application is still pending. I met my spouse last year and we are planning to get married in a third country.
This relationship didn’t exist before I was granted asylum and thus, I didn’t add my spouse into my principal asylum application. That being said:
1. Is it possible to bring my spouse to the USA while my GC application is pending?
2. OR do I have to wait for my GC or citizenship first ?
Thank you!
-JJ
1 – You have to wait to get the GC before you can petition for her. She can try to come here on her own (tourist visa, student visa, etc), but you cannot file for her. 2 – Once you have the GC, you can file for her. You can ask to expedite the GC – I wrote about that on January 29, 2020. Take care, Jason
Hi James,
Jason will respond soon. Continue to look out for Jason’s response.
In the meantime, according to USCIS, in order for your spouse to derive asylee status, s/he must:
-Meet the legal definition of “spouse;”
-Have been married to you when you were admitted to the United States as a refugee OR were granted asylum;
-Continue to be married to you when you filed your Form I-730 and when they are admitted to the United States (if applicable);
-Not be inadmissible under any of the grounds that apply to refugees and must not be barred as a persecutor, if they are seeking derivative refugee status; and
-Not be subject to one of the mandatory asylum bars, including the persecutor bar, if they are seeking derivative asylum status.
In addition, according to USCIS, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), including former asylees, are able to petition for certain family members to immigrate to the United States as permanent residents.
Once your status has been adjusted to that of LPR, you may petition for the following family members (it doesn’t matter if you were married after the asylum grant at this point):
-Spouse (husband or wife)
-Unmarried children under 21
-Unmarried son or daughter of any age
Hi Jason,
My individual hearing suppose to be tomorrow at NY, however, court are closed till mid of April. I have received any notice or they have updated in EOIR site. I have tried to call court and number which you have mentioned on this site. I would appreciate your suggestions for that.
Thanks
If you cannot reach the court using the number on their website, you can try calling DHS (the prosecutor) – you can ask for the “duty attorney” or maybe even the receptionist, but they should know if court is going forward. You can find their number if you follow the link under Resources called DHS Office of the Chief Counsel. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason,
I spoke to a USCIS agent today about my Asylee i485 still pending since Nov 4 2020 and he checked and said that I said I had 27 days left for the processing time for my i485. it’s currently at the National Benefits Center and I still haven’t sent in my Medicals ( awaiting them to send me RFE ) so I don’t understand what he meant by the 27 days left. And I see that i485 by Asylum approval is been approved quickly nowadays
Hi Jason,
After waiting for 3 years of GC at TSC, finally I got a letter from USCIS office of request for interview. Here is my questions, as an asylee, do i need to do an interview? if so what do i need to get prepared for? As I am out of my residential state, can i do it through tele? Last, What documentation do I need to bring?, since I have already included all documents on my application date .
Thank you as always!
If you have any major issues in your case, you should talk to a lawyer (criminal record, returned to country of persecution). Otherwise, review your asylum case since they could ask about it (usually, they do not), and review the I-485 form, as they normally do ask the same questions as on that form. You have to look at the invitation letter to see what documents they want to see, but I would bring passports and all documents that you have related to your asylum case and any other immigration case, plus all EADs. In short, bring everything that might be relevant. Probably you will not need it, but if you do, you will have it. Not all asylees have such interviews, but many do, so this is not too uncommon. Take care, Jason
May I ask how you were able to initiate the chat? Is it through the USCIS website?
I do not know either. Processing times for GCs are 1 to 3 years, and we see most cases take about 1.5 years. Take care, Jason
I have a GC case pending since January 2019. Can you share us the contact information of the USCIS agent? Thanks a lot
You can call 800-375-5283 (it is difficult to reach a person) or contact them through http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason!
Hi!!
I wanted to share my timeline to give a hope to all members
Case Applied: April 2014
Interviewed: July 2017 ( Jason was my lawyer)
APPROVAL: August 2017
Green Card Application: August 2018
Green Card Approval: October 2019
Waiting for 5 years from there to apply for citizenship. Jason was with me through my rough times!! Gave me a lot of strength & emotional support !! A BIG THANK YOU TO HIM 😉
Better late than never, I guess!
Thank you – I hope all is well, Jason
Hi Jason,
My EAD renewal application is being processed at Potomac Service Center location. Is this location faster or slower than texas and Nebraska?
You can check it on USCIS official website. Use processing time tool, enter you case # and choose different service centers then you can compare results.
Thanks. Good suggestion.
I do not know. We see renewals usually taking 4 to 7 months, but I have not kept track of processing times by office. Even if we did that, an individual case might take longer or faster than average, and so there is no way to know how long a particular case might take. Take care, Jason
Thanks Jason. I checked online, I-765 for potomac service center shows 5 to 7 months but as you mentioned every individual case is different.
Pretty much everywhere is ridiculously slow. Why it should take more than a few days for a renewal is beyond me. Take care, Jason
I have been into a miserable situation where the delay of my case (8 years pending a decision) was driving me almost to craziness. I have never thought to commit a suicide as fortunately my solid religious background helped to never think about it, but that doesn’t mean that I was not in a horrible mental disorder and I definitely needed a mental help.
Now I have applied to a green card and I am waiting for a decision. I was told that I may wait for up to a 3 years or maybe more before I can get an answer. But my mental situation is way better than before. The only reason that I am good now is because I have a known (definite) ending. I am in a line. My case will be looked at sooner or later.
Keeping the asylum case in a black hole or what so called (uncertainty) is the ONLY factor to raise mental troubles (as far as I believe).
If USCIS would like to save such people lives, they need to think seriously about deploying a fair system. They can apply LIFO, FIFO, or whatever their preferences are, BUT they need to give people a certain and definite date to decide on their cases. Without a known date (regardless how long it is), I guess asylum seekers will keep on suffering.
It felt that I will wait forever when I was pending a decision. That pending status drove me crazy to beyond to what can be imagined.
I remember when pressing on the pedestrian button at traffic lights, there was a voice comment says “WAIT” to notify pedestrians to wait until their light turns green. I remember that I was thinking that this robo-voice is a USCIS officer telling me to wait. I was responding loudly: “it is ok, I have been waiting forever”. Other pedestrians were staring at me and trying to stay away from me.
The unknown waiting time kills people. It is an obsession that is very hard to get out of it. USCIS needs to resolve this in order to help asylees.
This is a good point – the fact that you know the outcome and that USCIS gives you some idea about when to expect that outcome makes a big difference. This is why I think FIFO and the scheduling bulleting is very important. Though you cannot know your outcome, at least you have an idea about the date of your interview. This will help a lot in terms of mental health issues, as some part of the uncertainty will be eliminated. For what its worth, most of my asylee clients who apply for GCs get the card within 1 or 2 years. Few wait more than that. Also, when I am with my son at the stop light, he says to me “You need to lose some…” and the he pushes the button. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason,
Does that estimation (GCs get the card within 1 or 2 years) include applicants under MSC (National Benefits Center)? Because this center is not listed in the drop-down menu when I try to check the processing time in https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/
I do not know – the 1 to 2 years is my experience with my clients, but I do not recall which offices processed their cases. The USCIS process times are not so reliable and each case seems to be different. In short, it is not very predictable how long it takes to get a GC. Take care, Jason
Jason,
I’m filing the change of address form online.
When I click “Submit,” an error window appears that says “You must select the Form Number associated to your Receipt Number. The Form Number you selected does not match our records for that Receipt Number.”
I use the correct receipt number that I see both on the I-797 form and in my online account.
Have you (or other readers) experienced anything like that?
Assuming the error doesn’t go away, should I just file a paper form instead?
I have not seen that (yet). I would start again from zero, maybe tomorrow, to see if it works. If not, I guess you can send in the paper form, but I think that is less reliable and I have not done that for a client in a long while. Take care, Jason
This agency to put it mildly , is in other words : Pathetic . I mean just the fact that they take a lifetime to adjudicate is ridiculous . They couldn’t care less how they are hurting applicants mental health . They very people who feed them ( applicants) pay them through fees and get treated awful . They need to be dissolved . They’re a lost cause . Make a new agency that is efficient and doesn’t wreck lives
Had my interview 3 months ago, and my case status just changed from decision pending to application is pendig. Can you please explain what thats mean? Thank you
That is exactly what happened with me, after a month or so from the interview’s date, the status changed from decision pending to application is pending.
I just received the decision, granted asylum. Thanks God.
Here is my time line:
March 02, 2016: application filed.
Sept 30, 2020: Interviewed, Expedited (My attorney threatened the USCIS for a lawsuit through US Attorney).
March 30, 2021: decision made, Granted Asylum.
JASON, thank you very much of all your support, this site was a big help for me to learn a lot of things regarding asylum. I Really appreciated!!!
I have a question, now Im eligible to apply for Green Card in a year from the decision date. The question is, will the green card effective date will be the asylum decision date?
Thank you,
Amigo
Congratulations and thank you for sharing the good news! You can apply for the GC one year after the asylum approval date. You need one full year of physical presence in the US. So if you leave the US for 2 weeks, for example, you have to wait one year + 2 weeks before you file for the GC. I did a post on May 16, 2018 about asylum grants – maybe that would be of interest. Take care, Jason
Hi Amigo,
Congratulations on your positive decision. I had two quick questions for you, if you don’t sharing with us:
1) What office did you interview at?
2) Did anything else happen between the interview and the decision for you (like did they ask for additional documents or anything)? Or did you basically wait between the two time periods?
Thanks.
Interview was in Houston, TX office.
And no additional information or documents requested between the interview and the decision.
Could you please tell me where you find such status as “Pending”? Because when I use the Uscis Status Check they ask me to fill it up with my recent EAD number and it has been always telling me when my EAD Card was sent to me. Nothing as decision pending or application pending.
Could you please direct me where this can be found?
Thanks
If you are talking about the USCIS.gov check status feature, you have to enter your asylum case receipt number, which should start with a Z. Take care, Jason
I think it has no meaning; at least none that relates to whether a decision is coming. You can email the asylum office to ask about your status. You can find their contact info if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for what you are doing for the Asylum community. I do have one question for you. I was filling the I-485 permanent residence application form and one specific question confuses me. The question on 24.a asks “Have you EVER been a J nonimmigrant exchange visitor who was subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement? I came to the USA through a J1 visa but it was valid only for one 1 though it mentions “BEARER IS SUBJECT TO 212 (E) TWO-YEAR RULE DOES APPLY”. I am confused what to answer. Can you please advice on this. Thanks in advance!!
It sounds like the 2 year home residency rule does apply to you, so you should check “yes”. However, for people who received asylum, that requirement is automatically waived. Unfortunately, I do not recall the exact section of the CFR that says this, but you can just circle that question, write “see cover letter”, and on the cover letter, note that you received asylum and this automatically waives the two year home residency requirement. Take care, Jason
Hello J,
Applied GC October 7, 2020, November 15 fingerprint taken in MSC service center. Can you tell me after fingerprints taken how long will take time.work permit and travel documents still shows applications received October 7.
It is not predictable, but probably 4 to 6 months is pretty normal. Processing time for the GC itself is also unpredictable – I think USCIS says 1 to 3 years, but we have seen most cases resolved in 1 to 2 years. Take care, Jason
GC applied January 2019. Finger print completed in February 2020. No GC yet. Just to share my time and to ask what to do to get my GC. Thank you
These cases are taking 1 to 3 years, so you are still in the “normal” processing time. I did a post about expediting cases with USCIS on January 29, 2020 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason
It’s so hard on our hearts and emotions to know about what happened to your client. I hope this nightmare comes to an end very soon. Sir, after the congress passed Biden’s new pathway to citizenship act, when will it be moved to the senate to vote? Will it need 60-40 votes or 51% ? The previous stimulus relief package got passed by congress and then the senate voted shortly after that and president Biden signed it. Why didn’t the citizenship act take the same way?
With Love and Respect
Asylum sufferer
Unfortunately, the Citizenship Act does not have the same support and it is not moving (so far). I do not feel optimistic about its chances of passing, though maybe some smaller bills will pass. Immigration is not the main priority, but hopefully we will see some progress. Also, we are hoping (and lobbying) for changes to the asylum system – especially for a return to FIFO, which I think is better for most asylum seekers, and more fair. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason and all,
I hope you are all good at this time.
I filed my I-485 for adjustment of status and i-130 for travel document. I received my receipt for I-485 and it shows that National Benefits Center is working on my case. If a case is referred to NBC, does it mean that after subsequent processes, it will be scheduled for an interview in the field office? Or it is discretion of the field office to schedule the interview or process green card without an interview?
Thank you for responses.
Hi
Could you please let me know how long did it take to get your receipt number from the day you filed your I-485 application?
Receipts have been very slow since late 2020 – 3 or 4 months was common. The situation is slowly improving. Take care, Jason
Some I-485 applicants are interviewed; others are not. Asylee dependents usually are, while principals usually are not (though I think USCIS is still aiming to interview everyone based on a Trump-era memo that was not yet rescinded). Which office has your case does not tell you whether you will be interviewed, or at least I have not heard about that. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason and asylees , a friend of mine has crossed the southern border and has been held by ICE , now she is in ICE custody and she ask for asylum. I want to know if there is anyway to get her release so that she can pursue her case outside. Any tips will be appreciated.
I am not Jason but I know there is a way to get her released (possibly). 1. ICE officially and an immigration judge at detention facility will do a bond hearing her to evaluate if she can be released. 2. if the judge decided that she can be released on bond, a US citizen or GC holder can be a sponsor her and get her out. the sponsor has to provide a letter saying that he/she will support your friend’s housing and feeding ( if she need that) until her immigration case resolves. they may require a bond (judge decides that, anywhere between 1500-10000) as well. this money will be returned only after she completes all the court hearings. normally, your friend’s officer at the detention facility should to tell him all the procedure. I have a friend currently detained one of the detention centers in the north, Both bond hearing and master hearing is done just 1 week after detention, individual hearing is schedule just for 10 days later(WOW, immigration will resolved in 1 month..it is a magic!). because few people at the detention facility now due to covid. They basically told him that he can go out if he can find a sponsor but he just decided to finish his case inside because he is a genuine Asylum seeker and he doesn’t want risk being scheduled to 2-3 years later for court hearing outside. But I also heard that many people around him want to get out as soon as possible because they don’t have a strong case and they want to go out otherwise they might get deported soon if judge denies their request.
Thank you so much ALLEN for all these answers . I will try to see if I can pay the bond .
ALLEN , also I wanna know if it’s wise to get in touch with the detainee ?
You can definitely get in touch with her. there is no harm in that. But as far as I know, You can not call her from the outside. You can call detention center and leave a message for her if you know her A-number. if you don’t know A-number, try to get her Birthday and other information to leave the message ( I don’t know this will be successful). if she has you phone number, she can call you any time from the inside.
There is no harm in that, as Allen says, but it can be difficult to reach the person. Sometimes, you have to do it by mail! Maybe you can find the contact info for their detention facility here: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/index. Take care, Jason
If the bond is too high, you can also ask the judge to reduce/reconsider the bond. Take care, Jason
It depends on the case, but many people can get out once they pass the credible fear interview (initial evaluation of asylum eligibility). The best thing to do is get help from a lawyer, who can prepare the asylum case and ask DHS or the Immigration Judge for release on bond. Take case, Jason
This is not fair to put people in limbo situation. I have been waiting for 4 years now for just an interview. My mental health has deteriorated a lot! and I am not able to take antidepression medication since I don’t have medical insurance. I have two master’s degrees and still struggling to find a job!
Too many are like you, so they don’t care
You might be right that they don’t care because most of your claims are fraudulent and majority of you just want to escape from your home countries. Many so called asylum seekers are using the asylum ticket to remain here. The desire for a good life in US or other western countries does not in itself gives you refugee status…we should have no more flood of illegal asylum seekers here in the USA…
I truly understand that the US flooded with so many immigration cases. But as a human being, we deserve to get an answer after 4 years. This is really torturing!
I guess you can go back to your home country ? (Not my opinion, but I feel this is the reaction that we will be getting from a lot of people)
Mike,
Do you have family or friends that can help you pay to see a Psychiatrist, and prescribe medication if you need one?
Are you employed? If you are, your employer may have insurance for you.
Kindly respond please.
Unfortunately, I do not have any relatives or close friends to help me with my medication bills, I lost my job last year due to the pandemic! as you know we are not eligible to get Medicaid. I also suffer from thyroid disorder and migraine which I have to pay a lot of money for them as well. I have a really hard time paying my bills
You didn’t get any of the stimulus?
It sounds like you have prescription for your mental health, but not able to afford it?
Is this correct?
This is why FIFO is better (where they interview people in the order that they filed). At least that way, you (sort of) had an idea about when your interview might be, and it gave you a (possible) end point. Now, the only option is to try to expedite, as I discuss above. Take care, Jason
I see many people who expedite are rejected…
Some are approved and some are rejected. There is no negative effect on your case if you ask for an expedited date and it is denied, so if you want to try, you should. Take care, Jason
This is heartbreaking Jason, we don not know how many people gone due to this problem.
Today when I check my i-485 status, it says “Case Transferred And New Office Has Jurisdiction”. I waited starting 2019 in Texas office. What does this mean for me?
Thank you
These messages are not all that helpful, but at least it seems to indicate that USCIS is working on the case, so that is good news. Take care, Jason
To Asylumist Community,
Sorry about your client, I went through the same but i still saw light. I kept waiting and hoping. Suicide is not a solution to this problem. I would like to give hope to this community by sharing my timeline below:
April 2, 2021 Case Was Approved
April 1, 2021 We ordered your new card.
March 17, 2021 We received your response for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
February 11, 2021 We sent a request for additional evidence for your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
December 8, 2020 The fingerprints relating to your Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, were taken.
August 29, 2020 We accepted the fingerprint fee for your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Our Nebraska Service Center location is working on your case.
August 24, 2020 We received your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Rough Journey, but i have made it through. Please dont give up.
Thank you for sharing your time. Congratulation!
When did you apply? Did you expediate your case?
Applied on Dec 2017.
Trump came to power, Lifo to Fifo then i was scheduled, lost the case was referred to court.
Won in court in 2020.
Thank you for sharing this with us. Congratulations!!!
Hi Everlyn,
Congratulations. Would you please mind sharing the date on green card?
Supposed to be dated 1 year earlier. I will receive card in hand this weekend and i will let you know.
Hi,
My case is pending in court, individual hearing suppose to be today but canceled and waiting for new day. Would you share the change which made your case more stronger and judge approve the course?
Thanks.
Case was same, it was strong. Maybe my interview didn’t go well at asylum office.
– For court, your lawyer is your best bet, you need a very strong lawyer who has good reputation in your court.
– Lawyers know ins and outs of the court and how judges work.
– If you know who is your judge, then try to find a lawyer that has already represented with that judge before, as they will know how to overcome issues.
Thank you for sharing – you got the GC more quickly than most people, so that’s great. Take care, Jason
Hello
The simple nature of us human is selfishness .If Biden administration is not able to see and correct LIFO to bring back old system,there won be any difference between Biden and Trump .The only thing would be that the injustice done by Trump administration was regularly reported in the media but Biden would do injustice against us exactly the same as Trump for us as asylum seekers but this would be done in total indifference and silence of everyone. Justice is not hard to serve simply people need to use common sens.
The Trump Administration did a lot worse than switching to LIFO (and by the way, FIFO only existed for a few years and before that – under Obama – it was also LIFO). I think there is a big difference between the two. That said, LIFO is causing a lot of pain to a lot of people, and we will be working to change that system. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
What do you make of it?
https://www.npr.org/2021/04/01/982795844/biden-administration-considers-overhaul-of-asylum-system-at-southern-border
The situation down there is a humanitarian crisis, but also a political crisis that threats other parts of President Biden’s agenda. I think they need to take action to get the situation into a more orderly state and they need to do that in a humane way. I do not envy them. Take care, Jason
So does Biden consider his political agenda higher than asylum seekers’ well-being ? … so sad…
Such a heart breaking story! So many asylum seekers stuck with USCIS backlog are in limbo and powerless, Jason. I have a pending asylum case since 2013 and I remember going through episodes of not existing anymore because I was stressed out. The worst part is knowing that your documents are sitting somewhere with zero updates. I could not stop having tears for couple days when i found out that my first court hearing was cancelled and rescheduled for the third time to 2022. It is hard to keep up with delays if you do not get enough support. Hope things will get better soon.
It is a real mess. You can try to expedite the court case, though that is not easy given that most cases are being postponed due to Covid. I wrote about expediting on April 20, 2017. Take care, Jason
We do not know how many others are gone unseen. I know several individuals ended up crossing the borders and apply Canada seeing bad examples here. There should be some efforts to collect real data to measure the negative effects of 4-5 year delay in this population…
It is very hard to get such data. All the government will know is whether a person appears for his interview. Many people do not appear (there is data on this point), but we do not know why. I do think someone could contact the various non-profits that assist non-citizens and inquire about this, and that would give us some useful information. It might be a good Ph.D. thesis for someone. Take care, Jason
My case has been pending since 2015, with 03 unsuccessful attempts to expedite by my attorney. Since 2018, Im struggling with Depression episodes. I went through mental health care and on medication just 08 months ago. How long would that last? Who really care about our awful situation? who on earth can be in limbo’s uncertainty, separated and stocked from loves ones for years and feel happy? In a such dangerous and stressful world? Why does America do this to people already in America for years? The world is so unfair and most politicians so inhumane.
We will be pushing for help for affirmative asylum seekers and I will post something about that soon. I think most politicians know nothing about asylum, and especially the affirmative asylum system. Just getting them to understands that it exists is a challenge. Take care, Jason
I mean I guess there is effort … but no willingness from the politician side…
Hi Jason and everyone,
Some ideas crossed my mind while I was reading this shocking story can we collect some funds and use it to get an interview with CNN Jason and couples of individual who want can part of the interview to talk about the asylum in general to let the world know about what really going on, what we going through those who wish to be part will have testimonies, just to get attention or we can do something that media can keep broadcasting……
Asylum seekers can reach out to the media, church communities, school communities, etc. and tell their story. I think that can be very effective, and I wrote about it on March 28, 2018 if you are interested. Take care, Jason
Aren’t they exposing themselves by reaching out to media ?
Some people like being in the media, and others do not, but certainly it is not a decision to be made lightly – either for the person or for the person’s case. Take care, Jason
Wow 😯 This story is very sad! Hope his family will find peace.
Dear Jason
Something very weird happened to me .
Chicago lockbox charged my card the amount (1225 usd and it was pending as of March 30th) and texted me the same day with the receipt number.
But today the money was not taken and the transaction disappeared!!!! I called my bank and they told me the money was not taken from your account. What does this mean?? did this happen to anyone??
It is so sad, I am pretty sure if asylum limbo is not main cause, it is great contributing factor. I have started same feeling of hopelessness after being in pending for about 5 years. I had lot of family issues and couldn’t do anything as I was stuck with my asylum. Though I got my asylum at last, particular the last 2 years before got the interview, I was so depressed, for the first time in my life I began to think about suicide. Those two years were so bad, it have last impact in my life, I loose one teeth that can easily be saved and have dental problem which is costing me fortune now. I escaped life and death situation to come to US, but I feel depressed in US. Back home, you know the situation and get use to it, beside you have family to help you go through it. In US, you are alone and you have every hope but as time goes you began to question your hope, particularly with ever changing rules by Trump administration, you feel hopeless as the mersey of others. The journey is not end yet for me, pending green card is also other nightmare.
Thank you for sharing this. At least with the pending GC, it is just a question of waiting (and you can work and travel in the interim). With asylum, you could lose the case and eventually be deported. But it would be nice if the GC would go faster – there is just no excuse for the delay, given that you have already been very thoroughly vetted. Take care, Jason
Thanks Jason, you website was very helpful. I wish everybody USCIS would be like you. They have to put themselves in our shoes, and see how much damage they are causing. I know they may have challenges with every increasing cases, but some of the hurdles seems deliberately, anyway hope all will change with Biden soon, once again thanks for being a hope in hopeless situations.
I have not heard about that happening; maybe something was wrong with your card? You can also try calling USCIS to ask: 800-375-5283. It is a pain to call, so maybe wait until next week to see if the application comes back to life on its own. Take care, Jason
It looks like GC processing fee. 1140$ + 85$ biometric fee. Have you applied for GC recently?
What can I say? speechless……. Your client took the extreme step. If this delay was not the factor, it may be a connection remotely for this step…. As an asylum seeker who is waiting since 2014, I can feel the pain. Still, I don’t know if the decision is in my favor or to send me to the court, how many years that would take. I hope people sitting in government offices will be able to understand this issue.
At least with court, they give you a date (usually) and so you have some sense of when your case may end (though these days, it is common for court dates to be canceled). Take care, Jason
Please Join in requesting change of asylum policy from LIFO to FIFO by tweeting #changelifo2fifo
please join step up thre pressure to change the asylum policy of LIFO to FIFO by following and commenting on Twitter #changelifo2fifo
Thank you for sharing this. We are working on some lobbying in this direction – basically trying to get members of Congress to send a letter to DHS requesting more resources for asylum and a return to FIFO. It seems to me that many advocacy groups are not so interested in the whole LIFO-FIFO thing, but I think they should be. LIFO is arbitrary and unfair, and there is little or no evidence that it reduces fraud (this was the justification for LIFO in the first place). I think returning to FIFO so people have some sense of when they will receive an interview would be very helpful for those who are waiting. At least they will not be completely in the dark. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason:
I am so sorry to hear about your client. I can imagine the pain that to push your client to do this step😢 I am waiting almost 6 years for asylum interview and my pain is that I can not travel outside of the USA especially to see my old parents. I told before about my story. My parents were rejected in receiving visa 4 times and I do not have any opportunities to travel to the third country. My mom is crying every day and she never seen my younger daughter. Plus with the age they got a new high risk issues with their health. It is ridiculous we can not meet each other anywhere and it seems like it never happen. Jason, you are only one person who is supporting us and professionally answering all our questions. Thank you for this🙏 If it is possible to send to Congress/Senate the petition to approve a law document which will let us to travel to the third country and will ensure the issue the documents which is similar to Advance Parol+Travel Passports (mine is expired). And, of course, to return to FIFO it will be fair and would give us at least some hope of being considered. For my understanding, the bill which was included 8 years Citizenship Way eventually died and will never even be considered by Congress😢 Thank you!
The proposed bill is not dead, but we have not seen any progress on it lately. Also, most people (including me) think it is unlikely to make progress. There are other smaller bills moving along, and I will post something soon about lobbying Congress to at least get some attention for affirmative asylum seekers. In terms of your case, if you can get a passport, you can travel with AP (I wrote about that on September 11, 2017). You can also try to expedite your case – I wrote about that on March 30. 2017. Take care, Jason
Jason, thank you for writing this piece. Indeed, it is very sad to hear about your client. I actually touch on similar topic on your previous blog. We understand as attorneys you and your other fellows either don’t have enough time to periodically check on your clients or don’t have expertise to provide social/moral support to your clients that are trapped in uncertainty. Speaking as an asylum applicant with pending case for six years, I can feel what this person might have gone through, it is extremely difficult to live in limbo. My attorney is also not checking on me, but to be honest, a single email after each six months will make a huge difference to us (clients). As I said in my comment on your previous blog, we don’t have anyone in this country, after God, attorneys are the only person we trust and solely reply to navigate us from this uncertainty.
You are certainly correct, and if I had some way to connect more frequently with clients, that would be a good thing. Unfortunately, the demands of the work itself are too much. Many asylum attorneys are like me – we charge a lower fee, but that means that we have to take more cases and are too busy. For this reason, it is important for asylum seekers to connect with others who can be more supportive. I particularly like the asylum support groups (one near me is TASSC.org), as they are asylum seekers helping each other, and they are connected to mental health and legal professionals who can also assist. Take care, Jason
I also noticed this issue. There are not enough resources. Is there a reason why there is not enough asylum lawyers ? I mean asylum has existed for a long time……
It’s not a very lucrative field, and if you have to make a living at asylum, you have to do a lot of cases, which means you are very busy. I do think support is available for people who need it, but it may be difficult to find and of course, there are language and cultural barriers. Take care, Jason
I always thought I was alone on this boat but at some point, life is useless when your fellow humans don’t care about you leaving your children alone and feel distraught all the time. I sometimes feel like there was no need to live and even tried to commit suicide a few times.
Ongoing, chronic stress can cause or exacerbate many serious health problems, including:
Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders
Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and stroke. Obesity and other eating disorders. Menstrual problems
Sexual dysfunction, such as impotence and premature ejaculation in men and loss of sexual desire in both men and women. Skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, and permanent hair loss
Gastrointestinal problems, such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and irritable colon.
I have been facing all these problems which have been affecting even my marriage and my relationship with the kids living with me. Oh God, are the people running asylum offices real human beings? No country has ruined my life more than America. crying………..How can they not issue a decision on my case for about 5 years after interview????
Mental health challenges often lead to physical health challenges. I hope you are able to get some help from a medical professional. I also hope you can get some help from people here who want to assist asylum seekers – church or mosque groups, asylum seeker support groups, etc. It can be very useful to be in contact with people who are going through the same issues. In terms of your case, I think you have tried to contact the asylum office and the USCIS Ombudsman. If those avenues have not succeeded, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit. We wrote about that on October 2, 2018. Take care, Jason
This is heartbreaking, but at the same time, I can understand what that young man was going through, he was going through it for too long! It’s inhumane to keep people in limbo for that long and I have said it time and time, the system appears to be designed for these types of outcomes. I remember when I arrived here and met with my lawyer, the first thing he said to me, you need to get into therapy, which provided an essential avenue to express so much of the turmoil I was going through for years. But also the suffering and anxiety while I went through the asylum process. I couldn’t talk to the persons I was living with about this just because of the fear of how they could weaponize it.
Whoever that young man is, I pray that his soul is at peace, because when you commit suicide, it’s because you are tormented in this life. You need an escape and unfortunately, this is what happens. To others who might be struggling, please don’t give up, please don’t go into despair. Try as best you can to find meaning to your life while you slowly go through the process. You have to continually evolve and re-manifest your psychology when you embark on a journey like asylum. It’s even why I procrastinated for years to leave and file for it. Just remember, whatever you are leaving behind to be here, you did it, you took the first step, which is the most important. The symbols of freedom: i94 granted asylum status, EAD, LPR, Citizenship; yes, they are important to have and solidifies your presence here. But they don’t prevent you from living your best life here either. If you have lie to yourself to say you have it, do it. Just live your life the best way you can.
Also, try to get into therapy and find healthy communities that can understand your needs, even if you have to do trial and error to find it. Peace and Love to everyone here and hope that all our hopes, dreams and aspirations come through very soon. Take care.
Very well said. I agree that therapy is helpful – whether it is with a mental health professional, a religious group like a church or an asylum support group. If you are connected and supported, it makes the journey easier. Unfortunately, many people have barriers to getting help, and it takes effort to overcome them, if they can be overcome at all. As you note, asylum seeker have shown that they are people who want to improve their lives – they have come to a new country and tried to find a better life. This takes great courage. Unfortunately, once you are here, you cannot let up on these efforts, and have to keep struggling. It would be nice if our system made things a bit easier for people who need a balm to their wound, not yet another challenge. Take care, Jason
Hi Enronn,
So last time you said that you are not comfortable with sharing you stories. But…I thought you already were granted asylum ? Which means you have protection ? Then what’s the fear ? And where does it come from ? (the U.S. government ? the govt of ur country of origin ? Americans ? people from your home country that reside here ?)
Cuz I am also wondering whether being granted asylum can really free me of fear…If it can’t … then what’s the point of seeking asylum if one continued to fear and have concern…
I never said any such thing, you are fabricating things I never said. What I said was, I am not going into exact details about where I’m from and where I’m currently located; that’s honestly nobody’s business. Now I am going to say something, but please take it constructively. Make sure your recollection of things is accurate for your case, because if you are making mistakes about ‘my asylum grant’, then it might not bode well for yours. If you even read my comments here, I have mentioned numerous times identifying as Gay or part of the LGBT community.
That said, being granted asylum does not free you from fear, there is a lot of mental anguish, especially since I am not out to family back in my home country. Also, I am in this country pretty much all by myself, worse, through a pandemic. I have friends here, but I don’t have a true emotional support system in this country. If it wasn’t for the grace of God, I don’t know where I would be. I am thankful everyday for the blessings of good health, still having a job, being able to have a shelter, warm bed to sleep in, free wi-fi, and an abundance of food.
Thank you ENRONN, I am sorry if I make you upset. I am not trying to upset you since…I am just getting a little tired of hiding and running away from harm and persecution. Your situation seems VERY similar to mine…So I really hope that in the U.S. you can be yourself and love who you love. So am I…
May I want to ask you sth. In your experience, do you feel that the USCIS is less favorable or friendly to LGBTQ asylum seekers than say race, religion grounds. I just got a REF from USCIS requesting me to explain why my situation is medically necessary to go through transitioning…I just feel powerless. Like how am I able to explain to a cisgender, heterosexual person that I need medically transitioning, it is the essence of mine…Just like I can’t understand how nice it would be to live as a straight person…Like I don’t think they can understand.
The second question is, may I ask is your family part of persecution as well ? I am not out to my family, because I never admitted it. They still abuses me because of me being feminine. Will some … like good family USCIS interviewer ( their profile is mostly cisgender, heterosexual, Christian, having wife, kids, good family men, tradition loving…you know it, typical conservatives)…. Will these kind of asylum interviewer holding prejudice against people like us ? Cause they probably don’t like LGBTQs … nor do they want their kids to be LGBTQ…sometimes I wonder will they think…oh I can’t let this freak in, what if s/he affects my kid…
Again, I am so sorry that if I bothered you…But I couldn’t find any support..None of the lawyers and fellow asylum seekers I know are trans…it’s an extremely lonely journey… @jason do you know where I can reach out for support or to find people like us ? There are a lot of trans people and there are a lot of asylum seekers…But it is just so hard to find fellow trans asylum seekers…like where are they ?…
Just to address the last point – you might try Googling “Immigration Equality”. That group assists LBGT asylum seekers and maybe they have resources or a support group where they can refer you. Also, I think almost any local gay rights organization would be a place to find support. Activists tend to be interested in helping asylum seekers, and even if they cannot help, they might have local referrals (for example, to an LGBT-friendly church or health center). Take care, Jason
Even though I was granted asylum, I tried to commit suicide twice, the idea of not seeing my family for years is killing me every single day.
Nomad,
I thought having my asylum approved would make my struggles disappear, but I realized I may be sitting on the rocking chair for longer.
Nope! Medications are still necessary to function daily. Getting my case resolved provided some closure, but the rear view mirror is hard to ‘disable’.
The backlog and hostility also exacerbate mental health issues that sometimes, one just wants to go away, and not return.
I think medications can be helpful, and even more helpful is the fact that you have a medical professional monitoring the situation and available to you. Recovering from trauma (whether persecution or the difficult asylum process) takes time and effort. At least that is what I have observed in many people. Take care, Jason
It is worth connecting with a support group – to find other people in your situation and also to get advice. One group I like is TASSC.org. It is asylum seekers helping each other. They are in the DC area, but if you contact them, there are similar groups around the US that they can refer you to. Also, you might look into the possibility if travel using the Refugee Travel Document, form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov. It is best to meet family in a third country, but it is not impossible to go back to your home country. I wrote about that on January 6, 2016. Take care, Jason
We are powerless. I tried to expedite my immigration case four times. I have been expecting an interview call since August 2015. The congressman sent a request to the immigration office three times … Sometimes I think that until one of us commits suicide in front of the immigration office, they will not pay attention to us.
Let’s hope it does not come to that. I have been doing some lobbying and on one Zoom call was an asylum seeker who had been waiting 5 years for his interview. His presence was very powerful and made an impression on the Congressional staffer we spoke to. I will be posting more about lobbying, but I do think asylum seekers have some power here. I wrote something about this on March 28, 2018 that may be of interest, and I think asylum seekers and advocates need to work together to push for improvements in the system. Take care, Jason
I feel the problem is that there is not enough resources out there. The grounds on which you seek expedition probably apply to other people as well. So why should you jump over a lot of other people and be interviewed first.
what other people are you talking about? Maybe the first interviews should be those who first applied? stop being smart if you don’t know the essence of the matter.
Heart wrenching!!!☹
I can imagine how frustrated this person was. Backlogs, family separation, pendamic, may be jobless….😥
Jason,
I am really sad to hear about your client but most of us are dwelling on the precipice of mental breakdown.
Most of us are going through similar circumstances. I lost my job last year at the start of pandemic while my asylum interview was pending for 5 years, I was also extremely exhausted and depressed but I kept praying and GOD helped me through it. My interview is pending now for 5 and a half years but I am trying to remain strong and positive.
I have seen such difficulties in many of my clients, and frankly, I am surprised that it is not all of them. Unfortunately, the asylum backlog does not get enough attention – maybe if it did, there would be some movement to improve the situation. Take care, Jason
I never thought of harming myself but sometimes I wish I would go to sleep, close my eyes, and never woke up. Everyday I m living with the fear of been denied asylum where I would have to return to a country that I never belong to. The asylum backlog created by the previous administration is an injustice, a crime against humanity. Unfortunately, it does not have the attention of the media simply because it affects people of color the most.
I think many people feel like this. And I have heard from many clients that the long wait and the uncertainty can be worse than the actual harm they suffered back home. As I mentioned, I do think it is helpful to try to take whatever action you can to control the situation, and to work on building your life here. I did a post on January 9, 2018 where I discuss some of these issues, if you are interested. Take care, Jason