They say that life is what happens while you’re making other plans. That’s true for death as well. I had no plans to write about Israel this week, but given the current conflict, I am finding it impossible to write about anything else.
Although I have not been to Israel for many years, my Jewish faith and identity are fundamental to who I am, and Israel holds a special place in the heart of every Jew. During college, I spent six months in Jerusalem. It was a formative time and I am the person I am today in part because of my experience there. Also, like many American Jews, I have some friends and family (in-laws) who live there. Our children attend a summer camp where many of the counselors are Israeli. We learned yesterday that one of them has been killed.
In peacetime (or what passes for peacetime in the Middle East), I often find myself in profound disagreement with certain policies of the Israeli government. Many American Jews face a similar dilemma: We believe that the situation for Palestinians is untenable and unjust, and that a two-state solution is the most viable way to achieve security and peace. We criticize Israel not because we wish to see it harmed, but because we view its actions as counter productive to reaching these goals. Perhaps it is ironic that a country founded by Jewish refugees from Europe and the Middle East has created such an intractable refugee problem for the Palestinian people. As a lawyer who specializes in asylum, I meet refugees every day, and I see the suffering caused by their displacement. During peacetime, all these issues are of great importance. But for now, such issues must be put on hold.
The surprise attack by Hamas terrorists has resulted in hundreds of deaths. Many people are wounded, and over 100 Israelis–mostly civilians–have been taken hostage. The Israeli victims include children, women, and the elderly. Whole families massacred. Babies executed. Old women kidnapped and dragged away. These vicious and cowardly attacks require a unified response, and Jews, Israelis, and our allies have put their peacetime differences aside in order to respond to the emergency.
The reign of terror caused by Hamas will also fall heavily on Palestinians, as the terrorists have a history of hiding behind civilians, presumably in order to make Israel look bad for harming non-combatants. If these “human shields” are harmed, the Hamas terrorists themselves are responsible for the deaths and injuries. Hamas is also directly responsible for harming and killing Palestinians who do not support the group’s agenda, and I have represented several clients who have faced threats and harm from the terrorist organization.
More generally, I represent many people from the Middle East, from Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, and other countries in the region. A number of my clients have worked or fought against terrorists; others have been victimized by them. My clients have lost loved ones and faced death threats. They have been forced to flee their homes, give up their possessions and careers, and say goodbye to friends and family. My clients know very well the damage caused by groups such as Hamas, and I can easily see the harm these terrorists cause to good people.
My view of terrorists has been influenced by my clients and their stories. Most of my clients who have experience with terrorists (primarily the Taliban and ISIS) believe that such people cannot be reasoned with; they must be killed or captured. I agree with this view. The only real questions are practical: How can we minimize military and civilian casualties? How can we defeat the enemy without escalating the conflict? How can we try to lay a foundation for a long term solution?
I have no real answers to these questions. But for now, the path ahead seems clear. Israel must eliminate the threat to its people. It must kill or capture as many Hamas terrorists as possible. Those of us in the diaspora must offer what support we can.
I pray that the conflict will end quickly and that the terrorists will be defeated. I pray that no more innocent civilians will be harmed. I pray that hostages will return safely to their families. I pray that when the war ends, Israelis and Palestinians can take steps towards justice, forgiveness, and peace. The path ahead seems grim, but necessary. I have no doubt that Israelis and American Jews will stand together, united. And as for me, in this difficult time and always, I stand with Israel.
Am Yisrael Chai [the People of Israel live].
Seriously Mr. Jason, you want to tell me that you are standing with a state that kills and bombs kids, babies and elderly.???? A state that is trying to bomb their way to peace ? that is a joke Mr. Jason. Why would a man like you who have committed himself to help and advocate for oppressed people would stand for a country Israel ? Doesn’t this go against your core values ?
I was listening to the famous show of Piers Morgan and Bassem, where it was said in the show and I am quoting
“Dealing and supporting Israel is so difficult, it is like being in a relationship with a narcissistic psychopath, he fu*ks you up and then he makes you think its your fault”
Sorry for using the F word but it is just part of that famous show which I could relate to. Israel plays a blame game even though it is not the victim but it tries to convince the world that it is a victim.
By staying complicit of the genocide that is being committed by their state, the entire Israeli population has now stained their hands with the blood of 7,000+ innocent children and babies, and that will definitely cost them their lives, they can never get away with it that easily. Just a matter of time before they will be made to pay for it.
If you asked me before October 7, I would have plenty of negative things to say about the Netanyahu government, which was corrupt, anti-democratic and racist. I have also strongly supported a Palestinian state. But when Hamas terrorists killed and raped and kidnapped hundreds of people, there is no alternative but to remove them from power, or at least weaken them as much as possible. Hamas knew what Israel would do when it attacked (and filmed its murders and posted them online); it does not care about Palestinian people. If it did, it would surrender and end the war. But of course it will not. I think Israel should do more to protect Palestinian civilians, and maybe there could be an international force to move into Gaza to takeover, I do not know. I certainly hope the fighting stops as soon as possible. But until someone presents a realistic alternative that allows for the elimination of Hamas, I do not know what else Israel can do. Take care, Jason
I think the logic of bombing an entire city in order to kill 5 thousand or 10 thousand militants is a very poor and bad logic. The logic itself shows the lack of mercy and lack of care and lack of humanity in the hearts and minds of Israeli war cabinet members. Basically what it means is we don’t care if we have to eliminate all humans in Gaza as long as we eradicate those 5 or 10 thousand militants!!!! This shows that they have dehumanized Gazans so much that they don’t consider Gazans as humans but just as rats that they can bomb and eradicate. I think they are materializing the logic of “the only good arab is a dead arab” let’s also not forget that Israeli army and Israeli war cabinet is representing all Israeli citizens so whatever the war crime they committed so far can be attributed back and shared among all Israeli citizens, because they are not doing anything to stop their government from committing this active genocide (except few orthodox Jews who are really practicing Judaism and religious scriptures’ and they came out and opposed this genocide and were badly beaten up and silenced by Israeli police in occupied Jerusalem, videos of such protests is available online) That said, we can’t just brush this genocide and wish for things to go back to normal and this war to end. The world will never go back to normal after this genocide, even if the war stops today, the horrific scenes of blood bath in Gaza streets will always be there for the world to watch and do something about a self proclaimed “villain” of the middle east. These photos and videos are so horrific that seeing them will eventually awaken the conscious of the world and make them to collectively work together and make the state of Israel pay for the 17,000 lives they took so mercilessly.
We are fully convinced this is genocide, the only difference between this genocide and the one committed in Srebrenica is that the perpetrators of that genocide could be tied back to few military generals but this one can be attributed to the entire state of Israel who is allowing it to happen and not doing anything about it. Also another difference is that when Srebrenica genocide occurred it was not documented and filmed very well since we didn’t have internet and social media that time, with this genocide every thing is very well documented and filmed so the world can always go back and reference and hate its perpetrators forever.
I guess I do not understand your logic. It is obviously horrible to kill innocent people in order to get to your enemy, but that is basically every war in human history. The war started when Hamas attacked and murdered hundreds of people. Should Israel just accept that and not try to attack Hamas? If you had a solution to eliminate Hamas without harming civilians, or at least somehow ensure that Hamas does not murder more Israelis, then you could put that forth, but if you have no better answer than saying it is wrong to kill civilians, that is not really a solution and solves nothing. Take care, Jason
Why we start from October 07 ? This atrocity and blood bath was started by Israel 75 years ago when they decided to occupy Palestine. But like I said, this war is crippling Israel, things are changing quite rapidly, today USA announced visa sanctions on Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians, also churches in the occupied land decided not to celebrate Christmas calling on Israel to stop its genocide.
Mr. Jason, for few second let’s move our attention from Gaza to West bank, see what Israeli troops are doing, they are raiding people’s homes, they are arresting whomever they want, they are killing whomsoever they want, Israeli jails are filling up with Palestinians civilians, settlers are attacking Palestinians shops and farms. This is barbaric, this state is filled with hatred, the only ones they like are themselves. All this fits an extremist ideology, and is as detrimental as any other extremist ideology and one can’t sit around a dialogue table with extremists, I don’t see any solution unless the extremists who are pulling the shots are eliminated.
Well, we can agree on the West Bank, as I think the settlers are a horror. They are the most extreme people, armed to the teeth, who can basically act with impunity. They absolutely need to be removed so there can be a Palestinian state there, but how to remove them, I have no idea. As to “who started it,” I cannot really agree. Jews were in Palestine long before 1948, and remember that about 1/2 of all Israelis descend from Jews who had to leave Arab countries, which basically kicked them out as “retaliation” for the state of Israel coming into existence. As I see it, the only solution is to find a way to live together, which is very difficult since the extremists always seem to drive events. Take care, Jason
Jason Dzubow is a zionist, genocidal monster. What a disgrace.
Not only is Jason Dzubow a genocidal apologist, he really doesn’t know history. What a shameful person. I feel sorry for anyone who is his client to be honest. Whoever Zak is, thank you for speaking truth to power.
I wonder if you were Israeli, what would you do to resolve the situation? I also wonder if you have spoken out about mass killings in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Libya, etc., or if you are only concerned when people are killed by Israelis. To resolve the conflict, people on both sides need to treat each other as human beings and stand up to extremists, and also compromise. Until that happens, the conflict will never end. Take care, Jason
Thanks for your thoughts. It helps as I formulate my own.
1) Democracies are struggling…what does that really mean? At least I know who is running Russia and China. Meanwhile. the US seems to be run by the three branches of govt: Blackrock, Raytheon, and Pfizer. Who elected them?
2) Two State Solution- It seems the only reasonable option. Since the US has failed for years, perhaps Russia/China can broker a solution.
3) Israel needs to stop killing civilians and needs to regret what it has done and by what it has left undone.
4) Hamas needs to be understood within the context of the History of the MB. Please read Cynthia Farahat’s book. The conflict in Gaza cannot be understood without this background.
Where I disagree is that Hamas needs to be understood. There is no excuse for deliberately targeting and murdering children and old people, or anyone else. Hamas needs to be ended. I wish there were some way to do that without harming civilians and I think Israel has been much too callous about that, but no country can tolerate what Hamas did and be expected to do nothing. Take care, Jason
I probably should have given a hint about what Mrs. Farahat talks about in her book. She describes the he Muslim Brotherhood Palestinian terror wing (Hamas) and reading will give an understanding of the view that Hamas s incapable of perpetrating such an orchestrated attack in Israel without the support of Iran and Turkey and that the timing.
Reading, will support her view that the tactic, and the targets are not coincidental. This aims to mimic the Egyptian surprise attacks on Israel on October 6th 1973. She says she has extensively discussed in her book why and how the Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey, and Iran engage in a ritualistic repetition of history. When you read her book you’ll know why the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran orchestrated this attack. You’ll also understand why she is not optimistic that either Israel or any other Western government are capable of defeating these terrorists as long they continue to “diplomatically engage” their leaders.
I understand and am very sympathetic with these ideas of hers. Nevertheless, it does compel some kind of action, but understanding the inhumanity of Hamas does not give a moral excuse to engage in inhuman actionms.
I do agree with her lack of optimism. I have always felt and still believe that creating a Palestinian state would help to reduce terrorism by giving people hope and dignity. The current government of Israel does not have that as a goal, and I think after the attack, such a goal is even more difficult than ever. Nevertheless, we must keep working towards a peaceful solution. Take care, Jason
the IDF was responsible for most killings on Oct 7th. You are truly ignorant. Nothing is more inhumane in this world than the state of Israel. Also, Hamas was created and funded by Israel. Read history and keep up with everything that is available. We do not need more propagandized, arrogant immigrants in this country.
Hi Jason,
The world right now is witnessing the expansion of Zionist version of Iran. I don’t see the sentiment of Israeli leaders to be of any difference then that of Iranians. They both are oppressive and tyrant, the only difference is that one is doing under the banner of Islam and the other one is doing under the banner of Judaism, but both are two sides of the same coin, both are tyrants and do no good to humanity. I think those who claim to be living in civilized nations shouldn’t see any difference between the atrocities that communist China is committing against Uyghurs and the atrocities that the Myanmar is committing against Rohingyas from the atrocities that Israel is committing against the Palestinians. These are all oppressive regimes and they all have one thing in common, they all want to wipe out and expel indigenous minorities from their lands. The only difference I see is that Israel has a strong lobbying force in the US and western world which is why they can get away with whatever atrocity they commit against people. But make no mistake that these oppressive nations (Israel, Iran, China, Myanmar etc..) will never see long term prosperity in their lands, no matter how much they spend and how much they lobby they will always be remembered as oppressive nations in the world. The atrocities that Israel committed against Palestinians in last 35 days has shaken the entire world, they have converted Palestinians lands in to grave yards, they have turned hospitals in to a war zone, they have terrorized and traumatized the children. They continue their oppression under the pretext of fighting with Hamas but they don’t know that their oppression will give birth to a whole new generation of people who will hate them and will do whatever they can to take the revenge of their fathers and relatives that were slaughtered by Israel. If Israel believes that by eradicating Palestinians they will take control of their lands and continue with their colonization and live a peaceful life that is a mere fallacy, all those who will survive this genocide will turn the life of Israeli’s in to HELL and will do whatever they can to take their revenge. That is why it is very important for all people ( specially for Israeli’s ) to speak out against this war because the longer it continues the more detrimental it will be for Israeli’s and for their future. As for the Palestinians, they are oppressed nation, their lands are stolen from them, they are forced to leave their lands, so some settlers and colonizers can come and erect their palaces on those stolen lands. Sad to know that we had to witness all these atrocities in this modern day and age.
I blame Hamas for this war. Jews were oppressed for hundreds of years in Europe and (to a lesser degree) in the Middle East, and yet there is no example of them committing the type of atrocities that Hamas committed. Any “government” that cared about its people under these circumstances would surrender, return hostages, and end the war. But Hamas will not do that, as they do not care about Palestinians, and in fact, they kill Palestinians who oppose them. Also, the examples you cite (Uyghurs, Rohinga) are interesting, as those peoples have suffered genocide, and yet the world is silent. The world is also silent about Syria, Yemen, Libya, and other countries where mass killings have occurred. This makes me think that the protesters care more about who is doing the killing than who is being killed. All that said, the situation in Gaza is a disaster and I agree with you that it is not only horrific for the Palestinians there, but it will also be bad for Israel. In essence, I think Hamas wanted this war because they knew it would hurt Israel and that is what they got, because of course, Netanyahu and his coalition are extremists who in many ways are not so different than the leadership in Iran. Sadly, it is difficult to find good leaders in all of this, and the regular people are the ones who suffer. Take care, Jason
With all due respect to you Jason, I do have to say that I disagree with you on this one. I blame Israel for creating an environment of hostility that resulted in the events of Oct 07. What Palestinians are facing today is not even close to what Jews have faced. Jews didn’t have their own land in Europe while Palestinians are driven from their own lands by force. Gaza is nothing but an open air prison for its 2.5 million population. Israel has sucked up all the resources of the holy land and is asking Palestinians to ration on limited resources just enough so they don’t die but also not live properly. Leave Hamas, if you put any human being in such an “open air prison” the inhabitants will eventually rebel and do exactly what Hamas did in October 07. I don’t understand why it is so difficult to understand, we are dealing with a terrorizing state and I don’t even understand why is the west so blindly supporting them. You are an advocate for human rights Jason and I know most of your clients are the ones who fled from oppressive regimes, you tell me where on earth is this legal to torture minors and children ? There are countless videos which shows how Israeli soldiers who are devoid of any human values kick and beat the minor children of Palestinians, how would you justify that ? This is a country that claims to be civilized back by other civilized nations in the world, where do you see signs of civilization in this. Israel today is acting like a villain and oppressor in the world who think they can establish their dominance by force with the power of their bombs and ammunition, but they fail to realize that the more bombs they drop the more hatred they create. The killing of 6,000+ innocent children by Israeli bombs has no justification and will never be forgiven.
As I write this I see in the news that the Israeli thugs are raiding a civilians hospital in Gaza just so they can destroy and terrorize the civilians and to cover their war crimes they show few weapons and AK-47s and they claims this hospital was a base for Hamas, seriously, do you think the world is filled with fools to accept these fabrications and lies???!!! Even John Kirby denied these evidences and denounced the raiding of the hospital. I guess the only ones who will believe the lies of Israeli army is Fox News who is paid and pampered by the Israeli lobbyists. Israel is clearly losing this war and are losing it big time. People from all walks of life, sports stars, actors, artists, business people, human right activists, Orthodox Jews who are true followers of Moses and Torah, Atheist’s, Christians, Muslims, etc.. everyone are denouncing the acts of Israel and calling it a Genocide. Israel will come out of this war as a ruthless colonizer and child killer and will have a big share of hatred in people’s hearts and minds for itself and its merciless army.
I think there is no point to comparing the suffering of one people versus another, but I do think that you understate the harm suffered by Jews in Europe (and the Middle East) for many centuries. Murdering Jews was common. Placing them in ghettos was common. Preventing them from working in many professions was also common. Jews also paid special taxes, could not marry who they wanted, and lived with many very severe restrictions until the Holocaust, when millions were killed. In the Middle East, nearly every country expelled their Jews after 1948 in supposed retaliation for the creation of the state of Israel, and of course, there was no compensation for these 800,000 people. Also, there is no doubt about Palestinian suffering and I do not question that. I have long opposed the occupation of Palestine. You may also be correct that Israel is losing the war – Hamas made a trap and Israel walked into it. On the other hand, I have not heard any solution about what Israel should do to protect itself. I certainly hope the war stops soon and that people of good will start trying to make peace. Neither people is going anywhere, and they need to learn to live together. Take care, Jason
You stand on the wrong side of humanity. Hamas is a terrible terror organization but Israel is the ugliest terror state ever exist. If you don’t believe, check this one.
https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1716876983941148932/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1716876983941148932¤tTweetUser=jacksonhinklle&mode=profile
Remember, there is no way for is Israel to eliminate Hamas or any other group there.
I strongly disagree. While I have opposed many Israeli actions in the past, especially the extremists settlers who have done so much damage, nothing justifies Hamas’s terrorist attack. Many people throughout history (including the Jews) have lived for decades and centuries with extreme persecution, but they have not engaged in the actions that Hamas has perpetrated. Also, while I oppose many Israeli actions towards the Palestinians, to say that Israel is the ugliest terror state to ever exist, you would have to exclude countries that have done far worse harm to far more people – Syrian civil war, Rwanda genocide, China’s persecution of the Uyghurs and Tibetans, Nazi German, Imperialist Japan, United States towards Africans and Native Americans, Sudan in Darfu, and on and on. Where we may agree is that Israel will probably not be able to eliminate Hamas through force, and I expect that the current conflict will not lead to anything positive; only death and destruction for innocent people, which I suspect is exactly what Hamas and extremists in Israel want. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
With all due respect and full agreement with parts that oppose offense in your post, we already have the two scenarios on the real ground. The Gaza’s offensive scenario and the West Bank peaceful one. I never, and don’t foresee a light at the end of the tunnel for the two state solution. Palestine lands keeps on shrinking since 1948 with or without counter offense.
Sadly, I do not see much light at the end of the tunnel either. However, given the absence of options, I believe a two state solution is the least bad. How to achieve that given that events seem to be driven by the extremists, I really do not know. Take care, Jason
Dear Mr Attorney Dzubow,
I applied asylum very late like after 6 years in usa and my case is pending with uscis. I have work permit now. I gave the statemwnt of whqt happened to me before 7-8 years to uscis . Now in 2023 my country is very against my community and even persecuting people who filed asylum and got deported back plus lot of developememts. Can i amend my application with latest developement / new changed circumstances . Is it possible or o just stick to my old statement .
Hello Jason
Thank you for all the effort you are doing on the immigration process. I got so many information from the blog. Today I have a question.
If some one is granted asylum and got the two year work permit, do we have to apply the renewal after the two years ? Green card application is pending.
Thanks
If you think the new developments help your case, you should collect evidence and prepare a new written statement (if needed). I would not file anything until the interview is scheduled, as they tend to lose documents that are filed before the interview date is set. Also, things may continue to change. But certainly, whether they changes help or hurt your case, you need to update the case before the interview to deal with the current situation with your country and with you and your family. I wrote more about this issue on June 14, 2023. Also, by the way, don’t forget to deal with the one year bar, as you may be able to overcome that – I wrote about this on January 18, 2018. Take care, Jason
I have a lot of employment issues related to immigration, like EAD, e-verify, documentary discrimination.
But I cannot find help. The employment agencies I am finding all say they don’t have any experience with it and ask me to find people with immigration experience to consult. I take it means immigration lawyers. But immigration lawyers, usually specialize in immigration law and they don’t do employment law…So I kind of feel being passed the buck here…Like how could I find somebody to help me regarding private sectors don’t hire a person because s/he has C8 EAD…
I personally deem this as an employment issue, not an immigration issue, so in line with @Jason’s position. I have an EAD, government allows me to work. Basically, what happened is a private sector employers refuse to hire someone who is capable and legally allowed to work. So it’s an employment issue. But all the responses I get from these employment agencies are that “they don’t have any experience in this and want me to find someone familiar with immigration law”. But who could be better familiar with immigration law than immigration attorneys. But immigration attorneys don’t handle employment law issues…
So I am stuck…may I ask what could be my way out…Please, I need help…
Maybe you need an employment coach. Many state agencies have people who help people find jobs and can give advice. I think most libraries have resources about this and can maybe refer you to such a person. My clients all seem to find some type of employment or another, and so you should be able to do that too. Take care, Jason
Jason, thank you for saying this.
All the respect due to “Pass The Buck”; I (personally) think you are needlessly sniveling. Many immigrants who are neither Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) nor US citizens are able to find work with only an EAD- and they do so without issue. In fact, there are many undocumented immigrants, though it’s understandably more difficult for them, who are able to find work without the proper authorization. I therefore find it odd that you are unable to find work- or you are being “discriminated” against like you claimed- because you are presenting a valid EAD.
In any event, if you strongly believe that you are experiencing employment discrimination, I would recommend that you contact the U.S. Department of Justice.
If you are talking about H1B or other work visa people who are in professional jobs. That’s not exactly the same.
Most C8 EAD people or undocumented people I know work in service or retail industry. Mostly paid bare minimum wage, I have medical needs and I need a bit higher than that.
The problem is I want to find a professional job that H1B people can normally get, my C8 work authorization is less restrictive than H1B, so should, in theory, find better job than H1Bs. And I do need money, to pay legal and medical fees.
@PASS THE BUCK.
I beg to differ. I have lots of friends who have c8 EADs and have nice jobs. Personally i filed asylum in 2015 and i am still waiting for an interview. However i have had the priviledge of holding 2 professional positions. One of them as a lead in a county government in mid west and in a Red State.
I do think the new 5-year work permits are going to make it a bit easier for people, since 5 years is pretty “long term” for most employers. Take care, Jason
Thanks @Jason @shocker for providing your perspectives.
@shocker. It’s good to know that you have friends who have C8 EADs and have nice jobs. This means that at least it’s possible to hold C8 EAD and have a nice job. But, I wonder whether your friend is already in the job and then obtain a C8 EAD ? Did your friend ever job hunting while on C8 EAD ? the difficulty level will be different. Also your govt job gives me hope, but it’s a public sector job, so it’s very different. It might be an option for me to explore govt jobs with a C8 EAD.(I think it has to be a state govt, I don’t think you can work for the federal govt without being a citizen or green card holder…). And may I ask what’s ur other professional jobs ? Is it a private sector job ? and may I ask the industry and location ? Thanks !!! The more data point, the more insight I can get.
@Jason, I agree with you in this 5 year point. Tho it’s sadly once again, the party that has no wrong doing things to accommodate the party that did the wrong (govt allows people on C8 to work, and private sector employers refuse to hire them, they can but they choose not to…very ironic in my opinion). I do hope that it can change the situation. Tbh, I wish govt could prosecute and jail employers who refuse to hire qualified c8 asylum seekers. Sometimes a little deterrence is needed to correct the injustice, my opinion of course.
Thanks. @Jason, trust me, I believe you are entirely entitled to say that, it is not an immigration issue. It’s an employment issue. And the employment coaches should be better equipped with knowledge. But the reality is, the people I am seeing, seem to be incompetent.
If they keep referring to another person(as in A doesn’t know about my issue, referring to me B, thinking B might help, but turns out B cannot help, referring me to C, believing C can help, but can’t in actuality…this running around seems to be very inefficient, and not cost-effective) this will takes me a lot of travel and time arrangement. I don’t have that much free time or money for traveling around the city.
Like even if I cannot get much help from here, it’s very affordable to ask for help, just posting online is enough, and @Jason usually lets me know if he cannot help, quickly. These employment agencies, they want me to be there in person and have to make appointments…it’s free, so that good…but still…I actually have a job (sh*tty paying, part-time one)…it has to fit in my schedule and I have to be there in person and I need a lot of commute time and money. This is just another way asylum seekers’ life is made hard.
I also want to give a personal evaluation to @Jason’s advice, I think you are right, state agencies might be the best to handle because I have to assume they are a bit more knowledgeable than the community resources we can see on the street. I am not optimistic tho…
@Pass The Buck, I understand and I can relate to what you’re saying. A couple of years ago, I also dealt with a lot of difficulties finding jobs when I was on work authorization C8 EAD. I had quote on quote “everything going against me”. A funny, difficult name to pronounce. A foreigner with an accent. An asylum seeker. It’s very difficult for me to land a descent job. Let alone a good job. Even temp agencies couldn’t help much. To the point where they just stopped answering my e-mails. Mind you, I just graduated college and paid my tuition out of pocket. Never used a scholarship or loan.
These things are real. I suggest you start with jobs with “lower” skills required. And work your way up. You’ll get were you want be. That’s one of the good things about this country. Discrimination exists at every level of the corporate ladder but it cannot stop you. It can only slow you down.
Thanks @T’Challa, I am so glad you understand what I am saying.
I felt I was the only one. I can prepare a longer response later.
T’CHALLA, people need to understand that just because you have degree doesn’t guarantee you a “decent job”. Degrees nowadays are like a high school diploma. In case you didn’t notice, the US system is very different from many countries’. US employees prefer experience over a degree or certificate. As well, US employers like to take comfort in the idea that you are ABLE to do the job, regardless of how many degrees you have or where you came from.
Jamie,
I agree. US Employers are way more skill based. And the value of a degree has decreased over the years. It doesn’t mean a degree is worthless but years of experience is preferred.
The point I was trying to make is that, discrimination to people like us (Asylum seekers, Asylees, permanent residents based on Asylum and even naturalized citizens) exist and well. It doesn’t mean you should give up on yours dreams but we have to be aware of that. I do have a pretty descent job now that I love, good pay; but I can tell you I still go through micro-aggressions at work. Colleagues that conveniently chose to mis-spell or ignore my name. Carrying the blame when things go sideways etc…The problem is, intend is difficult to prove so it’s thrown under the rug.
I have held both “low level” jobs and high level jobs. This is America, and everything is possible with the right approach and good attitude (even if it’s one way street). I am beyond grateful to be in this country. When the employer would ask me about my status, I’d never feel discriminated or intimidated. I think this is the right thing to do – and if I were the employer, I’d follow the law and the employment procedures. It has to be fair for the others, too. I’d suggest to change the perspective and drop the chip of the shoulder. And if it’s a no – continue to believe in yourself, and continue to pursue your dreams. You are your very own biggest asset. As we say – there will be a festival on your street, too.
Hello Jason
Thank you for all the effort you are doing on the immigration process. I got so many information from the blog. Today I have a question.
If some one is granted asylum and got the two year work permit, do we have to apply the renewal after the two years ? Green card application is pending.
Thanks
When you win asylum, you should get a new work permit based on asylum granted (category a-5). If you won in court, you should have made an InfoPass appointment to get that, and if you won at the asylum office, they should have sent it. You can also just apply for it if you do not have it. The first a-5 work permit is free (use form I-765, available at http://www.uscis.gov). Technically, you do not need a work permit to work (see https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/70-evidence-of-employment-authorization-for-certain-categories/73-refugees-and-asylees), but it makes life easier. Take care, Jason
Hi Pass The Buck,
I have never had any issue in getting a job through recruitment agencies or directly with the companies with C08 EAD.
I do not think so that there is any employment issue with C8 EAD. People even get hired with the temporary OPT EAD given after completing a degree.
You can easily get a contract and permanent job with EAD in almost any organization even with the government agencies ( you are eligible to get public trust clearance with C8 EAD needed for government employment ).
You simply need to tell that you have C8 EAD which is renewed after every two years now 5 years and you are good to work for any employer anywhere in US without any issue and you do not need sponsorship. This should be enough.
If they want to know more detail you can tell them they can check C8 category online and you have filed the case yourself without any sponsorship.
Almost every recruiter knows about it , you need to communicate in right way. You may be confusing them by not communicating the status of your EAD clearly and what you are eligible to do with it.
All the large and small recruiting companies are more than ok with it.
Good Luck
Sam
As a Palestinian refugee in lebanon since 1948, Was no hamas when Israeli killed half of my village and forced have to leave to lebanon and Syria. jews came to Palestine as a refugee then they stole the land ?now day If you are just jewish you have the right to go to Palestine and take Israeli Passport but I cant go back to my land since 1948 , its not About Hamas , 62 kids killed by Hamas ? Dis Hamas killed any jew outside Israeli? I dont like any Islamic group or even Hamas but its not About Hamas its about stealing my land from people came from Poland or Western Europe, Plz Stand with the right side
This is the great tragedy of the region, and there is obviously no easy solution. Both Israelis and Palestinians have legitimate claims to the land, and that is why a two state solution is probably the best option we have. This is true not only in moral terms, but also in practical terms, given the balance of power and that both sides view themselves in the weaker position. In any event, I have spoken out against Israeli settlers and other extremists who commit violence against innocent Palestinians and steal their land, and I will speak out against Hamas terrorists (and other terrorists) who target innocent people. I simply do not accept the logic that says because an Israeli person harmed a Palestinian person in the past, that Hamas or other Palestinians are justified in harming any Israeli they can find, or visa versa – Israeli revenge attacks against innocent people are not at all acceptable either. For me, there is no “us” and no “them” and this type of communal retribution leads only to death. This makes the current conflict terribly tragic since the main victims going forward will be Palestinian civilians. If there were an alternative to eliminating Hamas, I would love to know what that is. Take care, Jason
I am not Jewish or Israeli, and I am not Muslim nor Palestinian. As an American, this is a foreign tribal war to us. We are dragged into it as taxpayers, and now we find ourselves having to choose sides.
Yes, the Jews have been historically prosecuted. Yes, the Jews have suffered genocide. Yes, Jewish babies, children, women and men have been unjustly killed, and yes anger is justified. Yes, the holocaust happened and yes millions of Jews died. Yes, the Jews have been forced into an exodus over and over again. Yes, the Jews deserve to practice their religion and live their lives as they see fit. Yes, the Jews deserve to form a country they can call their own. We also have to acknowledge that yes, Palestine has been
inhabited by Arabs for thousands of years already, and yes the Palestinians living there today are indigenous to their land. Yes, one religious temple is located inside/under/next to (only god knows) another religious temple, and yes this is at the core of the issue. Yes Jewish people formed resistance terror groups like the Lehi and yes they were absorbed into the IDF. Yes the Palestinians formed resistance terror groups like the Hamas and yes they had no unified military to unite under. Yes, Palestinians conduct in savage and thug-like behavior when attacking Jewish inhabit areas, and yes the Jews conduct in savage and thug-like behavior when kicking out innocent people from their homes. Yes, innocent Palestinians have Jews knocking on their doors and get dragged out of their homes. Their homes are no longer theirs and they just have to ‘leave.’ Its sick behavior. If that happened to me in my home today, I would practice my second amendment right very quickly.
All that being said, no body should be surprised as to the actions of hamas or any resistance group that is born from this conflict. When you place a large group of people (Over two million to be exact) under a complete blockade, I would expect some type of resistance. This is very ironic, as this literally happened to the Jews. The Jews were forced into sieged camps. The Germans controlled what could go in or out. The Jews were under the complete mercy of the Germans. The Palestinians are forced into sieged Gaza. The Israeli’s control what could go in our out. The Palestinians are under the complete mercy of the Israeli’s.
Again, this is a foreign tribal war to us Americans. US policy is tilting the balance of the scale to one side, and that is not fair. ‘Thoughts and prayers’ get us nowhere. No, Arab countries will not take in the Palestinians and yes, Israel is committing genocide by bombarding the civilian Palestinians.
The Palestinians are not here to speak for themselves, but to counter the balance:
Aasha shaab falasteen [the People of Palestine live].
I have long supported Palestinian rights and criticized Israel when it did things that were wrong, but Israeli actions do not in any way justify what Hamas did. You cite the example of Jews under the Nazis, and that is a good example, as I do not recall any Jewish Partisan group deliberately targeting children and old people. Hamas is a terrorist group that terrorizes Palestinians who oppose it in any way, and targets Jews too. I do not think that killing innocent civilians is justified in any case and I am waiting to hear some alternative to Israel invading Gaza. So far, I have not heard anything. I fear that the invasion will not accomplish its goal, but without some other option, this seems the least bad choice in the current circumstances. I certainly hope that it ends quickly and that Israelis and Palestinians move towards a two state solution, which also seems to be the least bad choice going forward, but that cannot happen with Hamas militants in power in Gaza. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason.
Thank you for helping us. I am about to file my EAD renewal application.
1- Do you recommend filing i765 online? Is there any drawback in this way?
2- If I file the form i765 online, does the system provide me with the receipt immediately? if so, would I receive any paper receipt in the mail as well?
1 – We have not been filing EAD applications online yet, but I expect we will start soon. The online system seems to work fine for the forms we are using, and we get the receipts very quickly. 2 – Yes, you can get a PDF of the receipt within a few minutes or a few days maximum. I am not sure whether they are sending an extra copy by mail. Take care, Jason
Jason, shalom,
I am a bit confused about the date when I can apply for US citizenship. Below are my details:
10/24/2018 – Asylum granted by USCIS
Green Card: Permanent residence since 07/07/2019.
Question: when can I apply for US citizenship? Thank you.
When an asylee gets the GC, it should be back-dated one year, so if you got the GC in 2020, but the date printed on the card is 2019, so if the date on your GC is 07/07/2019, then the soonest you can apply for citizenship is about 04/07/2024, assuming you meet all other requirements. Take care, Jason
Interesting perspective, Jason. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this NYTimes op-ed published today. Its titled “There Is a Jewish Hope for Palestinian Liberation. It Must Survive.”, and written by someone of Jewish-American heritage. I’m sharing a gift link using my Times subscription:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/opinion/palestinian-ethical-resistance-answers-grief-and-rage.html?unlocked_article_code=Ngmsv7tEkjfUzNgZv3JJosVXSYqliS2oBG9BWgRl7hCXAzCvofsa1HPFxFIlaL5gkUufVxHfPKTMq05U37M-el-JVrQ9HTmdk8zDhnTk7_GUCHWOxfjo9NyrvfCNwVDyck5TEAWcF0eNuLg2mbvf1GVlqR9UBJZe2rmZWfZc9TZiKT4-TBHtf2uZl02kIC9lCOlFUqXRTls7xyPNNqZ3N07qEJOJKlub7AchirP0N-gLqVg-khADt9W3F2UIlOO63AMzVm0JUm_foxY_ttQWIfjTAlO2UPrlZZuaWgmrJWsu-8C_ZU8PAb3Z-WiE7baSXMJ2hwJrOPMuDiw9WJcK13Z_gieODIhJrBZZmTUlq0hN5Thl1FN563dJpETOy-A&smid=url-share
Thank you for the article. I have always believed that Palestinians should have their own separate state. And while there are lots of problems dividing the land, I think it is the least bad solution, at least for the time being (my ideal solution is that everyone lives in one country, and maybe there could be two over-lapping governments for Israelis and Palestinians). I think the terrorist attack has set back the cause of peace and it unfortunately plays into the hands of hardliners, who are really the only people who benefit from escalating the conflict. I do not see how Israel has any choice but to destroy Hamas, though I expect that there will be many innocent people who are harmed in the process, and that most of those people will be Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, I do not see any other path at this point. Take care, Jason
I am sorry about the tragedy that happened to Israeli people and glad to see more people taking the stance that persecutors need to be punished. @Jason, would it be fair to say that you now have a change of mind regarding the kind of actions we should take regarding persecutors (per your “they must be killed or captured”)?
Personally, I want to say any one who persecutes another person should be killed, including Hamas. Persecutors cannot be reasoned with, many victims tried that and failed, and painfully realized and then escaped to seek asylum, to find safety in the U.S. Do you think if we really want to hold persecutors like these accountable, it should be a U.S. action or a UN action (so that asylum seekers and advocates should also lobby UN officials ?) just a thought
I have not had a change of heart. Obviously I believe that persecutors should be punished, but the US cannot police the world. Even in this one limited area (Gaza), I expect we will see terrible harm as Israel tries to destroy Hamas. I hope civilian casualties can be kept to a minimum, but already the toll of innocent life on both sides is incredibly tragic. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
It looks like the advance parole has been increase to 5 years . I saw in Reddit that the parole of someone has been approved to 9/2028 . This is really good news .
Probably won’t apply to asylum seekers…
because the asylum advance parole requires a humanitarian purpose…
I don’t think 5 years is warranted for any humanitarian purpose…
If a asylee gets citizenship do the minor kids fill with them or they wait for 5years from their greencard date
Thanks
An asylee should not get citizenship until his dependents have their green cards. Otherwise, if the minor children have GCs and live with their asylum parent, and the parent becomes a US citizen, the children automatically become citizens too. They would either need to file form N-600, available at http://www.uscis.gov, to get a Certificate of Citizenship or just apply for a US passport. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for everything you write in this blog I have learned and benefited from it a lot.
I have a question today, It has been three years now since I get my green card after my asylum application got approved and my wife also get her green card too as a dependent and she is with me all the time during the whole asylum process. Now we are blessed with a baby and he has his US passport.
My question is we would like to show the baby to his grandparents back home
1- so is my wife have the right to go back to the country where I have been prosecuted?
2- Will she face any problem when she comes back to US after that?
Thank you so much
I do appreciate your help as always
You both can go there. For her, it should be fine, as she was a dependent and not the principal applicant. However, that may depend on the case – if you said that your whole family was in danger, she may need to explain why she went back and how she stayed safe. That said, I have had clients return to the home country and they have not had any major problems, but again, it depends on the case and depends on the immigration officers at the border or during the naturalization interview. I wrote more about this issue on January 6, 2016. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
About that, what happens in case an officer at the port of entry determined that your return to your home country is compromising your status of permanent residence based on asylum. can he/she take away your green card and put you in removal proceedings? Have you ever had a case of someone who lost his rights of permanent residency after using a passport from his/her home country and/or traveling to the country of persecution?
I have never had such a case and I’ve never heard of that happening. I think they could refer your case for review, but I am not sure how that would work. I think the asylum office has the power to review an asylum case (even where the person already has a GC) and terminate asylum, and they you would be sent to Immigration Court for a removal hearing. There, you presumably could apply for asylum or other relief from removal. Such occurrences are probably very rare, and I doubt it would happen just by using your passport, unless maybe there were very unusual circumstances. Take care, Jason
I saw that for one person, but I do not know whether that is for everyone, or if it applies to all types of AP. Hopefully, we will get some official news from USCIS so we know what is happening. Take care, Jason
Seekers,
May I ask what kind of jobs do you do, is it e-verify or non-e-verify ?
I have been ruminating my job seeking process. I have noticed that the non-e-verify jobs…they took a much conservative approaches regarding document verification…I believe it’s because they don’t have the e-verify tool…I am fired the next day after I showed my asylum EAD instead of a state id and social security card…
That sounds odd. I have never ever been denied my EAD as a proof of legal status and ability to work in the US. How many times have you been fired?
I mean…at least one time.
But more it’s when people don’t hire me after I disclose my specific immigration status.
In fact, I want to ask @jason, during job interviews, what kind of immigration or citizenship status inquiry is allowed ?
In my vague memory…I don’t believe an employer should ask are you a us citizen or are you a green card holder ? during a job interview ? except maybe for those specific clearance-needed jobs…
I don’t really know about the questions they can ask, but certainly, they can ask for proof of legal eligibility to work. Otherwise, unless there are national security issues, I think employers cannot discriminate in hiring, though I am not an expert on that subject and am not certain. Take care, Jason
Jason, thank you for sharing your perspective on the current situation in Israel. It’s heartening to hear your deep connection to Israel and your hope for peace in the region. I reach out to express that your sentiments resonate with many, including myself and numerous asylees. I want to emphasize that there are non-Jewish people from various backgrounds who stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and support efforts for peace in the Middle East. The complexities of the current situation often leave us searching for possible solutions, but your call for the hope for justice, forgiveness, and peace is something that I support. In times of conflict, it’s essential to remember our shared humanity and the aspirations for a peaceful coexistence among Jews, Arabs, Christians etc in the region. Let’s hope for a quick resolution, an end to this violence, and a path forward towards lasting peace via the two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Wishing for better days ahead for your family. עם ישראל חי Best regards, Ralph
Thank you. I do not have data on this, but I suspect that Hamas is directly responsible for killing more Palestinians than Israelis. They are terrorists and their first victims have been the Palestinian people. Hopefully, they can be eliminated and the Palestinian people can have a better leadership. I am not optimistic, but we must keep hoping and working towards that day. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason
I just had my green card interview based on asylum
It was quick,
She said your medical report is expired, i will sent and RFE and she also said you could drop it in person in fairfax office..
But its been a week, I haven’t received RFE do i have to wait for RFE or i can go a head and drop of myself the report without RFE.
What is your thoughts, she also said your application is approved, but no changes in status
Give me ur suggestions please
I do not see how the application can be approved without the medical exam, so I am not sure about that. Maybe you can get the medical exam done and hopefully before it is done, you will have the RFE. If not, you will have to drop it off with a letter explaining what happened, and including a copy of your I-485 receipt, Alien and receipt number, date of your interview, and if you have it, the name of the person who interviewed you. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason I have been to your blog almost 10 years now, I feel the pain and passion at the same time in your words, I can profoundly say that
(I STAND WITH ISRAEL)
If is there anything I can do please let me know, I live in Long Island , New York.
Thank you.
Thank you. I think donating to causes that work for peace in the region and protect human rights is one thing to do. Here is a list of reputable charities if you are interested in this: https://www.charitynavigator.org/discover-charities/where-to-give/israel-hamas-conflict/. Take care, Jason
Thanks for sharing, I will contribute to this source.
My situation is little strange, after our asylum denial, my lawyer requested PD(admin close) for the entire family, but DHS didn’t accept for my kid who is 19 years now, we both applied for cancellation of removal, but nothing was filed to my kid after asylum denied, because he was part of my asylum and it was applied 8 years before, moreover my judge also got little confused why DHS didn’t accept my son’s case, my question is ? do we have some pending application at USCIS while requesting PD? also my lawyer is trying to close my son’s case but no EAD, can we request to the judge to close the case with EAD option, Is it possible?
I do not really understand your situation, as you would normally present the Cancellation case and the asylum case at the same time, and so if asylum was denied, your case should be over (unless Cancellation was granted). In terms of PD, there are two types of PD – dismissal and administrative closure. If the case is dismissed, it is over and no longer in court. You cannot renew your EAD. However, you (or your son) could re-file for asylum at the asylum office and get an EAD that way (you have to wait 150 days after filing for asylum to apply for the EAD). If you do that, you file at the Asylum Vetting Center in Atlanta, GA. Take a look at the Special Instructions on the I-589 web page at http://www.uscis.gov. The other type of PD is administrative closure. If you have that, the case is still with the court, but it is taken off the schedule. In that case, as long as there is an asylum application filed, you should be able to continue renewing the EAD. Take care, Jason
Thanks Jason, I got your point about admin closed & dismissal.. me and wife had received the docket off notice but not for my kid. also judge had little confusion during the court hearing this time, why my son’s case was still exist? and needs sometime to analyze on this case, don’t know what he is going to decide on next hearing? my lawyer is trying to request “dismiss the case” but we want EAD to work. how to get administrative closure for my son again? do we need to request DHS again? or request to Judge?
I do not know, as I do not know the specifics of the case. I guess you can ask DHS and/or the judge about dismissal. If you can get administrative closure, you can continue to renew the work permits. But if the case is dismissed, you will have to re-file at the asylum office to get new work permits, or find some other way to get work permits. Hopefully, your lawyer can assist with this, as the lawyer knows your case. Take care, Jason
“If the case is dismissed, it is over and no longer in court. You cannot renew your EAD. However, you (or your son) could re-file for asylum at the asylum office and get an EAD that way (you have to wait 150 days after filing for asylum to apply for the EAD). If you do that, you file at the Asylum Vetting Center in Atlanta, GA. ”
Shall I understand it as a “way of getting EAD in the event of dismissal”, So basically you are saying, he can apply for asylum, a second time (and likely be denied), but during the course, he can get/extend the EAD. More of a temporary strategy to keep work authorization going rather than with the objective of winning this re-filed asylum ? (And I would imagine this trick could only be used once…right ? I don’t think judge would allow a person to re-file 3rd, 4th time…)
Is my understanding on point ?
Re-filing for asylum a second time only works if the case is dismissed without an order of deportation. If so, he can apply at the Vetting Center, wait 150 days, and file for an EAD. Maybe he has some other options aside from re-filing asylum, which is probably just a delaying tactic if he does not have a strong case, but asylum is one option. Whether this trick could be used more than once, I don’t know, as it will likely take years for the second asylum case to get adjudicated and referred again to court, where – I suppose – he could ask again to dismiss, and if they agree (which is probably unlikely), the cycle will continue. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason for your tips.
My wife arrived here at the US as a (follow-to-join) derivative asylee. At the time of her interview, she submitted I-765 application to the local US embassy.
Is she going to receive her EAD here? Or she should submit another application to USCIS?
If she filed the I-765 with the embassy, they should issue her an EAD. I am not sure how long that takes, but if you think it is taking too long, I guess she can file a new I-765 with an explanation that she filed overseas but never got the card. Take care, Jason
I am going to a job interview, but the interviewer is asking for a govt-issued id…
Is it okay for them to do that ? Does it come into purview of the documentary discrimination outlined by DOJ ?
I do not do employment law, but I do not see why they can’t ask this. They need to know who you are and I do not know how else they can do that without an ID. If you are concerned, talk to a lawyer who does employment law. Take care, Jason
Isn’t it what’s I-9 is for ? Which is due on the first day of work , i.e. post-offer…
Th I-9 is a form you complete. The ID is proof of who you are. Take care, Jason
god…a faith-based man is sexy and I like that 🙂
That aside, there is some theory that China and Russia (and maybe Iran) are behind that. They are trying to distract the U.S. so that they can better invade Taiwan and Ukraine. Do you think it’s true ? And do you think the U.S. as a democracy can eventually overcome all the adversaries ?
It seems to me the world is getting more autocratic and autocracies are gaining and democracy is receding, as can be seen from the attack…so I am worried.
Thank you, I guess. Democracies are struggling these days, and it is frightening to see and disheartening that so many people support autocrats. I think at some point, they will regret that choice. How it will all play out, I have no idea. Take care, Jason