I-589 Archives - The Asylumist

Filing the I-589 Online

February 1, 2023

Not long ago, USCIS started accepted the I-589 asylum form online. Of course, I resisted filing online because (1) I don’t like learning new things, (2) I don’t like computers, and (3) I REALLY don’t like learning new things on computers. But I also don’t like waiting (literally) six months for my clients’ asylum receipts, all the while not knowing whether USCIS has lost their application. And so urgency and lawyerly duty have finally overcome inertia, and I filed my first I-589 online.

Here, I want to talk about the process of filing online and give some suggestions for improving the “user experience” (short answer: There are advantages to filing online, but there is also room for improvement).

By Jason Dzubow

# Asylum Office # Asylum Seekers # Immigration Court

Don’t Forget to Update Your I-589

July 6, 2022

It’s common these days to find asylum seekers at the Asylum Office and in Immigration Court who filed their asylum application, form I-589, five, six, seven or more years ago. During that time, some information on the form becomes out of date. Also, new events occur which need to be added to the form. What is the best and most efficient way to update your asylum application at the Asylum Office and in court?

By Jason Dzubow

# Asylum Seekers

The Bureaucracy vs. Asylum Seekers, Part 1: Rejected I-589 Forms

November 20, 2019

If you’ve filed an asylum application recently, you may have noticed that receipts are taking longer, and many applications are being rejected for seemingly minor omissions. What’s going on? Starting about a month ago, our office has had a number of new asylum applications returned to us after a longer-than-expected delay. The reason is because … Read more

By Jason Dzubow

# Asylum Seekers # Legal Relief

The Instructions for the I-589 Asylum Form: An Invaluable Tool, but Not the Last Word

January 31, 2019

This posting is by Elizabeth Rosenman, a Seattle asylum attorney and a member of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project’s pro bono panel. A former editor of UCLA’s law review, she has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. Among other publications, she has written for The Seattle Times, the Los Angeles Times, and most recently, The Hill. When I’m … Read more

By Jason Dzubow

# Asylum # National Security

The Most Important Question on the I-589 Asylum Form

August 31, 2016

If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably already familiar with the form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal. Whether your case is in Immigration Court or the Asylum Office, this is the form that you use to apply for asylum, withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3), and relief under the United Nations … Read more

By Jason Dzubow