mental health

# Asylum Seekers

Seeking Asylum Can Break Your Heart – Literally

A new study by Weill Cornell Medicine examined the heart health of young asylum seekers and found concerningly high rates of cardiovascular disease and other stress-related illnesses. 

The study, which was published earlier this month in Nature Mental Health, “analyzed medical evaluations from 453 U.S. asylum seekers for symptoms associated with psychological stress, cardiovascular disease risk and physical pain.” “The findings surprised researchers as the median age for the asylum seekers was 30, which is young to be showing cardiovascular concerns.” 

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Seekers

My Client Committed Suicide

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.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Seekers# Immigration

Seeking Asylum May Be Dangerous to Your Health, Your Children’s Health, and Even Your Unborn Baby’s Health

The asylum process was designed for speed. The regulations require that, absent “exceptional circumstances,” USCIS should adjudicate an affirmative asylum petition within 180 days. See INA § 208(d)(5)(A)(iii). That time frame went out the window with the “surge,” if not before, and these days, cases typically take a few years (and cases referred to Immigration Court can … Read more

By Jason Dzubow