Every year, immigrants arrive in the United States seeking asylum from persecution or fear for their life due to their race, religion, nationality, social group membership, or political convictions. Such individuals can ask for political asylum in order to remain in the United States.
Asylum is a sort of protection from deportation to the alleged persecution nation. If the asylum application is granted, the applicant will be able to stay in the United States and eventually earn permanent resident status. The asylum process entails submitting an appropriate application (Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal), an interview, and the presenting of proof supporting the applicant’s harassment.
An interview between the applicant and the USCIS officer in charge of political asylum concerns is one of the most crucial parts of this process. The success of this interview is determined by whether the applicant and his family are eligible for political asylum.
Following the submission of Form I-589, the applicant and all family members above the age of 13 will be notified by mail of the time, date, and location of the biometric examination at the Document Preparation Center. Following the receipt of the fingerprints, an invitation to an interview will be sent to the post office.
The Refugee Inspector conducts a political asylum interview in the following cities: Arlington, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; Newark (Lindherst), New Jersey; New York (Rosdale), New York; and San Francisco, California. If the applicant lives too far away from a refugee reception center, the interview may take place at a district department designated for this purpose.
Absence or delay for an Asylum Office interview without a valid reason may result in the case being transferred to the United States Immigration Court. To avoid such repercussions, arrive at the interview location 30-40 minutes before the allocated time. The applicant’s appearance must be announced.
All family members listed on the I-589 form must accompany the applicant to the interview.
At the building’s entrance, the candidate and his family are subjected to a metal detector and a personal inspection.
To participate in an English-language interview, the applicant must bring an interpreter who is fluent in both English and his native language. The translator must be over the age of 18.
A lawyer or representative; a witness testifying on your side during the questioning; or a representative or employee of your country’s government are not permitted to function as translators.
The candidate is also permitted to bring a lawyer or legal representative to the interview.
The asylum interview can run anywhere from one to three hours. Both the applicant and the translator will be required to vow to tell the truth. The applicant’s information is confidential and may not be released to third parties without the applicant’s permission.
It is important to remember that the translator at the interview will translate everything of the applicant’s words, including comments, enquiries, and correspondence with the lawyer or family members, regardless of their relationship to the case.
The applicant’s behavior and the correctness of the responses are critical to a successful interview.
The asylum interview is divided into various stages:
Preliminary inquiries about biographical data (name, date, place of birth, etc.) are asked at the first stage.
2) The second phase is followed by general questions in which the applicant is required to explain why he is seeking refuge in the United States. Explain the implications of the applicant’s return to the nation, including the possibility of restarting the prosecution against him and his family members.
3) In the final phase, everyone is asked questions that allow USCIS to determine whether there are grounds for denial of asylum, such as involvement in persecution and discrimination of others, involvement in serious crimes, terrorist activities, threats to US security, and so on.
Following that, the candidate will be given the chance to supply additional information.
The officer is attempting to determine the existence of persecution as well as the veracity of the statements.
The officer will advise you at the end of the interview that the decision on granting political asylum will not be made on the spot. The applicant will get a notification tailored to the case, stating the requirement to attend in person at the office within two weeks to receive a decision. The decision may be affirmative, in which case asylum will be granted, or negative, in which case a notification of intent to reject the application with an explanation of the reasons will be sent.
The applicant will have the option to reject these grounds and present new material in support of his or her application. If the applicant lacks lawful immigration status or the right to remain in the United States, a deportation hearing will be scheduled, and the matter will be transferred to the United States Immigration Court for consideration of the asylum application.