If you are applying for asylum in the United States, your interview is one of the most important steps in this process. As a result, it makes sense to prepare for your asylum interview in an effective, organized manner. Due to recent changes to US immigration policy, it may be more challenging to successfully navigate this interview compared to previous years. That being said, you do not need to approach this process alone. An experienced immigration attorney in Dallas may be able to help.
Asylum is Now Much More Challenging
Recent changes to US immigration law have made asylum much more challenging for many people. For some people, asylum has become virtually impossible. If you have not yet applied for asylum, it is important to understand these new changes and how they might affect you. Depending on your circumstances, it might make more sense to pursue a different type of immigration strategy.
First, USCIS announced that it was pausing all future decisions on pending asylum applications. While you can still submit an asylum application, there is no word (as of this writing) on when USCIS will resume making decisions about whether to grant or deny asylum. USCIS will continue to conduct interviews, so it might still be worth preparing for this process effectively.
People from 40 countries have also been effectively banned from submitting asylum applications. These include Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and many others. On the other hand, some individuals from certain countries now receive preferential treatment (most notably Afrikaans people from South Africa).
In terms of the threshold screening interviews (TSIs) for asylum seekers, this process may also have changed. If you are approaching one of these interviews under the U.S Canada Third Country Agreement, you may face more scrutiny when pursuing an exception to this rule.
What Happens During an Asylum Interview?
The asylum interview is administered by the Asylum Officer (AO). Expect the AO to ask you various questions about who you are, where you’re coming from, and why you think you qualify for asylum in the United States. The interview will be held in English. If you do not feel comfortable speaking English, you must bring your own interpreter. The government will not provide one for you. You do not need a professional interpreter. As long as the individual feels comfortable speaking and understanding both languages, they could be a family member or a friend.
What kinds of questions will you face during your asylum interview? While questions may vary, the AO’s goal is to figure out whether your asylum claim is legitimate. As a result, you should expect questions about the persecution or threats you are facing in your home country. You should also expect to review the documents you provided in your application. Your AO will likely have questions about these documents.
What Should I Bring to My Asylum Interview?
According to the USCIS, you should bring identification to your asylum interview. These might include passports, travel documents, birth certificates, and marriage certificates. If you are seeking asylum with your spouse and children, you must bring them with you. If your documents are foreign and not in English, you must bring certified translations of these documents. Your interpreter can also translate the document into English.
You also have the right to bring an attorney to your asylum interview. This could be a smart move, as your attorney may advocate for your best interests in ways that you cannot.
How Should I Prepare My Story?
Before your interview, you might want to review what makes people eligible for asylum in the first place. You only win asylum in the United States if you have suffered persecution in your home country or you face the danger of persecution if you return in the future. Based on these factors, you might want to ask yourself what kind of persecution you have faced (or will face).
Are you facing persecution based on your political beliefs? Do you face persecution because of your religion? Perhaps you face persecution because of your sexual identity or gender. Maybe the majority racial group in your home country is threatening to exterminate you because you belong to a racial minority. Whatever the case may be, you need to be able to explain your specific persecution in detail.
The best advice in this scenario is to be as honest as possible. Do not try to exaggerate your persecution, as this could lead to serious issues in the future. When the government discovers that you have been making these exaggerations, they will not trust anything else you tell them at face value.
At the same time, it doesn’t make sense to downplay or sugar-coat your experiences, either. If you have faced extremely traumatic or harmful situations, it makes sense to provide the AO with as many details as possible. You should do this even if reliving the past is extremely traumatic and distressing for you.
It also makes sense to be as consistent as possible when telling your story. Make sure that you are telling the same story each time. Practice with your friends or family if necessary. Be sure to always repeat the same basic information, especially times, dates, and locations. If the AO notices that your story doesn’t seem to add up, your asylum request could be denied.
Can a Dallas Immigration Lawyer Help Me Prepare for My Asylum Interview?
A Dallas immigration lawyer can help you prepare for your asylum interview in various ways. First, your lawyer can learn more about your unique situation during a consultation. Next, they can help you understand exactly what to expect during the interview based on your specific circumstances. Your lawyer can also help you prepare for some of the most challenging questions you might face. To take the next steps toward a successful asylum petition, contact The Presti Law Firm at (214) 831-8078 or visit us online.