Asylum: Protecting You From Danger
Are you afraid to return to your home country? Do you fear for your life or your child’s? You may be able to apply for asylum in the United States. The way you arrived in the country and your current immigration status do not prevent you from applying.
At Bastarrika, Soto, Gonzalez & Somohano, L.L.P., in Woodland Park, we work with people throughout New Jersey and New York City who are seeking asylum in the United States. Your safety matters to us. Start the asylum process by calling 973-370-0997 or 201-212-4572. We are a bilingual firm able to communicate with you in English or Spanish.
Are You Eligible For Asylum?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must determine that you are a refugee in order to consider your application. In general, you are a refugee if you fear returning to your home country because you could face persecution or death there. Your race, nationality, social group, religion or political views must be the source of the threatened persecution.
Different Types Of Asylum: Affirmative Versus Defensive Applications
You can apply for affirmative asylum if you came to the U.S. in the past year and do not face deportation. You can start the process by completing Form I-589 with the help of an immigration lawyer. You may continue to live in the country while your application is processed
A defensive application becomes necessary if the government declares you ineligible for asylum or you face deportation. An immigration judge will oversee this process, and you are entitled to have a lawyer represent you.
Reasons For Denial
If evidence suggests that you participated in terrorism or persecuted other people, then the government could deny your asylum application. Your criminal record outside of the United States could also cause a denial. Authorities could remove you from the country if you are in any way seen as threat to national security.
Finally, denials frequently happen when the immigration court does not believe there is enough evidence to persecute you. The best way to defeat this kind of denial is to work with an experienced immigration attorney on your first application and, if necessary, any appeals.
Get In Touch Today
Support from one of our attorneys could help you communicate your circumstances clearly to immigration authorities. Use our online form to describe your legal concern, or call us at 973-370-0997 or 201-212-4572.