An ambitious multi-media exhibit at the Phillip’s Collection in Washington, DC explores the “experiences and perceptions of migration and the current global refugee crisis.” The exhibition, called The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement, presents the work of 75 historical and contemporary artists “from the United States as well as Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, UK, Vietnam, and more.” Many of the artists are themselves refugees, and this lends power and authenticity to the show.
My office mates and I took a field trip to the Phillip’s to check out the exhibit, which consists of “installations, videos, paintings, and documentary images.” There’s a lot to see, and a lot to read–each artist has a story, and for me at least, learning about that story helped me understand what I was looking at. Most of the art is individually interesting and it would be easy to linger with each piece, but in this case, the sum of the show exceeds its parts. Indeed, the great strength of this exhibit comes from its diversity–diversity in experience, place, and time.
The curators have anchored the show with a display of Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series: 60 or so paintings depicting the Great Migration of African Americans from the American South to the North. Between about 1920 and 1970, more than six million people moved North to escape poverty and racism (or, more accurately, they moved to escape from severe poverty and racism in the South to somewhat less severe poverty and racism in the North). The Migration Series is a part of the museum’s regular collection, but placing it in the wider context of The Warmth of Other Suns adds to its emotional impact and gives it a sense of universality that is less obvious when it is viewed individually.
Other powerful exhibits include a video installation showing a conversation with elderly Central American parents whose son left for the United States. We hear their perspective of the son’s journey–phone calls from different stops along the road, and then finally nothing. The parents learn later that their son has died on the journey. The devastation of their loss is haunting. The mother can’t even speak about it. She talks about the weather and the coffee harvest instead, and somehow, this is harder to watch than a direct accounting of her son’s demise.
Another room has a floor covered in clothing. On the wall is a large photo of a rough ocean. The clothes are blue, indicative of the sea, and they represent the unnamed and unseen migrants who were lost while crossing the Mediterranean (thousands of migrants die each year on their journeys, many in the Mediterranean Sea). On the wall of this room are three world maps, but by a different artist. This artist commissioned Afghan seamstresses to sew the maps. Each country is represented by its colors or part of its national flag. The maps–with their distinct borders between countries–contrasts with the scattered clothing, lost in the liminal space between nations.
Another exhibit is a video of a young boy from Syria. He is deaf and mute, and he looks to be about 12 or 13 years old. He fled Syria after the Islamic State attacked his home town. Unable to speak, the boy describes the attack with gestures and facial expressions. The artist writes, “The power of his body language [has] made any other language form insufficient and insignificant.” I am not sure about that, but his non-verbal description certainly renders any other language form redundant, as it is all too clear that this boy has witnessed and suffered a trauma that no child (and no adult) should ever have to experience.
A more lighthearted exhibit called Centro de Permanenza Temporanea or Center for Temporary Permanence (pictured above) shows a group of migrants climbing an airport boarding ladder for a plane that never arrives. This exhibit symbolizes the inability of Western countries (here, Italy) to return their “unwanted” migrants, who are left to wait and wait.
For me as an attorney who represents asylum seekers, this exhibit was challenging. Our cases are serious and the stakes are high (indeed, just this week, I heard about a colleague’s client who was murdered after having been deported by an Immigration Judge). To do these cases effectively, we need a certain level of detachment (to preserve our sanity) and objectivity (to properly evaluate and prepare our clients’ cases). These qualities serve us well in the practice of asylum law, but they are the opposite of what is needed to appreciate an art exhibit about migration. But by lowering my defenses and engaging with this art, I find that it provides inspiration and serves as a reminder of why we do what we do.
For those who are not immersed in the world of migration, I think the great power of this art is that it gives voice to people who are frequently voiceless, and humanity to people who are too often used as political pawns (“invaders!” “rapists!”). The Warmth of Other Suns is a thoughtful and sobering testament to those who have journeyed–willingly and unwillingly–in search of a better life.
The exhibition runs through September 22, 2019. For more information, and to see some of the art, click here.
PS: The title of this blog post was shamelessly stolen from my friend Sheryl Winarick, who drove across Eurasia to document various communities and their experiences with migration. Learn more about her journey here.
PPS: I almost forgot the housekeeping. I will be off-line from about August 16 to 25, 2019. So if you post questions or comments, I will try to answer them after that time.
Hi, in check status on USCIS.gov , a month ago it was showing that “next step is interview” now it shows “my” only on that page. Any idea what this means?
People have been reporting issues with the online system recently, so maybe it is just a glitch. If you have a specific question, you can try contacting the asylum office directly. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
hello jason
I came to the US with B1 visa and after three month I wrote a statement to uscis and change my status to student. after seven month of change status I applied for asylum. could this cause to deny my asylum application?
I do not know why it would, unless you said something in the different applications that was not try or inconsistent. If so, you should explain why you did that, but I have seen cases where this happened, and unless something else is going on, it would not be a reason to deny. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Can you please share some information for Chicago asylum office I had my interview there before like one year but still there is no answer for me I did three inquiries but the same answers still pending I’m from Iraq if you have any information or what do you think about pending cases there how long may take thank you sir
My experience there is that they are pretty good and generally issue decisions within a few months. However, Iraqi cases in general suffer from long delays. There is not much you can do aside from regular inquiries. If you feel you cannot wait any longer, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit – we wrote about that on October 2, 2018. Take care, Jason
Dear jason
Thank you so much for your unconditional help
I have a concern
I expedited three times it was rejected thr last was thru a congress men!! Which stated that my cases will never get interview for coming 180 days!
Then i give up thinking about interview one day i opened my mail box – i noticed they have sent an interview notice before their 180 days timeline- not even stating that my interview is because of expedition.
Can tell me is it normal have you come a cross such situations.
Hello, may we ask . did you file years ago or very recently ? I do not seem to understand your question.
I have not seen it exactly like this, but it is not a surprise – the asylum offices are kind-of a mess, and so the fact that this happened seems about right. Good luck with the interview, Jason
Hi Jason.
I’ve been called for a follow up interview. What is usually the reason for this?
There could be different reasons – the supervisor had more questions, the background check raised issues, the officer who initially did the case has left. Also, people who were in the military or who somehow interacted with (and possibly supported) terrorists sometimes receive second interviews. You should prepare for a second interview as you would prepare for the first interview. However, keep in mind that they have notes from the first interview and they can compare what you say in the two interviews to look for inconsistencies. Take care, Jason
Hi KAYARA
You can apply for renewal 150 in advance before the expiration date. Since your is 75 days, you can apply now. Make sure to fill the form correctly. When you apply, they will give you receipt (I think I-797) which will extend your permit 180 days. You can show that to your employer if your new EAD doesnt reach you by the time this one expires.
Hi Jason and everyone. I want know, if any pending asylum want to go for visit NYC to California what kind of document does he/she needs for flight? Does he need passport or driving license or EAD?And is that okay domestic traveling for pending asylees? However, if someone passport expired then what he gonna do? Cos he can’t go back his country for that? As well he wanna apply for AP. Can you help me about those things please…
You should be able to fly domestically as long as you have a valid ID. A driver’s license or EAD should be enough, but you can contact the airline or check their website to be sure. You should also bring a copy of your asylum receipts in case you need them. As for AP, I wrote about that on September 11, 2017 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason we missed you here. Ive two questions
1. My final hearing is in March, I’ve had several sleepless nights and I’m depressed about this whole situation . Pls what are always the possible results or outcome when you go before a IJ?
2. My bf is a green card holder and we are planning on settling down but won’t get his usc till 2021, is there any way a final hearing can be rescheduled and if yes on what ground?
With this present administration what’s the worst case scenario? Tears
1 – I will be posting some articles about the individual hearing, so maybe those will help. The first one will hopefully be up tomorrow or Wednesday. The possible outcomes are asylum granted, asylum denied, or some other form of relief granted, like Withholding of Removal or Torture Convention (or if you have applied for other types of relief, maybe you could get that). If you lose, you can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. 2 – First, if you get married and you want to have him file for you, that is a good idea (assuming you are eligible – I wrote about that on August 2, 2018). He can file for his citizenship 90 days before the 4-year anniversary of his green card (the card itself gives the date he obtained his lawful permanent residency), so he should file at the earliest possible time. Given the timing of events, even if you lose your asylum case and have to appeal, there is a decent chance he will be a citizen while the appeal is still pending. In that event, you should be safe. If you get married, you may want to have him file an I-130 for you, so you are ready to go once he is a citizen (rather than wait until he is a citizen and then file the I-130, which will take longer). I suppose you could also try to delay the case, but that is difficult to do. Maybe if you move and change venue to another court. I would talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your case to make a plan, but it seems to me that you have a decent chance to do the marriage case even if the asylum does not work out. Take care, Jason
Hello there Jason and my fellow friends.
My lawyer played me and didn’t submit any form of affidavit and supporting letters that I gave him . He just filed the first form and a few days ago I was called for an interview in the SF office . I found out none of that was submitted because when I told the officer just like I mentioned in my affidavit, the officer told me that there was nothing submitted . My heart fell and I could not even answer properly to the officer’s questions
Does any one know if it is possible to submit my supporting documents after the interview ? Please any one help me because I do not want the decision to be made with out the officer reading and looking at my supporting documents. Thank you and bless you
I’m sorry to hear that your documents were not submitted before your interview. This is an example to keep a copy of all documents with you when you go for the interview even your lawyer had already submitted them. You never know if the documents were submitted properly or not or they may have been lost in Asylum office. Just for a safe side, I would encourage to make a copy of everything for the interview and take them with you. If the officer says he/she didn’t get the documents, you can hand over a copy. This is just a safe side and I don’t think it would cost much. Others should be cautious and can avoid this situation.
You should first contact your lawyer and find out what he did (or did not do). If he was supposed to file documents and did not, you should file a bar complaint against him for lying to you. You should send a copy of the bar complaint to the asylum office and explain what happened, and ask them to accept the additional evidence. They may accept evidence after the interview, but I think it may not help unless you explain why you did not submit the evidence in the first place. The bar complaint is helpful to you because it provides evidence that the fault was the lawyer’s, not yours. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason
Can you please let me know when we file for renewal of work permit documents, within how many days do we receive our receipt to check the status online?
I am just worried as I have 75 days remaning on the current work permit and I am working.
Will I lose my job if the renewal is not sent on time by uscis because of the backlog that is there currently.
Please advice
Hi KAYARA
You can apply for renewal 150 in advance before the expiration date. Since your is 75 days, you can apply now. Make sure to fill the form correctly. When you apply, they will give you receipt (I think I-797) which will extend your permit 180 days. You can show that to your employer if your new EAD doesnt reach you by the time this one expires.
You can file up to 180 days in advance, so you should file now. It takes maybe 4 weeks to get the receipt, and once you have that, your old EAD is extended by 180 days. The new EAD can take more than 6 months to receive. Take care, Jason
I live in Colorado and I have a pending asylum case as of September 2017. Anyone has ever been interviewed in Colorado recently? I tried to get hold of Houston office, but I did not get a response!
Hey jason. Thanks so much for all your help for the asylum community. I have a question regarding the newly released information regarding newark asylum office, nj. I have read that the uscis will send the majority of the asylum officers there to conduct fear interviews on the borders of mexico and that the newark office will stop conducting any asylum interviews for anybody either the new or the old cases and they have not even mention a time frame for that !!!! Is that correct ? And what do you believe regarding that? Is it gonna make the waiting time longer ? Shall anybody who wanna file now for asylum choose any other state other than nj because of that ? And finally do you believe that this will take longer or just one or two months maximum for them to resume working on the asylum interviews ?????
Hi, Can you please share the source of this news?
I had not heard about this (I was in the woods for the last week). I am not surprised, as they regularly shift resources around. It is a shame, as NJ had been one of the “fast” offices. We will have to see what happens at the next Asylum Office Meeting – maybe they will update us about that. If I have news, I will try to post it here. Take care, Jason
Anyone has any news about newark office?qhich year are they interviewing from the backlog
I heard they are doing 10/2017. This was about 4 months ago, but the new news released said that they stopped working on all new and old cases as they will send the officers to the borders to conduct interviews there :(((((((
I do not know, but they are interviewing almost all new cases, and so now might be a good time to try to expedite case there (since they seem to be doing pretty well). I wrote about expediting on March 30, 2017. Take care, Jason
Hi All, i want to shred some light as a hope for all fellow asylee seekers. Dont worry things will eventually turn out to be good. I was depressed, panicked everyday, thinking what will my life be like if this case wont be approved?
I was also thinking about hiding myself or running away from my life if i loose the case. It was a depressing moment but i was holding myself convincing myself that it may work out.
My asylum was approved a week ago in court. I was referred from asylum office. Dont loose hope guys it will work out. Prepare yourself, do your homework and make familiar with your story and current country situation.
Applied on dec 2017
Approved on aug 2019
California
I would like to thank jason and his team for helping me go thru this with updated information and guidelines.
Thank you and god bless.
How did you get Your answer so fast ? Im in the summer of 2017 too , nothing yet
Congratulations and Welcome to the USA! Jason
Hi jason, I have a friend whose asylum was granted by the judge last year in november. His ead is expiring this month (new one applied two months ago and on the way) and so is his drivers license. All he has is a letter from court. Can he continue to work if he doesn’t get her EAD before the current one expires? can he get a DL showing the court letter? Can she request an info pass and get a i-94 with indefinite stay stamp from Uscis office or asylum office?
Unfortunately the grant letter is not useful. It proves nothing from DMV’s perspective.
Most likely he would need to get I-94.
It is recommended this done right after a final grant is issued by the judge. Do not wait. Also he should apply for green card as soon as possible unless there is very specific concerns of adjusting to LPR status.
I think the Info Pass will not work this way. If the person applied to renew the EAD under the same category (a5), then there will be an automatic 6 month extension of the old EAD. The receipt will indicate this. Also, a person with asylum is eligible to work even without an EAD, but many employers do not recognize this. I think the list of evidence of employability on the I-9 indicates this. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason!
I applied for asylum in 2015 sf office
I just got a notice for my interview on Monday 19th and the interview is scheduled on Tuesday 27th
1. Is it normal or common that they give me a short period of time to prepare for my interview? Because my lawyer needs to write and file a legal arguments for why i should be granted asylum
2. My lawyer told me that she wants to reschedule for September, do you think if she does reschedule they will give me an interview in September? Or it might be later than September, i have been waiting for 4 years for this interview i don’t wanna wait any longer
3. Can’t she bring the legal arguments the same day of the interview? Because she said something about the asylum officer needs to read and consider the legal arguments
Thank you
If anyone can help with a response i’ll trully Appreciate it
It seems you put your name on the short list because normally asylum office will give you interview notice one month in advance.
Hi Asylum Seeker,
Have you requested to expedite your case? Probably that’s why you received such a short notice. What month in 2015 did you apply?
Good luck!
It was August
My high school classmate applied in spring 2016 at SF office in CA and interviewed April 2019 but still has been waiting for the result.What are they doing on backlog cases?it seems they randomly pick the case.
I posted the latest data I had on June 12, 2019, but sometimes, it seems they pull random cases. Maybe he accidentally expedited or short-listed his case? As for post interview delay, it is unpredictable, though usually in my experience, SF is pretty good. Maybe he should email them and inquire – You can find their email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi asylum seeker did you request for the short list or expedite??
Thanks in advance
1 – Normally, it is not so fast. Your lawyer can request more time and they should reschedule for a few weeks. 2 – There is no way to know for certain, but according to their own rules, they give reschedule cases the highest priority, and so you should get an interview in a few weeks. 3 – Different offices have different rules. I am not sure about SF, but it is preferable to submit everything in advance, if possible. Also, in general, it is better to go slow and win than to go fast and lose, and so if you need the extra time, that may be the safer approach. Take care, Jason
Did any one understand how this news release affect those with pending asylum?https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-issues-guidance-discretionary-employment-authorizati
The above link is wrong. This one is the right link https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-issues-guidance-discretionary-employment-authorization-parolees
It seems to apply to people who are paroled into the US – in the past, some people who entered this way could get a work permit, and now they are limiting that. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
My interview is coming up. I have a question. Do you think the asylum office or officer call the witnesses who have provided support letters before or after the interview?
Thanks
They could, if you give them permission, but I have never seen that happen and I have never been asked for such permission. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason , I know heaven has a throne for you cause what you do is beyond kind ! no words. you help too much 🙁 . i HAVE big question sir.. I have many years waiting for interview I am on the edge . I cant no more. IS IT POSSIBLE TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT WITH DIRECTOR TO SPEAK TO HER in person??? i have expedit twice and denied ! this is so sad!! help.
I know of no way to do that. You could make an Info Pass appointment (at http://www.uscis.gov) and go there and ask to speak to a supervisor. Explain why you need to expedite, and if you have evidence, give it to them. Be polite, and maybe they will expedite the case. You never know. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Is it possible to expedite the citizenship application N-400?
If expedite for N400 reject, does have a negative effect on the application?
Regards;
Based on my experience the simple answer to your question would unfortunately be a big “NO”…
You can ask – give evidence and an explanation for why you need to expedite. It probably won’t work, but it should not cause any negative effect either, and you never know, maybe it will work. Take care, Jason
hi Jason & everyone
I just need ask if some one face tha same
I send some form to USCIS at Dallas tx75266 and tracking the mail I find it delivered to Dallas tx 75260 so is that famous or its mistaken and I have to resend those forms again
thanx
If they received an application, they should send a receipt in about 4 weeks. If you are replying to a request for evidence or just sending new material, they will not send you anything. If you have your case receipt number, you can check the case status at http://www.uscis.gov and that might help. Take care, Jason
jason,
Also could you please help me with my situation? I’m currently in the process of renewing my EAD with the Asylum Pending status but I have some concerns.
What document do i need to send for renew my EAD . and which address i should send the package .
do i need to send 2 different package 1 for me and 1 for my wife
I really can’t answer specific questions like this, as I do not know the case. You have to look at the instructions, which explains what documents are needed – generally the form I-765, copy of the old EAD (front and back), evidence of a pending asylum case, 2 photos, the fee, evidence of criminal issues, if any, but there could be other info needed, depending on the case. You and your wife must each send a complete packet of documents. You can mail the cases in the same envelope, but they should each be complete. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason.
May you let me know if Arlington office is still issuing decisions. Im waiting for my decision over a year now. I last seen their decision updates October last year.Are they issuing decisions or they just interviewing people and pilling work and puts them away without decisions. Please help this is so depressing.
Thank you.
I have a similar experience with Arlington Office. I am waiting for a decision since the beginning of Feb 2019. I made many attempts via email and senator. The last thing that they said was they prioritized my case for supervisory review and the decision will NOT be made next 90 days.
You might be way better than I am. I have been waiting for a decision for nearly 3 years now but my lawyer doesn’t approve the idea of a lawsuit, crying. I have been in a different office though…………………………………….
May we ask, what office ? thank you
Chicago
Hi ‘Lost In Thought’s,
I’m so sorry to learn about your case, 3 years is definitely a long time. Mine is slightly over a year still from Chicago office.
May I ask, did you enquire about the decision at all? I’m not if it’s okay to ask them about the decision.
Let’s hope for the best!
I do not do mandamus lawsuits, but if my clients want that, I refer them to a lawyer who does. Maybe your lawyer can do the same for you, or explain why a lawsuit is a bad idea for you. Take care, Jason
They are issuing decisions in some cases, but they are moving slowly. You can inquire by making an Info Pass appointment and going there to ask about your case (at http://www.uscis.gov) or by emailing them. You can find their email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. If all else fails, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit – we wrote about that on October 2, 2018. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, thanks for sharing this!
Also could you please help me with my situation? I’m currently in the process of renewing my EAD with the Asylum Pending status but I have some concerns.
First of all, I lost my Acknowledgement of Receipt issued after filing i-589, but I do have the biometrics appointment notice. Would that notice be enough to receive a new EAD? Or does the USCIS actually need the AoR as well?
And as a follow up, I’m currently starting a new job and my EAD is expiring next month. If I file within this week will my EAD get automatically extended once my application has been received or, say, if I have some mistakes in the application, will the extension not apply to me?
All the best!
The receipt explains that you have an automatic extension, but USCIS does not need that. They will just mail you the new card once they are done processing it. If you mean, do you need the AOR for the extension, I think you can use a copy of the old card, front and back, and the biometrics receipt – that should be fine. Once you mail the I-765, you should have the receipt (and the automatic extension in 3 or 4 weeks. Take care, Jason
Got it. I already started my job but I don’t know what I’m going to do if I don’t get the receipt before my current EAD expires. I filed everything last Friday, FedEx has confirmed that the USCIS received the docs on Monday. My FedEx receipt alone is not enough to prove I got the 180 automatic extension, correct? Is there any way I can make this work out? (taking a vacation will probably not work since I’ll still be paid)
If the employer requires it, maybe you can go on unpaid leave. However, once you get the extension, the problem will be solved retroactively. In other words, while you cannot work without the EAD, once you get the receipt, it will extend your old card and the period where you were ineligible to work will be covered by that. If your employer is not risk averse, maybe they will just continue employing you with the hope that you will get the receipt (which you should, unless something is wrong with the form or your case) and then you will have evidence of eligibility to work for the 180 days after the EAD expires. Take care, Jason
Got it. Thank you a lot Jason!
Hi Jason,
My asylum decision is pending for almost a year now. I am planning to get married here to my boyfriend who will be visiting me next month. He will only be here for 2 weeks. Can I add him on my case if We get married? Will he have any problem visiting again if I add him to my case? Would it affect the decision? If not, what would be the process?
Many thanks
If he stays here, you can add him to the case. In that way, he will get a work permit and go to the interview with you. But if his plan is to leave, you should not add him to the case, as it will be very difficult for him to come and go from the US. Also, while I doubt he will have a problem traveling with his current visa, he could be rejected at the border if the agents find that his wife is an asylum seeker. And, if he needs to apply for a new visa, that could be rejected if they know his wife is an asylum seeker (it depends on the type of visa – H1b and L visas should not be affected, but B and F visas probably will be affected). If you do not add him to the case and you win, you can then file an I-730 petition for him to get his asylum too. If he is in the US, you can file that while he is here; if he is overseas, you can file it while he is there. The I-730 takes maybe 8 to 15 months. Take care, Jason
Hello dear Jason
I’m trying to get an appointment with you . Please let me know how can I schedule the appointment and when would be the soonest.
Highly appreciate it
Please contact Sinit in my office at SHailw@DzubowLaw.com. I am just back from a week of vacation, so I will have to do some cleaning up before I can see anyone, but Sinit can schedule as soon as we have openings. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I have a quick question, I created an account on https://myaccount.uscis.gov. I can check status of my Form I-765 but the system doesn’t accept my Asylum Application receipt number. Both were paper based filed forms but it recognizes one of them only. Did it happen to anyone else? if yes, how did you fixed it? Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks
There is no way to fix it. You can only check the status of your pending asylum application via the online case status tool. https://myaccount.uscis.gov will not recognize your asylum application receipt number
You add it in the wrong place.
The place you should be adding is “My Cases”.
In Case Status Online, on the top left corner, look for a “Login or Sign up” button. If you do not have an account, use “sign up” otherwise “Login”. Here you can add your case, and op-in for email and/or text notifications. Also case history is available.
Please note that, while it is confusing, My Cases do not use my account (which is a more secure account for sensitive personal information and requires MFA) so you might need to sign up even if you have an account for myUSCIS.
Thank you JRT and VVN, I got it now. Much appreciated.
When you go to http://www.uscis.gov and check the processing times, are you able to see the status of your asylum case using the receipt number? That should at least give you the info you need, but it is nicer to get the automatic alerts. I am not sure you can actually check your asylum case with the “my account” thing anyway, but maybe contact the local asylum office to ask about this issue. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
Thank you for your unconditional help and advice through this blog. It is of great help and I follow your posts because it helps us great deal. I have a quick question to be asked. I have been pending I485 applicant as an asylee with Nebraska service Centre since February 2019 and today I received my case transfer reciept to National benefits Centre MO. My question is that NBC MO only process employment based family based ?? There is as such no processing time for NBC MO.. do you think I will be called for an interview? Is it normal or do I have some thing wrong with my application? Also any one with the same situation?? Please
Hello,
With my experience, I learned that whenever the case is transferred to NBC then they are above to schedule for an interview and you may receive the interview letter with in next couple of weeks from your local USCIS office.
Just curious are you the principle Asylee or derivative Asylee?
Hello,
With my experience, I learned that whenever the case is transferred to NBC then they are above to schedule for an interview and you may receive the interview letter with in next couple of weeks from your local USCIS office.
Just curious are you the principle Asylee or derivative Asylee?
Thanks for your reply Sammy! I am the principal asylee. I think I am not suppose to get an interview? Do I ?
Hmmm🤔, Principal Asylees are in general not called for an interview unless they have any questions about the case.
I would like Jason to weigh in and let see his opinion whether there is a possibility for an interview first and what might be the reason for an interview with the principal Asylee?
Don’t need to be panic and be strong. Be happy that at-least your case is moving. I’ve seen the people here even after 2years they are still waiting for the application to be approved.
Just curious from which country you got the asylum from?
Mr. JASON is in better position to enlighten you in this matter, But I would like to present my own experience with sending case to NBC, MO. I have my I-130 Petition is pending from Potomoc VA has recently been transferred to NBC, MO too. So based on your point NBC, MO only adjudicate employment cases could not be True.
Regards
USCIS transfers cases around depending on work load. This is pretty normal, and I would not worry about it. I do not really know why they feel a need to send notices in situations like this, but they often do. Whether you will be interview or not, I do not know. Most principal applicants are not interviewed for the GC. Dependents are supposed to be interviewed, and often they are. Take care, Jason
Asylee Any update ???
Hi,
I recently requested that my sister who has been threatened by members of my family to reveal my whereabouts to them to forward to me a copy of the police report issued to her when she reported the matter to the police. The police requested that she obtained an affidavit from the High Court before they issue her the report which she did. Now, the Police only gave her the report and they retained the original copy of the affidavit (she does not have a copy).
I have asked her to be one of my witnesses and swear to another affidavit stating what happened and that my relatives are still threatening to deal with me and my wife so I can file same with USCIS.
My question is; will the fact that this new affidavit has a different date from the one the Police used in their report (it is in the possession of the Police anyway) have any adverse effect on my case with USCIS?
Thank you
Shaikh Sahab, I am not Jason, but since he is on vacations, we can discuss this in the meantime. It looks like your sister filed an affidavit in High Court, and on the directions of High Court, the police issued a report to her. She can get a certified copy from the High Court of the same affidavit, it will be stamped by the High Court. If she is not able to get the copy of the affidavit, she can draft a new affidavit with current date, and she can mention everything in it, and explain that she is unable to get the actual copy of the affidavit, she can then get that affidavit notarized and send it to you with the copy of her ID to be used in your case.
Thank you Seeker
I do not think it will have an adverse impact, as long as she explains what happened and why she does not have the original affidavit or a copy of that. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Is it really possible to adjust your status through marriage while you have an asylum case pending?
I’ve a pending asylum since 2014. Got married in 2018 and my wife (USC) petitioned for me and we had an interview six months ago till today no update whatsoever. FIY, I have a bit of inconsistency in my asylum case with my marriage but we explained that in the interview. Now, I don’t know what will happen, I already notified the asylum office that I got married and have an I-485 pending.
In one of your articles, You suggest to withdraw your asylum case if you won’t hear anything from USCIS after the interview. But I am really worried if I do withdraw it, they’ll put me in removal proceeding. What do you suggest?
Thanks so much!
I strongly prefer not to withdraw the asylum case, and would not recommend that unless USCIS specifically tells you to do that. In this case, the next normal step would be to try the USCIS Ombudsman. A link is at right and they sometimes help with delayed cases. I would say that a 6 month wait after the interview is not incredibly unusual, but try the Ombudsman, as it is free and it might help. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
Hope you are doing well. I am filling out Form I-131 application for Refugee Travel Document. there is a question states that Class of Admission ? , what should I type? I am permanent resident Under Asylum. cam e to US with Visa B1 visitor.
Thanks in advance
Hey asylee, you just have to write the type of visa you you came with in USA. Like you said B1 so just type B1 visa . I hope that I help you
That is not how we normally fill the form, but it works just fine – just make sure you use the status you entered during your most recent entry into the US. Take care, Jason
You can put the code under “Category” on your green card.
For example if you are the principle, you can say “AS6 LPR”
For those, we typically write LPR or LPR based on asylum. Take care, Jason
Hi jason
Thank you so much for all these information!!
I got my interview notice today- in my old address a friend of mine is still living in my old apartment he has given the mail today- but I already moved to my new apartment since 1 August 2019-
Should i change my address now or wait because my intervew is on 4 September in two weeks-
Or i can take with me my new lease on interview day they can update that for me!!!
What’s your suggestion now??
I would change it now using form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Also, you can bring the lease to your interview and so you will have that if they want to see it. Take care, Jason
If i change my address now im afraid they reschedule my interview!!!
Will that affect!!
And what if i dont change now what will gonna happen?? And i do that on interview day!!
It is pretty common to change your address at the interview, so maybe you can do that. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
I have been using Obama care insurance (market place) and pay 30 cents a month. does that consider a public charge as a new rule of Trump recently?
thanks a lot.
If you have asylum or are seeking asylum, the rule does not apply to you. Otherwise, I do not know whether Obamacare is considered evidence that you could become a public charge – you can consult a lawyer when you apply for the green card to be sure. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason, the new rule will be taking effect on Oct 15. People say all Green Card applications before that date would still be reviewed by the previous rules. My question is if I want my GC application reviewed by the old rule, should I just mail the application before Oct 15 like Oct 14, or should I have to make sure USCIS receive my application before Oct 15? BTW, how long does it usually take for them to receive my application after I mail it at USPS? Thank you!
If you are applying for a GC based on a grant of asylum, the public charge rule does not apply to you. Also, you have to wait 1 full year before applying for the GC (and if you left the US, you have to wait longer – so if you left for 10 days, you have to wait 1 year and 10 days). Otherwise, I would mail the application as soon as you are eligible and hopefully avoid this issue, if you think it is a problem for you. Take care, Jason
One of your colleague client murders after his deportation. When such things happen ,do lawyer reach the uscis and judge that denied him protection. If he was approved asylum he would be alive.why so much harm to the helpless asylum community. It s really a sad story
I do not know the details of the case – the lawyer posted the incident on our list serve earlier this week. I wrote about this issue before, on December 11, 2018, if you are interested. Take care, Jason
Is there any source from which USCIS collects facts about different countries? Religious based facts. As I don’t have much evidence except my testimony and some affidavits, I can get help from that fact source. Thank you.
You can use any source you can find (though some are more credible than others): Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, RefWorld, local human rights groups, news articles, academic articles, State Department Travel Warnings, etc. USCIS often relies on the State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and the State Department Report on Religious Freedom. Such reports are issued each year for each country. You should find the country condition evidence that helps your case and submit it – do not rely on USCIS to do that. You have to prove your case to win, and that includes providing country condition evidence. Take care, Jason
In Houston office, can I submit other evidences in support of my claim at the time of interview? Also, in my first statement I did not mention names of people with fear of disclosure of my statement. I understand now that nothing is shared or disclosed, can I update my statement in detail with names of people involved in my claim at interview?
I do not know the rules in Houston about evidence – you can email them to ask. You can find their email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. If you have no choice because it is too late to submit evidence in advance, bring the evidence with you, and bring an updated statement (normally, you need the original and one copy of each document). It sounds like this evidence will be helpful. It is possible that they will choose to reschedule the interview (which will cause a few week delay), but if you think the info is important, it is better to submit it and have a stronger case, even if there is some risk of delay. Take care, Jason
Hi jason
I have my interview in two weeks
Please pray for me !!
I have few questions
Can i add my finance on interview day (i dont have any official marriage certificate) but i can provide to the US embassy back in home country ! As in my country religious marriage happens!
If I couldn’t add incase if my cases granted can i add later before obtaining green card!!
Give me a good suggestion please as i dont want to wait more years to bring her. Here ! As distance relationships dont works much
If you are legally married in your country (or anywhere), you should list her on the form I-589. If you have not done so, you can complete page 2 of the I-589 and bring it to the interview for the officer. You should also bring the marriage certificate or proof of marriage, a copy of her passport, and a copy of her birth certificate. If she is legally your wife, and you win asylum, you can then file an I-730 for her (the whole process could easily take a year before she is in the US). If she is not legally your wife at the time asylum is approved, your only option is to marry her and then file for her once you have the green card (as far as I know, you cannot file for her if you marry after receiving asylum, but you do not yet have the GC – I am not 100% sure about this, and so you might want to have a lawyer research the issue to be sure). Take care, Jason
hi， jason . Ｉhave a question about AP and refugee traval document. I am waiting for the AP decision while I just got approved about my asylum decision, so if I should use the ap ( if approved ) or I need to apply refugee travel document again? Can I send email or call uscis that I need to switch the AP to refugee travel document?
You can trying calling USCIS (800-375-5383), but I suspect that you will lose your application fee. I do not think you can use AP now that asylum is approved. You will have to apply (and pay) separately for the RTD. Take care, Jason
Hi, Jason
I called the uscis representative and ask them if I should switch the advance parole application to Refugee travel document base on my Asylee status. They answer me that I don’t need to reapply RTD because both of AP and RTD are the same ( both are I-131 travel document) .
They use the same form, but they are very different. AP is a paper with your photo on it that acts like a visa. The RTD looks like a passport. Anyway, I guess you will see what they send you. Take care, Jason
Thanks for share your visit
How sweet to hear that there is an exhibition exist about immigrants art. As one of them who has been writing his poems for years to publish soon, I already felt so proud of us who lives with their creativity on another land with just a peace of hope. I would really love to go to visit this place, if I lived close by. Thanks for sharing something related to art Jason. I like breathing the world by art. And its limitless horizon is always my interest to dive in to open my eyes to see how colorful the ocean is. I highly recommend this for anyone to try to connect their soul with their own authentic voices. Stay in love everybody.
Thank you – There are many great art works related to immigration. One of my favorite singers is Algerian-born Enrico Macias, who sings about exile from his homeland. Also, all the great Irish ballads I know are about missing the homeland (or World War I). Hopefully, you will get your poems published soon. Take care, Jason
I bet there are really unique art work that you have seen out there from many beautiful countries and yes soon I will have my book in my hand and would like to send you a copy of it, if you like. I recently got in touch with my asylum office which is Houston and I have been told my case is now under the control of their sub office which is based in New Orleans. When I emailed them to make sure that they have my case, they have informed me about my pending asylum case without telling how soon I can be interviewed. I wonder what my chance is with this new office about interviewing me. I applied for my case on March 30th 2017. Thanks Jason.
If you have a reason to expedite, we have found that the New Orleans office is pretty good about that – I wrote an article about expediting on March 30, 2017. As for the book, I would be very happy to have a copy. Thank you, Jason
Dear Jason
If I marry a citizen, does she have to earn 22k a year to be able to sponsor my application even though I make 30K a year before taxes?
Thanks
Under some circumstances, you can combine your incomes, but I think the new rules may be putting an end to that. If so, she would need to earn enough to sponsor you (you can check the form I-864P, available at http://www.uscis.gov, to learn how much), and if not, you would need a joint sponsor. Take care, Jason
Hi Aleksander, I got same thing with pending application for asylum since August 2015 in New York, seems like it will still a while to hear something, I know it’s depressing but keep pressing on with a hope for better.
Take care my friend.
Thanks for sharing this. Well, the pain of migration and a feel that you will not be able to meet your friends and family again bring tears in the eyes. You cannot forget the streets you grew up and the injustice and cruelty that forced you to leave everything behind and move to a new world. After all that, waiting just to know that if you are accepted in the new world for years and years is painful. The stress and anxiety are killing, but its the last resort for all of us. There are more good people than bad people in the system and we know they are trying their best effort to help us.
Thank you for this comment. Take care, Jason
Hay Aleksandr, I had the issue, try changing browser. I am not able to check it on chrome, try windows explorer
thanks
I can not check my status on https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/mycasestatus.do
Does anyone have similar problems?
I waiting for an interview call since August 2015, New York.