When I started The Asylumist over 11 years ago, I hoped to create a forum for discussing the U.S. asylum system. I didn’t know whether anyone would actually read the blog or whether I had the time and energy to maintain it (and truth be told, when I started, I really wasn’t even sure what a blog was). But here we are more than a decade later, still going.
During those years, much has changed with the asylum system: The Immigration Court backlog has increased from 243,000 to over 1.3 million; the Asylum Office backlog has grown from less than 32,000 to more than 386,000; we’ve seen the border “surge” (a couple times). the hostility of the Trump Administration, and the pandemic. The population of asylum seekers has changed as well. The Syrian civil war, the Arab Spring, increased instability in Venezuela, and a further breakdown of law and order in Central America all contributed to new waves of applicants seeking protection in the United States.
As I was observing and writing about asylum during these turbulent years, I was also thinking about turning some of my blog posts into a book. And for maybe the last two years, I’ve been actively working to get that done. Given my other obligations–family, job, blogging–I was not sure I would ever complete the work. But somehow, with the help and support of many people, the book is now done and available for sale. You can check it out here: The Asylumist: How to Seek Asylum in the United States and Keep Your Sanity.
I plan to write more about the book in future posts. But for now, I simply want to let people know that the book is available, and to explain why I wrote it, and how I hope it will help asylum seekers, advocates, and others interested in the U.S. asylum system.
After more than ten years writing this blog, I felt I had a lot of useful material, but it wasn’t organized or easily accessible. In the book, I’ve selected the most helpful and popular blog posts, updated them, and sorted them by topic. The book is divided by chapter to help asylum seekers and advocates find the information that they need, and to answer questions about the various parts of the process. Hopefully, this arrangement will be useful for asylum seekers and for others interested in the asylum system.
Of course, the book is not a substitute for obtaining advice from an attorney or an accredited representative. The rules related to asylum are in constant flux. What is true today may not be true tomorrow, and what worked for your friend may not work for you. There are many subtleties and pitfalls in the asylum process, and no book (or blog) can substitute for having an expert review the specifics of your case.
Also, this is not a traditional “how to” book, in the sense that it does not offer step-by-step instructions about how to seek asylum in the United States. Such a book would be difficult to write for an audience of non-lawyers (or even for an audience of lawyers), since there are so many variables. Each case has its own peculiarities and the law changes frequently.
Instead, the book is meant to serve as a companion for asylum seekers and their advocates. It is designed to support you as you navigate the asylum bureaucracy. It answers a number of common questions and aspires to help asylum seekers better understand the process. Further, and not least of all, the book aims to provide some comfort to those working their way through a difficult, confusing, demoralizing, and often unjust system. Perhaps by learning more about the process, asylum seekers will feel more empowered and more hopeful.
You can learn more, or purchase a copy of the book, here: The Asylumist: How to Seek Asylum in the United States and Keep Your Sanity.
Profits from this book will be donated to various asylum-related charities, and over the coming months, I hope to schedule some events in partnership with charitable organizations. I will post details here once I have more information.
Finally, to my family and friends, my clients and colleagues, and to the entire Asylumist community, I thank you for your support and friendship over these last many years, and I look forward to continuing our journey together.
Congratulations on the book release!
Thank you, Jason
Hello,
After multiple inquiries about my application to register permanent resident and a wait time of over 28 months. My case status changed to fingerprints have been applied to your case. I was fingerprinted in the past for my EADs and RTD but never for my form I-485. In other words, it looks like my fingerprints on file is going to be used. Could that be a sign that my case is finally moving forward and that the wait time is coming to an end? Have you seen similar cases in which USCIS waved the biometric appointment and moves quickly with the case afterwards?
I do not know – I guess it is a good sign in the sense that something is happening, but things are slow, and it is difficult to correlate an event like that with a decision. Given how long you have already waited, you should be coming to the end of the process, and so hopefully there will be some positive news soon. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Congratulations on getting the book published. We are happy for you and thank you for putting in time and effort.
I have a question for you. DHS just announced new TPS provision for Haiti.
We have a similar situation in my home country Nepal (ongoing constitutional crisis, curfews and worsening pandemic) and people residing in US from our community want to contact DHS secretary Alejandro Mayorkas through petition or other ways for consideration of TPS for Nepalese people currently in the states.
What would be our best shot at getting our word to DHS?
Thank you so much for all you do.
Thank you. Didn’t Nepal have TPS after the Earthquake? I do not recall the status of that now. I am not sure what is the best way to lobby DHS for TPS. I am involved in a bit of lobbying on a different topic (the asylum backlog) and we have been reaching out to Congressional offices with the idea that they will send a letter to DHS or USCIS. Maybe that is one approach to try. Take care, Jason
Thanks Jason. FILO hurts me deeply. Even FIFO seems a little bit better.
Hey, can anyone share their timelines for ead c08 renewal at potomac office? I’ve been waiting for 3 months but got my receipt within a week.
I know processing time is 7.5 – 11 months but what was yours?
I’m waiting for EAD renewal since October 12, 2020
Good luck!
It is sad. I have been waiting for mine since December 15, 2020. It is awful truly speaking
When your old one was expired?
It expired last month
Hi! My application has been pending since November 18th 2020.
It says that it’s an online case but will be processed at Potomac. I got receipt notice on time (within 2 weeks I think), but currently it’s been pending for 189 days
Good luck!
Hi Jason,
I am filling my green card application based on approved asylum, and i am not sure how i should answer this question “Have you ever violated the terms or conditions of your nonimmigrant status?” since i came to US by B visa and i had I-94 with 6 months but i summited my asylum application 2 months later after my I-94 has been expired. Is that means i violated the terms?
Thanks
Marco
If you want to be very careful, you can check “no”, circle the question, and next to it write “see cover letter”. In the cover letter, you can explain that you do not think you violated your non-immigrant status, but that you did file for asylum after you came here on a non-immigrant visa. This is perhaps an overly cautious approach, but it will not do any harm, and it avoids any chance that they will accuse you of lying in response to that question. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
Congratulation for this amazing book. I have read it and it seems you have filled a vacuum for asylum applicants. My case is pending since 2015, however, I believe I might be eligible for EB2/NIW. I would appreciate if you can suggest me an extraordinary attorney who can prepare my case diligently and increase the odds of approval. Thanks.
Thank you. In terms of lawyers, I cannot make recommendations here, and I do not know anyone who specializes in that type of work. One good starting point is AILA.org – they have a referral service and those lawyers tend to be better than lawyers who are not in AILA (the immigration lawyers association). Take care, Jason