What should you file when you first file for asylum?
Here, we’ll discuss the documents needed to file an asylum application at the Asylum Office or in Immigration Court. Different lawyers have different opinions about filing an asylum application, but for me, the best bet is to keep the initial filing to the bare minimum. (more…)
In 2008, the Romeike family came to the United States to escape religious persecution in Germany (yes, Germany). The family wanted to home school their children because they opposed the government curriculum, which includes subjects such as “sex education, evolution, and fairy tales.” The Romeike parents were threatened with jail, fined $9,000, and had three of their children escorted to school by the German police. They filed for asylum in the United States, and their case was granted in 2010 (yes, granted). However, DHS appealed and eventually, the family was denied asylum and ordered deported to Germany. After a lengthy court battle–where they became a cause célèbre for Christian homeschoolers and others on the political right–the family’s removal was “deferred” and they were allowed to remain in the U.S., even though they had been ordered deported.
That’s where things stood until last month, when the family reported for a regular check-in with ICE, and were told they had four weeks to obtain German passports and leave the country. The family’s supporters rallied to their defense and earlier this month, ICE granted them an additional one year deferral. However because of the outstanding deportation order, the Romeikes remain under the threat of removal.
For those of us interested in asylum, the Romeike case raises a number of moral and legal questions. It also reveals some important lessons for those willing to pay attention. (more…)
They say that life is what happens while you’re making other plans. That’s true for death as well. I had no plans to write about Israel this week, but given the current conflict, I am finding it impossible to write about anything else. (more…)
For years, the asylum backlogs in Immigration Court and the Asylum Office have been growing rapidly. But lately, they’ve been growing RAPIDLY–with a capital “R”. And a capital “APIDLY”. Probably I should add a few exclamation marks (!!!) after that and at least one “very” before it. What I’m trying to say is, of late, the backlogs have been growing at an insane rate.
Here, we’ll talk about what is happening and why, and try to guess what it all means for asylum seekers. (more…)