People around the world are fleeing their homes because of violence, political instability or natural disasters. Millions of children, women and men have left their home countries seeking a new life in a place where they feel safe. Many of them are seeking asylum in the United States.
Asylum is a legal protection that allows people to remain in the United States if they can show that they fear harm in their home countries because of race, religion, nationality, political opinions, sexual orientation or other characteristics that the law recognizes as protected categories. To win asylum, an individual must prove that the person or people causing the fear is specifically targeting them.
If a person wins asylum, they are known as an “asylee.” Asylees can work and travel freely, and can apply for family members to join them in the United States. They can also become permanent residents and eventually citizens if they meet all of the requirements.
The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international law through the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, as well as other laws and practices that support those fundamental principles. Nevertheless, asylum cases can be complicated and often involve significant delays and backlogs. This can lead to prolonged separation of families and makes it difficult for refugees to retain pro bono counsel who may need to commit to their cases for the length of the proceedings.
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