Getting Help with your Asylum Case

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If you are considering applying for asylum in the United States, you may have talked to other people from your community to try to learn more about the process.  Other immigrants can be a great source of information, especially when you're new to the country--who else knows where to buy the cheapest phone cards to call home, where the best soccer games are played, or where you can get the vegetables you need to cook your favorite meal?   But please be careful when taking legal advice from non-lawyers, for a few reasons:

1.  Non-lawyers may not realize that the law is applied differently in different situations.  Even someone who is an immigration "consultant" or notario, who may be familiar with the various immigration forms or processes, may not recognize issues that may have a major impact in your case, like the one-year filing deadline in asylum cases.

2.  Although most people have good intentions, a few people will take advantage of you, and will either promise results they cannot deliver, or will use your story or case for their own advantage.  I have had clients who were taken advantage of by unscrupulous immigration consultants or translators, who are now in a much more difficult position than they would have been if they had consulted an attorney at the onset.  I urge you to talk to an immigration attorney or a qualified legal services provider; you can find the list of legal services providers in your area by visiting this link.

This has nothing at all to do with the topic; I'm just trying to add visual interest!

3.  A non-lawyer may not know where the find the resources or tools to develop your case in the best way.  One thing lawyers tend to be good at (because we spend years and years in school practicing these skills!) is research.  We know where to find the information that will be the most helpful to your case, and we know how to prepare and present it to your best advantage.  Even if you cannot afford to hire an attorney, and you do not qualify for legal services (although again, I urge you to at least contact the legal services providers in your area--they may offer reduced-fee programs to higher-income individuals), you may find that you are your own best advocate, especially if you are reasonably fluent in English.  I've published a list of asylum resources in the past; check the archives labeled "asylum" to find more information on this topic.

As always, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at christina@cruddenlegal.com.  I wish you the best of luck with your case.