Houston Asylum Attorneys
Gaining Asylum in the United States
The United States honors the right to asylum under international and federal law to individuals facing persecution in their native countries. If you or someone you know needs information and guidance concerning an asylum or refugee matter, you should speak with a Houston asylum lawyer at Sebastian Simon Law Group, PLLC immediately.
Our firm provides efficient, compassionate, and dedicated immigration legal services to clients from all over the world. Our mission is to bring and keep families together into the safety of the United States. As part of that endeavor, we concentrate a major portion of our practice on asylum cases.
Learn more about how we can help you seek asylum. Contact us at (713) 839-0639 in Houston and (332) 330-9442 in New York City or via our online request form to discuss the specifics of your case.
Asylum & Refugee Policy in the U.S.
Refugees are generally considered to be individuals who have suffered (or face the future prospect of suffering) persecution based on their:
- Race
- Religion
- Nationality
- Political views
- Or membership in a specific group
Such individuals need international protection because their own governments or state institutions are unable to protect their rights or physical security.
As a potential refugee, you may be fleeing in terror from abuses within your own country or attempting to escape oppression that it is unable to prevent. If you are already in the U.S., you may be granted asylum. If you are outside the U.S. and request asylum, you are considered a refugee.
What Is The Refugee Act of 1980?
The United States asylum policy, as well as refugee procedures, are regulated by the Refugee Act of 1980. This Act is consistent with the 1967 United Nations Protocol on Refugees. No limit is imposed on the number of persons who may be granted asylum in the U.S.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Asylum?
Those who are granted asylum must reside in the U.S. for one year in order to become eligible to apply for an adjustment to lawful permanent resident status. To be eligible for asylum, an individual must ask for asylum at a port of entry, file an application within one year of entering the U.S., and must also qualify under the definition of a refugee.
What Is Temporary Protective Status (TPS)?
Temporary Protected Status is a type of temporary status available to those who are from certain designated countries who are present in this country. In order to gain this status, you must meet eligibility requirements.
Designated countries are generally those impacted by natural disasters or violent conflict. This type of status allows these foreign nationals to live and work in the U.S. for a specific and limited time. Currently, such countries as El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Nicaragua, and others have been named as nations where this status applies.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that Venezuela has been designated for TPS for 18 months from March 9, 2021 through September 9, 2022. To learn more about how to apply for this status and the evidence required, you should speak with one of our knowledgeable immigration attorneys as soon as possible.
Ready to Apply for Asylum? Contact Our Houston Lawyers Today
