18. after your release, any more problems? tell me all of your problems?
19. inside the jail, did you suffer physical harm? emotional harm? economic harm?
20. when the monks protested, what did you do? a movie camera would record you doing what?
standing on sidewalk? giving food to monks? giving money?
21. were you arrested with others? who else was inside the jail with you? did you see any blood inside the jail? what questions did they ask you?
22. inside, did you suffer harm that was a] physical? b] emotional? after the guard said he would hit you, how did you feel? what thoughts went through your mind? WTWTYM?
23. why did they release you?
24. at the time of your release, what was the conversation? were others still locked inside? why were you released, but the others were not?
25. did you have any problems getting your passport? [The Officer already had asked about this; see Question #5.]
26. when did the USA issue a visa to you? when did you decide to come to the USA? [the Officer already had asked about this; see Question #10]
27. Back in your country, you owned a house? who lives in it now? you owned a business? who is running the business now?
28. when did you last protest in USA? how many other protesters were there? what were you protesting against? did a man from the Burmese embassy take your photo? why did he do that/
29. why did you get involved with politics?
30. you say your wife wrote you a letter? where is the original envelope it came in?
31. why would you be targeted now? are you special in some way? what way is that? does your government care about you? how do you know?
32. do you know anyone similar to you, who was harmed? what has happened to "similarly-situated" people? are you the only activist who protested, and was harmed?
33. you lived in City #1 in your country? you had problems there? so what- go live in City #2. Why can't you do that? who says there would be probems in City #2?
34. do you have a proper exit visa in your passport? [The Officer then studied each page of the passport in silence]
35. did you ever travel to other countries?
36. why did you take the photos? who took these photos of you protesting? your friend? why did he take them?
Friday, February 27, 2009
democracy activist from Burma
The Asylum Officer asked these questions:
1. can you repeat everything on page one of your I-589?
2. can you repeat everything on page two?
3. was your application read back to you in your native language?
4. PASSPORT: show me your passport. Let's look at each stamp in it. When was it issued? when did the USA give you a visa? when does passport expire? did you have problems before the USA gave you a visa, or after?
5. was it easy to get your passport, or did you have to pay "under the table money"?
6. you had to pay how much?
7. was it easy or hard to get out of your country? did you have to pay "under the table" money? how much?
8. you lived in Japan for 5 years? what was your status there? how often did you re-new your visa there? why don't you go live there now?
9. what other foreign country did you live in ? Thailand? India? why don't you go live there now? when you were there, why didn't you apply for asylum there?
10. how did you get your visa to enter USA? did you have a face-to-face interview with US Embassy man in your country? what questions did he ask? how did you answer? did you tell lies to the US Embassy? why?
11. do you have a political opinion? what is it? how strong is it? did you have it a long time ago, and also now, still, here in the USA? were you active in political activities in Burma, Japan, and USA? why not?
12. were you a member of a political party? did you hold a post? were you a big shot? were you well-known? conspicuous? notorious?
13. what did you do? sit in office and make phone calls? walk on sidewalk and distribute pamphlets? what did you do, that a movie camera would record?
14. you say you went to meetings? does that mean you walked into a room and sat in a chair? anything else? did you talk, discuss, and debate?
15. at the time of your arrest, where were you, and what were you doing? walking on sidewalk? sitting on a chair? lying down by a swimming pool?
16. what questions did they ask you, while they held you? what did they want to know? did they make any threats? what words did the guard say?
17. why did they arrest you? why did they release you? at the time of your release, what was the conversaton?
1. can you repeat everything on page one of your I-589?
2. can you repeat everything on page two?
3. was your application read back to you in your native language?
4. PASSPORT: show me your passport. Let's look at each stamp in it. When was it issued? when did the USA give you a visa? when does passport expire? did you have problems before the USA gave you a visa, or after?
5. was it easy to get your passport, or did you have to pay "under the table money"?
6. you had to pay how much?
7. was it easy or hard to get out of your country? did you have to pay "under the table" money? how much?
8. you lived in Japan for 5 years? what was your status there? how often did you re-new your visa there? why don't you go live there now?
9. what other foreign country did you live in ? Thailand? India? why don't you go live there now? when you were there, why didn't you apply for asylum there?
10. how did you get your visa to enter USA? did you have a face-to-face interview with US Embassy man in your country? what questions did he ask? how did you answer? did you tell lies to the US Embassy? why?
11. do you have a political opinion? what is it? how strong is it? did you have it a long time ago, and also now, still, here in the USA? were you active in political activities in Burma, Japan, and USA? why not?
12. were you a member of a political party? did you hold a post? were you a big shot? were you well-known? conspicuous? notorious?
13. what did you do? sit in office and make phone calls? walk on sidewalk and distribute pamphlets? what did you do, that a movie camera would record?
14. you say you went to meetings? does that mean you walked into a room and sat in a chair? anything else? did you talk, discuss, and debate?
15. at the time of your arrest, where were you, and what were you doing? walking on sidewalk? sitting on a chair? lying down by a swimming pool?
16. what questions did they ask you, while they held you? what did they want to know? did they make any threats? what words did the guard say?
17. why did they arrest you? why did they release you? at the time of your release, what was the conversaton?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mr. Gomez, from the Philippines, loses
Mr. Gomez was denied asylum. In his I-589 application, he said he received a death threat in 1999; in court, however, he said it was in the year 2000.
The IJ also said, "you left your country eight years ago. Your family is fine; no one hurt them. The bad guys have forgotten about you. There is no evidence that in this year, 2009, the bad guys care about you at all. They forgot about you."
The IJ also said, "you left your country eight years ago. Your family is fine; no one hurt them. The bad guys have forgotten about you. There is no evidence that in this year, 2009, the bad guys care about you at all. They forgot about you."
Friday, February 13, 2009
24 questions every applicant should answer
Each asylum applicant should answer these 24 questions:
PHYSICAL HARM
1. did you suffer any harm to your body?
2. did you suffer any harm to your house, apartment, furniture, office, temple, church, motor vehicle, or to anything else?
3. were you held inside a jail or prison?
PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM
4. did anyone threaten you?
5. did you suffer emotional harm? did you feel scared, anxious, worried? have nightmares or flashbacks?
6. did a member of your family suffer harm? how did you feel as a result?
7. how would you compare your emotional health today, with what it was before?
ECONOMIC HARM
8. did you lose your job? were you denied another job?
9. was property taken away from you?
10. were you ordered to pay a large fine?
11. were you denied health benefits, education, public services, official documents?
12. were you denied a license, passport, or insurance?
SOCIAL HARM
13. was there an invasion of your privacy?
14. were you forced to live in a ghetto?
15. were you denied certain kinds of jobs/ schools?
16. was there enforced social and civil inactivity?
17. was there surveillance? did police talk to you frequently?
18. were you pressured to become an informer?
19. did you suffer deprivation of liberty?
20. were you shunned or ostracized?
21. were you forced to comply with religious rules?
22. were you verballly insulted when you walked down the street or took a bus?
23. were there public expressions against your group? [statements made in newspapers, television, radio, or graffiti on walls?]
24. were you treated unfairly in any other way?
PHYSICAL HARM
1. did you suffer any harm to your body?
2. did you suffer any harm to your house, apartment, furniture, office, temple, church, motor vehicle, or to anything else?
3. were you held inside a jail or prison?
PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM
4. did anyone threaten you?
5. did you suffer emotional harm? did you feel scared, anxious, worried? have nightmares or flashbacks?
6. did a member of your family suffer harm? how did you feel as a result?
7. how would you compare your emotional health today, with what it was before?
ECONOMIC HARM
8. did you lose your job? were you denied another job?
9. was property taken away from you?
10. were you ordered to pay a large fine?
11. were you denied health benefits, education, public services, official documents?
12. were you denied a license, passport, or insurance?
SOCIAL HARM
13. was there an invasion of your privacy?
14. were you forced to live in a ghetto?
15. were you denied certain kinds of jobs/ schools?
16. was there enforced social and civil inactivity?
17. was there surveillance? did police talk to you frequently?
18. were you pressured to become an informer?
19. did you suffer deprivation of liberty?
20. were you shunned or ostracized?
21. were you forced to comply with religious rules?
22. were you verballly insulted when you walked down the street or took a bus?
23. were there public expressions against your group? [statements made in newspapers, television, radio, or graffiti on walls?]
24. were you treated unfairly in any other way?
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