Friday, May 20, 2011

an activist from Ethiopia

The Assistant Chief Counsel asked these questions:
-what physical harm did you suffer? tell me in detail; go slowly.
When were you arrested the first time? how long did they hold you?
On the day of your release, did you sign a document? did they give you a document?
Where did you go, upon walking out of the prison? into a car, drive to house? take a bus to hospital?
=
You left your country on September 20?
Where did you live during the 90 days before that? Tell me the address of the place where you stayed during each of those 90 days. [what does it say on page 4 of I-589?]
-when you left your country, what kind of passport? how did you get it? where is the passport right now? Physically, where is the passport today? in the hands of your agent?
You arrived in Mbasa, Kenya and stayed for how many days?
How many days did it take, to get from your country, to USA? Tell me where you were, for each of those days
-what airline did you fly on? what happened at each international border?
-how much did you pay the smugglers for your journey? $2,000? who paid it? your brother? where did he get that much money?

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Central African Republic #3

The Asylum Officer asked:
You say you were in prison? who else was there? your friend Mary?
did Mary write a letter of support for you? why not? did you even ask her for a letter?
How did mother find out you were in prison?
How did you know that she came to the front door of the prison to talk to you?
=
during the two months before you left your country, you lived in many different places?
why doesn't it say that on page 4 of Form I-589?
did you have problems at the airport, as you left your country? why not?
Did you work during the last six months you lived in your country?
what did you tell your boss, before you left your country?
=
What would happen to you if you return to your country?
Why do you think your government is still interested in you? They have forgotten about you, haven't they?
Why did you protest in the USA? did anyone notice?
Why did you decide to get a passport?
What does the US government know about you, apart from your I-589?
is there anything else? really? what?
Ok, now, is there anything else?

an activist from the Central African Republic #2

The Asylum Officer asked:
-did your interpreter read the blue sheet back to you, in your language?
Who read your asylum application back to you, in your language?
Who helped you prepare the application?
You have two children? where does each one live; what does each one do?
Tell me about your father: where does he work?
=
why are there errors on page 4?
You made mistakes on page 4? why?
=
when did you join the opposition party?
why join it?
what is its platform? what are its goals? what were its plans?
Did your party make any concrete plans, or just sit around and talk for several hours?
Did a friend invite you to join?
what motivated you to join?
How did you hear about the party?
What were your activities?
You say you attended meetings. Does that mean you sat in a chair, in silence, and listened to others talk?
What was the purpose of the meeting? what was the plan of action?
Who led the meetings?
did that person write you a letter of support?
where were the meeting held? how many attended them?
=
what is a difference between your government and your opposition party?
What was the day of the week when you were arrested?
When did you decide that you would protest in early June? the day before, or one week before?
How did you get to the protest? walk? take a bus?
Did you go there alone, or did you travel with someone?
You say that you protested. What did you do, that a movie camera would record?
you walked in the street? carried a large placard, or walked near to someone else who carried the large placard? did you say words out loud? did you chant? sing? what words did you say?
What time did the protest start? what time did the police arrive?
How did your father find out that you had been arrested?
Two guards began to hit you? why?
Had you seen them before that day?
what were they wearing? what did they say to you?
what did they say to each other?

an activist from the Central African Republic #2

an activist from the Central African Republic #1

The Asylum Officer asked:
Where is a complete copy of every page of your passport [even the blank pages]?
How many other passports have you been issued? where is each passport, today? in whose possession?
=
Tell me about all of your international travel: where did you go, and why?
How long did you stay? what was your immigration status in each country?
Tell me about each Embassy of the USA that you visited: what did you apply for? what did you say? was your visa rejected?
-do I, the Asylum Officer, have right here in my hand a copy of your visa application from five years ago? did you tell lies to get your visa? why?
=
You were a member of a political party? where is your membership card?
What does your card say? when was it issued? when does it expire?
Why are there blanks and missing info on your card?
are the dates on the card accurate?

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

questions asked of an activist from Congo-Kinshasa

The Asylum Officer asked:
What is your name? according to passport, what is your name? according to your visa? according to your I.D.?
-can you repeat page 1 of form I-589 without looking at it? OK, go ahead!
Where does each member of your family live, right now? what is each person doing?
What was the job of your father?
what was your job in your country?
Can you repeat page 4 of your application?
does page 4 ask about your employment history?
can you repeat page 4?
=
Why are you applying for asylum today?
Why can't you return to your country?
Why does government want to harm you?
Did you have any problems in your country?
=
You say that you were arrested at your house in July 2009?
what did the soldiers say at that time?
What language did they speak?
Who else was inside the house at the time?
Why were you arrested in July 2009?
What happened before, to make the government angry at you?
=
Mr. Smith told you that the government was looking for you?
How did he know that?
during the last two months that you lived in your country, where did you live each day and each night? What does it say on page 4 of your I-589?
=
In January 2011, what did the guard say? what language did he speak in?
PASSPORT
Let's talk about your passport. When was it issued? how did you get it? did you walk into the government office and the man handed it to your hand? or did someone else go in and get it? or, did the government mail it to you?
=as you left your country, were there any problems at the airport?
who paid for your airplane ticket?
What would happen if you return to your country today?
why would your government want to harm you, today? They forgot about you, didn't they?
When was the last time you talked to a member of your family? what did he say?
Is there anything else? yes? what?
Is there anything else?

Monday, May 2, 2011

domestic violence victim from Kenya

The Asylum Officer asked:
-show me your passport!
who do you live with, here in USA?
Whqat does your father do for a living?
Why did you come to USA?
What reason did you give to the US Embassy, when you asked for a visa?
You gave the same, or a different reason?
-when did you decided to apply for asylum?
why did you see a therapist for counseling?
where did you meet your husband?
Why did you decide to marry him?
How did you pay for your school?
where did the money come from? from your husband?
=
Were you ever harmed by anyone? who? why?
Why did he hit you?
what weapon did he use?
what did he say, as he was hitting you?
How did you get to the hospital?
did a doctor ask you what happened?
what is written down in the hospital report?
why isn't the hospital report accurate?
Whose fault is it, that the hospital report contains errors?
=
at the shopping center, how did he hurt you?
what words did he say?
Where were your children, at that time?
What does your society say, about a husband and wife who have problems?
Your husband lived in the house, and you voluntarily, went inside? why?
Did you try to get a divorce? why not?
Why does he want to kill you?
why does he want to kill his own children?
What was the worst thing he did to you?
is there anything else? yes? what?
=
Did you ever go to the police? what did they say?
When did you decide you would never return to your country?
When was the last time you talked to mother? what did she say?
How often does husband call you here in USA?
=
Is there anything else?
OK, is there anything else?