Rwanda #3

The Asylum Officer asked: Why did you depart from your country when you did? Why not depart sooner? why the delay? HOw did you recieve the invitation to come to USA? If you return to your country, what would happen? You had problems in City #1, and in City #2? OK, so what? why not live in city #3? How would the bad guys find you in that city? = In the last two months, who did you talk to, in your country? what did you talk about? = how did you get the death certificate of your mother? throught the mail? did someone hand it to you? How does your therapist help you? why does she tell you to take deep breaths? = is there anything else? OK, thanks; is there anything else? what is your favorite exhibit? is it on page 54? = Tell me all of your international travel! How did you get your passport? how did you get your visa?

Rwanda #2

The Asylum Officer asked: how did you enter USA? what documents did you use? you used a passport and a visa? -where were you, before entering USA? tell me each airport where you stopped: did you get off of the airplane? did you depart from the airport, and then return to the airport? = where do you live, now, in USA? who do you live with? What is a normal day for you, now? you get up, drink coffee, and then what? just sit in house all day and watch television? = how did you meet your lawyer? How did you learn about asylum? when did you decide to apply for asylum? How did you and your lawyer prepare the application? How do you support yourself in USA? you do not work? who pays the rent? = have you talked to anyone, recently, in your country? what did you talk about? what exactly did you talk about? = have you been harmed in the past? When was the last time you were harmed? What was the worst harm you suffered? Why did the man hit you? why did the officer arrest you? After they killed your brother, did you report the crim to the police? what was the conversation at the police station?

an activist from Rwanda

The Asylum Officer asked: 1] how do you know your interpreter? 2] did anyone help you prepare your application? who? how was the application prepared? = 3] tell me all of your international travel: where did you travel, when, and why? Are you a citizen anywhere else in the world? do you have immigration status anywhere in the world? = 4] how did you get your visa to come to USA? what documents were involved? did someone from USA write a letter to Embassy? you showed what documents to Embassy to get your visa? -did someone in your country help you get your visa? To get your visa, did you fill out Form DS-160? Do I have a copy right here in my hand? Does the visa application ask you how long you intended to stay in USA? you lied, or did not lie, to get your visa?

do you have trouble sleeping or eating?

A licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland interviewed a woman who had witnessed a murder, from ten feet away, and noted that 1] she kept "re-experiencing the event." This meant that when she heard a door slam, it reminded her of how the door slammed five years ago, in the old country, when the bad guys came in. Also, she had trouble falling asleep, and staying asleep. She felt nervous, and had nightmares. 2] the woman wanted to "avoid" the event. She said, "I do not really want to talk about it." 3] physical effects: "I often am not hungry; I do not care about food so much anymore."

pro-American activist

Mr. A was denied asylum, for many reasons; including: A forgot his own work history. He said he worked for X in 1995; later he said he worked for Y from 1994-1996. A said he received a written death threat in January 2011; however, his wife wrote that it was received in May 2011. A was not sure what the motive of the gang was. First, he said the gang wanted money; then he said they were angry because A was pro-American.