The asylum officer asked:
How was your application prepared? who helped you? how did you find that person?
Why are you seeking asylum?
What were your activities for the political party? how did you first get involved?
What did the bad man say to you, as he came close?
He told me not to go to the police; if I did; he would hurt me again
When you saw the man again, what did he say?
When Mr. X talked to your mother, what did he say?
How did you interpret the words that he said? what did they mean to you and to your mother?
=
is there anything else?
Friday, December 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
an activist from Sudan
The government lawyer asked these questions of the activist from Sudan:
You were detained in 2013? how were you released? what happened on the day they let you go?
you were also detained in 2014? how were you released? what happened that day?
You say your brother paid a bribe to get you out? But your Declaration, that was attached to your I-589, does not say that, correct? why is your oral testimony today, different from your earlier written statement?
==
What was your immigration status in Kenya? why didn't you stay there and become a citizen? can you go there now? what are the current immigration rules of Kenya?
==
You say that Sudan is a dangerous country? really? OK, so then why did you voluntarily return there in 2015? why would you go to a "dangerous" country?
=
How did you get your visa to enter USA? did you fill out DOS Form 160, on line? did you tell lies to get your visa? do I, the government lawyer, have a copy of that application? [of course I do] but you don't? So I know more about your application than you do?
= =
What jobs have you done here in USA?
You say you were injured in Sudan, and that you went to the hospital? Really? did anyone visit you in hospital, and did they write a letter about their visit? why not? Where are the hospital records? you were too tired and busy to ask for them?
=
What tests did they do at the hospital?
What did the doctor do? clean your wounds, put in stitches, give you a blood transfusion; give you any medicine?
How do you spend your time here in USA?
In the last 30 days, did you telephone anyone in Sudan and find out any useful information? why not?
You were detained in 2013? how were you released? what happened on the day they let you go?
you were also detained in 2014? how were you released? what happened that day?
You say your brother paid a bribe to get you out? But your Declaration, that was attached to your I-589, does not say that, correct? why is your oral testimony today, different from your earlier written statement?
==
What was your immigration status in Kenya? why didn't you stay there and become a citizen? can you go there now? what are the current immigration rules of Kenya?
==
You say that Sudan is a dangerous country? really? OK, so then why did you voluntarily return there in 2015? why would you go to a "dangerous" country?
=
How did you get your visa to enter USA? did you fill out DOS Form 160, on line? did you tell lies to get your visa? do I, the government lawyer, have a copy of that application? [of course I do] but you don't? So I know more about your application than you do?
= =
What jobs have you done here in USA?
You say you were injured in Sudan, and that you went to the hospital? Really? did anyone visit you in hospital, and did they write a letter about their visit? why not? Where are the hospital records? you were too tired and busy to ask for them?
=
What tests did they do at the hospital?
What did the doctor do? clean your wounds, put in stitches, give you a blood transfusion; give you any medicine?
How do you spend your time here in USA?
In the last 30 days, did you telephone anyone in Sudan and find out any useful information? why not?
Friday, September 23, 2016
IJ rules against man from Nepal
the Immigration Judge ruled against Mr. Bhattarai, from Nepal, because:
1] at whose home was he attacked in June 2002?
First he said, he was attacked at "his home." Later, he said, "at the house of his friends"
Still later, he said his parents lived at the place, at times, and that it was a place "we had rented."
He should have said, "in 2002, I lived in a house with this address: #32 Main street. That is where things happened: at the #32 house." If the house had no number, then describe it: perhaps as "the one-floor, wooden house that is about 45 minutes from the main international airport."
if you describe the same place with different words, you will confuse the judge.
2] why is the letter from the doctor different from the testimony in court about the injuries?
In front of the Judge, he said he was hit on the head. The doctor's letter said there was injury to his right elbow, and it said nothing about his head.
In fact, he was hit on his head and also on his elbow. The injury to his elbow was much worse than the injury to his head. He could have said, "I told the doctor I had been hit on the head; he did not write it down, I am not sure why; perhaps because he did not treat my head; he only treated my elbow.
3] why doesn't the letter from his political party mention the date and extent of his injuries?
He could have testified: "I asked them to write a letter, they did not want to, out of fear, finally they wrote what they wrote. I was too tired and embarrassed to ask them to write a new letter.
I am annoyed by their brief letter; but what can I do? They wrote what they wrote."
4] why didn't your brother, who lived 60 minutes away from the court, come to the court and testify?
This annoyed the Judge, who believed that the brother did not testify because he would not have corroborated the story. The real reason for the absence of the brother was that he did not want to miss a day of work; the applicant was unable to reimburse him for his lost wages.
1] at whose home was he attacked in June 2002?
First he said, he was attacked at "his home." Later, he said, "at the house of his friends"
Still later, he said his parents lived at the place, at times, and that it was a place "we had rented."
He should have said, "in 2002, I lived in a house with this address: #32 Main street. That is where things happened: at the #32 house." If the house had no number, then describe it: perhaps as "the one-floor, wooden house that is about 45 minutes from the main international airport."
if you describe the same place with different words, you will confuse the judge.
2] why is the letter from the doctor different from the testimony in court about the injuries?
In front of the Judge, he said he was hit on the head. The doctor's letter said there was injury to his right elbow, and it said nothing about his head.
In fact, he was hit on his head and also on his elbow. The injury to his elbow was much worse than the injury to his head. He could have said, "I told the doctor I had been hit on the head; he did not write it down, I am not sure why; perhaps because he did not treat my head; he only treated my elbow.
3] why doesn't the letter from his political party mention the date and extent of his injuries?
He could have testified: "I asked them to write a letter, they did not want to, out of fear, finally they wrote what they wrote. I was too tired and embarrassed to ask them to write a new letter.
I am annoyed by their brief letter; but what can I do? They wrote what they wrote."
4] why didn't your brother, who lived 60 minutes away from the court, come to the court and testify?
This annoyed the Judge, who believed that the brother did not testify because he would not have corroborated the story. The real reason for the absence of the brother was that he did not want to miss a day of work; the applicant was unable to reimburse him for his lost wages.
Monday, September 19, 2016
an activist from Bangladesh
The asylum officer asked:
-did anyone help you with your app? did you write a personal statement? who wrote the English version?
how did you get the visa to enter the USA? how did you get your airplane tickets?
Why did you leave your country?
Why did they threaten you?
How did you join the political party? why did you want to join? what did you like about them?
what were your activities for the party? what sort of activities did you do?
What did you talk about in your meetings?
how many meetings did you organize in 2009?
Did you do any other activities?
What was the government doing, that was wrong?
= = =
What were you protesting? how were you protesting?
How did people know that a protest was scheduled?
you said you joined in 2007, but your written statement says 2008?
One of your witnesses from City #3 says you joined in 2001? Yes Why did he write that?
The letter from your party says you began to be active in 2008? but really, you were active in 2007?
The person who wrote the letter is not good in English?
How did you become the General Secretary? was there an election?
How did the men know you were planning to protest?\
what words did they say, when they attacked?
Did you report your problems to the police?
When was beating #2? what did the bag guys say?
how long were you in hospital? what did they do for you, at the hospital?
How do you know the men were from the government?
Did you ever feel like you were being watched or followed?
you were threatened in your house? except in your app you said you were threatened in the camp?
When you think about the harm you suffered, how does that make you feel?
did you experience any emotional, mental or psychological harm?
Has anyone been looking for you, since your arrival in USA? how do you know they are looking for you?
How would they find you, if you returned?
in your country, does everyone know everyone?
has anything happened to a member of your family since you left?
how and when was he threatened?
On 4/10/15 they held you for 1.5 hours? Can you describe that in as much detail as possible.
what did they say? what did they ask? in your statement, you said it was for 2.0 hours? why is that?
is there anything else?
-did anyone help you with your app? did you write a personal statement? who wrote the English version?
how did you get the visa to enter the USA? how did you get your airplane tickets?
Why did you leave your country?
Why did they threaten you?
How did you join the political party? why did you want to join? what did you like about them?
what were your activities for the party? what sort of activities did you do?
What did you talk about in your meetings?
how many meetings did you organize in 2009?
Did you do any other activities?
What was the government doing, that was wrong?
= = =
What were you protesting? how were you protesting?
How did people know that a protest was scheduled?
you said you joined in 2007, but your written statement says 2008?
One of your witnesses from City #3 says you joined in 2001? Yes Why did he write that?
The letter from your party says you began to be active in 2008? but really, you were active in 2007?
The person who wrote the letter is not good in English?
How did you become the General Secretary? was there an election?
How did the men know you were planning to protest?\
what words did they say, when they attacked?
Did you report your problems to the police?
When was beating #2? what did the bag guys say?
how long were you in hospital? what did they do for you, at the hospital?
How do you know the men were from the government?
Did you ever feel like you were being watched or followed?
you were threatened in your house? except in your app you said you were threatened in the camp?
When you think about the harm you suffered, how does that make you feel?
did you experience any emotional, mental or psychological harm?
Has anyone been looking for you, since your arrival in USA? how do you know they are looking for you?
How would they find you, if you returned?
in your country, does everyone know everyone?
has anything happened to a member of your family since you left?
how and when was he threatened?
On 4/10/15 they held you for 1.5 hours? Can you describe that in as much detail as possible.
what did they say? what did they ask? in your statement, you said it was for 2.0 hours? why is that?
is there anything else?
Friday, September 9, 2016
questions asked of an activist from
The asylum officer asked:
Why are you applying for asylum?
how many demonstrations did you go to?
Why did you go to them?
Why did you join that political party?
why did you participate in the rally?
Why weren't you politically active before this?
Were you harmed by the police during any of the demonstrations?
Did you suffer any other harm?
did they do anything else to harm you?
inside the prison, how long did the interrogation last?
what did they say, exactly? did they say anything else?
did they physically harm you at that time?
did you suffer any emotional harm?
How did you feel after the interrogation?
you lived in France for nine months? did you participate in any political activites there?
Have you done any political activities here in USA?
=
After you departed from your country, did the government talk to anyone in your family?
What did they say to your mother?
Does your government have any spies in USA?
How did you feel when you learned that your friend was killed
Is there anything else?
Is there anything else you want to tell me?
Aren't there several paragraphs in your Declaration that I did not ask you about?
Why are you applying for asylum?
how many demonstrations did you go to?
Why did you go to them?
Why did you join that political party?
why did you participate in the rally?
Why weren't you politically active before this?
Were you harmed by the police during any of the demonstrations?
Did you suffer any other harm?
did they do anything else to harm you?
inside the prison, how long did the interrogation last?
what did they say, exactly? did they say anything else?
did they physically harm you at that time?
did you suffer any emotional harm?
How did you feel after the interrogation?
you lived in France for nine months? did you participate in any political activites there?
Have you done any political activities here in USA?
=
After you departed from your country, did the government talk to anyone in your family?
What did they say to your mother?
Does your government have any spies in USA?
How did you feel when you learned that your friend was killed
Is there anything else?
Is there anything else you want to tell me?
Aren't there several paragraphs in your Declaration that I did not ask you about?
applicant from Eritrea
The asylum officer asked:
is everything in your VISA application true?
is everything in your asylum app true?
Tell me how you managed to depart from your country
When you lived in Kenya, did you ever visit the Eritrean Embassy?
Please describe that visit for me: what was the conversation?
You think your government in interested in defectors?
Your government thinks defectors expose secrets, defame the country and defame the leaders?
Do you have any family in your country right now?
Have they told you that the government is looking for you?
What did they ask your brother?
What advice did your brother give to you? why does he believe that?
How did your brother's imprisonment affect you?
is everything in your VISA application true?
is everything in your asylum app true?
Tell me how you managed to depart from your country
When you lived in Kenya, did you ever visit the Eritrean Embassy?
Please describe that visit for me: what was the conversation?
You think your government in interested in defectors?
Your government thinks defectors expose secrets, defame the country and defame the leaders?
Do you have any family in your country right now?
Have they told you that the government is looking for you?
What did they ask your brother?
What advice did your brother give to you? why does he believe that?
How did your brother's imprisonment affect you?
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Afghanistan #2
The asylum officer asked:
who are you afraid of? anyone else?
When did your uncle first hurt you?
The Department of State report says, "women can live with any male relative." Is this true?
What harm did you suffer in 2009? 2010? please tell me your problems chronologically
=
You say he hit you? how did he hit you? Please demonstrate! please stand up and move your arm as he did [what did Perry Mason do in "A Place in the Sun"?} [he stood up, and smashed the oar down, with a loud noise]
Are there different kinds of harm? YES. physcial, mental, economic.
"When was the first time he hurt you"? is a broad question? do you mean when was the first time he hurt you physically?
=
How often did he hurt you? he hurt you continuously? How often did he physically hurt you?
What was the worst time he hurt you?
When was it, that he hurt you the worst? You can be hurt at least 3 different ways: physically, mentally, and emotionally? So, your answer should have three parts to it?
=
If the officer asks the same question three times, what does that mean?
if the officer asks the same question twice, and then sighs, what does that mean?
-he "never" let you depart from the house? or do you mean, "most of the time," he prevented me?
-why did you finally decide to depart from your country? why not depart earlier? why not sooner?
How did you pay for your airplane? how much money did your sister give you?
What would happen if you return to your country?
You had problems in your capital city?OK, so why not go live in another city?
-why do the witness statements all look the same? who wrote them?
why not go to the police with your problems?
did you have any contact with the Taliban? did you give them "material support" even if under duress?
Is there anything else? isn't there something I did not ask you about?
who are you afraid of? anyone else?
When did your uncle first hurt you?
The Department of State report says, "women can live with any male relative." Is this true?
What harm did you suffer in 2009? 2010? please tell me your problems chronologically
=
You say he hit you? how did he hit you? Please demonstrate! please stand up and move your arm as he did [what did Perry Mason do in "A Place in the Sun"?} [he stood up, and smashed the oar down, with a loud noise]
Are there different kinds of harm? YES. physcial, mental, economic.
"When was the first time he hurt you"? is a broad question? do you mean when was the first time he hurt you physically?
=
How often did he hurt you? he hurt you continuously? How often did he physically hurt you?
What was the worst time he hurt you?
When was it, that he hurt you the worst? You can be hurt at least 3 different ways: physically, mentally, and emotionally? So, your answer should have three parts to it?
=
If the officer asks the same question three times, what does that mean?
if the officer asks the same question twice, and then sighs, what does that mean?
-he "never" let you depart from the house? or do you mean, "most of the time," he prevented me?
-why did you finally decide to depart from your country? why not depart earlier? why not sooner?
How did you pay for your airplane? how much money did your sister give you?
What would happen if you return to your country?
You had problems in your capital city?OK, so why not go live in another city?
-why do the witness statements all look the same? who wrote them?
why not go to the police with your problems?
did you have any contact with the Taliban? did you give them "material support" even if under duress?
Is there anything else? isn't there something I did not ask you about?
Afghanistan: victim of domestic violence
The interview with asylum officer lasted 3 hours. The first hour and one fourth were spent on subjects OTHER than harm suffered in the country.
Instead, the officer asked:
-did anyone help you prepare your application? How did he help you? How was your application created?
-did you review your app in your native language? Did someone read back your app to you, in your own language?
-does your written statement include all relevant details?
-does your statement include all the harm you suffered?
=
did anyone help you with your visa application? how did you prepare and submit DS-160, the application for a visa?
-was everything in that app true and accurate? NO? you lied by telling the Embassy you would return to the country, when you had no plans to? Why did you lie?
= = =
Let's see if you can repeat page one of I-589 without looking at it: your full name? DOB? POB?
ethnic group? religion?
-tell me the names, and DOB of each of your children
-telll me the names and current location of each of your nine siblings. Why are only four siblings mentioned?
===
What was your last address in your country? you lived in a house, without a number, on a street that had no name? OK< then, say that
-is the Afghan calendar different from the U.S. calendar?
Tell me each address you lived at in the USA, and who you lived with.
Who owns that house in Alexandria? you have lived there for 12 mnths, and you do not know the last name of the owner?
Who are you living with, right now?
Are you working? how do you pay rent? who buys the food?
you are not working in the USA? so what do you do, all day?
-Tell me the name, and current location, of each and every family member. You did not write it down on your app; so we are going to do it right now, which by the way is rather boring for me
=
Who translated your documents? where is the cert of translation? why isn't there one?
I want to see an original, hand-written statement in the Pashtun language, along with the envelope it came in!
At your lawyer's office, your son was your translator, but today, it is someone else? Are there large difficulties in translation?
=
Why did you come to the USA?
Who are you afraid of?
Instead, the officer asked:
-did anyone help you prepare your application? How did he help you? How was your application created?
-did you review your app in your native language? Did someone read back your app to you, in your own language?
-does your written statement include all relevant details?
-does your statement include all the harm you suffered?
=
did anyone help you with your visa application? how did you prepare and submit DS-160, the application for a visa?
-was everything in that app true and accurate? NO? you lied by telling the Embassy you would return to the country, when you had no plans to? Why did you lie?
= = =
Let's see if you can repeat page one of I-589 without looking at it: your full name? DOB? POB?
ethnic group? religion?
-tell me the names, and DOB of each of your children
-telll me the names and current location of each of your nine siblings. Why are only four siblings mentioned?
===
What was your last address in your country? you lived in a house, without a number, on a street that had no name? OK< then, say that
-is the Afghan calendar different from the U.S. calendar?
Tell me each address you lived at in the USA, and who you lived with.
Who owns that house in Alexandria? you have lived there for 12 mnths, and you do not know the last name of the owner?
Who are you living with, right now?
Are you working? how do you pay rent? who buys the food?
you are not working in the USA? so what do you do, all day?
-Tell me the name, and current location, of each and every family member. You did not write it down on your app; so we are going to do it right now, which by the way is rather boring for me
=
Who translated your documents? where is the cert of translation? why isn't there one?
I want to see an original, hand-written statement in the Pashtun language, along with the envelope it came in!
At your lawyer's office, your son was your translator, but today, it is someone else? Are there large difficulties in translation?
=
Why did you come to the USA?
Who are you afraid of?
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
an activist from El Salvador
The asylum officer asked:
how did your application get prepared? did your attorney prepare it, and then ask you to sign it?
How did you find your attorney?
Where is a photocopy of your passport?
was your application read back to you, in your language?
what is your full name? address? DOB? enter USA when?
=
why are you seeking asylum?
were you a member of the political party, known as FMLN?
How did you join it? who asked you to join? how did you know her?
how long were you a member?
what were your activities?
did you have any problems?
tell me the month/year/city when you suffered harm #1.
Why did that happen to you?
= = =
tell me the month/year/city of harm #2. Why did the man hit you? what words did he say?
Why didn't you report this to the police?
what did you tell your mother? what was her reaction? what was your conversation with her?
When did you depart from your country? when enter USA?
=
when the man said, "you will have problems," how did you interpret that? what do you think he meant?
so, why did you depart?
What would happen if you return?
you suffered harm in north-east El Salvador? OK, so why live in Western El Salvador and be far from the bad guys? how would they find you if you lived far away?
Is there anything else?
how did your application get prepared? did your attorney prepare it, and then ask you to sign it?
How did you find your attorney?
Where is a photocopy of your passport?
was your application read back to you, in your language?
what is your full name? address? DOB? enter USA when?
=
why are you seeking asylum?
were you a member of the political party, known as FMLN?
How did you join it? who asked you to join? how did you know her?
how long were you a member?
what were your activities?
did you have any problems?
tell me the month/year/city when you suffered harm #1.
Why did that happen to you?
= = =
tell me the month/year/city of harm #2. Why did the man hit you? what words did he say?
Why didn't you report this to the police?
what did you tell your mother? what was her reaction? what was your conversation with her?
When did you depart from your country? when enter USA?
=
when the man said, "you will have problems," how did you interpret that? what do you think he meant?
so, why did you depart?
What would happen if you return?
you suffered harm in north-east El Salvador? OK, so why live in Western El Salvador and be far from the bad guys? how would they find you if you lived far away?
Is there anything else?
Monday, April 11, 2016
Abtew v. DHS [3/31/16)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwiXeNZoO69gTDFBdUNpSU9QUzA/view?usp=sharing
Friday, April 8, 2016
Questions asked of an activist from Cameroon
The government lawyer asked these questions of an activist from Cameroon:
-did you join a political organization here in USA? why not?
Why did you go to the protest in front of your embassy? was it just so that photos could be taken?
I know I asked this before, but why haven't you joined an organization here in USA?
Why are you in the protest photos? what is the purpose of taking the photos?
Are the photos re-published on YouTube, to encourgage others to protest?
=
When did you decide to come to USA?
who filled out Form DS-160? is everything on it true, or not?
Why did you join that particular political party?
Why were you arrrested?
The police believed what about you?
=
your brothers and sisters still live in your country, and the government does not harm them? why not?
Is your government interested in you? Your government has forgotten about you, correct?
What was the purpose of the protest? what were you hoping for?
Who should replace the dictator who is in power now?
-in 2016, what party do you support?
You like the UFDC? why? who is its current leader?
Do you follow the politics of your party in your country?
Mr. Biya is a member of what party? what do the letters stand for?
At the time of your arrest, what was your political opinion?
What is your political opinion today?
you say you wrote a lettter to your embassy in DC? who helped you write the letter?
did the Embassy actually receive the letter?
What would happen if you return to your country? why would you be arrested?
what do embassy workers think and feel about protestors who stand outside with large signs?
I know I asked this before, but : 1] why didn't you join an organization here in USA?
2] did your ambassador actually receive your letter?
-did you join a political organization here in USA? why not?
Why did you go to the protest in front of your embassy? was it just so that photos could be taken?
I know I asked this before, but why haven't you joined an organization here in USA?
Why are you in the protest photos? what is the purpose of taking the photos?
Are the photos re-published on YouTube, to encourgage others to protest?
=
When did you decide to come to USA?
who filled out Form DS-160? is everything on it true, or not?
Why did you join that particular political party?
Why were you arrrested?
The police believed what about you?
=
your brothers and sisters still live in your country, and the government does not harm them? why not?
Is your government interested in you? Your government has forgotten about you, correct?
What was the purpose of the protest? what were you hoping for?
Who should replace the dictator who is in power now?
-in 2016, what party do you support?
You like the UFDC? why? who is its current leader?
Do you follow the politics of your party in your country?
Mr. Biya is a member of what party? what do the letters stand for?
At the time of your arrest, what was your political opinion?
What is your political opinion today?
you say you wrote a lettter to your embassy in DC? who helped you write the letter?
did the Embassy actually receive the letter?
What would happen if you return to your country? why would you be arrested?
what do embassy workers think and feel about protestors who stand outside with large signs?
I know I asked this before, but : 1] why didn't you join an organization here in USA?
2] did your ambassador actually receive your letter?
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