Asylum officer questions February 18, 2026

How was Written Statement prepared? when did you last depart from your country? 

How was your visa application prepared? is everything in it true?

Why did you apply for asylum? who do you fear? why?

Were you harmed or threatened in your country? how many times? when was the first harm? the last harm? the worst harm?

what would happen if you return? why would government arrest you? Who are you? what is special about you? How would government find out that you "supported" the NLD? what kind of support did you give? money? hours of labor? sit on a chair during a meeting?

Why are you pro-democracy? Is the government actively looking for you? why do you believe that? why are you against conscription? how could the government find you? why are you in fear today?

Are you in contact with people in Burma today? can't you live safely in Mandalay?

 Asylum officer questions February 17, 2026

How did you prepare your Written Statement? who helped you? how did he help?

How did you prepare Form DS-160? anyone help you? it ask "how long will you stay in USA?" and "were you arrested?" What did you say about Facebook in that application?

Tell me about all of your international travel: each country, purpose of visit, why not seek asylum there; your status there; were you offered permanent status there?

did you give "material support" to a "terrorist organization"? did you give anything to a violent group, or a group that used guns

Ever been harmed or threatened? how many times? how many times in 2021? 2022? 2023? most recent harm? worst harm? when was the first harm? when was the last harm?

why did they harm you? why did they want to punish you? what words did they say? how did they find out, about your activities? You say informers are everywhere: who says? who told you that?

how would they know if you posted on Facebook? besides spies, and Facebook, any other way they would know? what did you post on FB? what was your most recent post?

RTDC means what? Return To Dangerous Country. If you voluntarily return to Burma, then I guess it is not so dangerous, yes?

Did you "support" the NLD? how? give them money? attend rallies, encourage others to attend? Does the government know you supported them? how would they know? who told you that the government knows?

were you in association with any anti-government groups? how did you associate with them? how would government know what you were doing?

Does your passport have dates in it? can we use it to determine your history?  

Why do you believe "X"? did someone tell  you about X? did you read about X? do you know anyone else who believes in X?

why weren't you arrested at the Yangon airport? why does government hate protestors?why would they want to harm you? how would they recognize you? how would they find you? Is there something specific about you, that motivates government to target you? why do you believe they would hit you? did someone tell you that?

Years have gone by. Why do you think the government is still interested in you? why do you think they would carry out the harm? are  you special or important?

What motivated you to: protest? write a letter to Ambassador? join the NLD? post on FB?

 Asylum officer questions January 2025

Your passport has many dates in it? Using it, can you write a history about yourself- where were you, over the years?

Was it difficult to get your passport? where did you use it?

How did you get your tourist visa? Form DS-160? your asylum officer has a copy, but you don't?

Were you harmed in your country? how many times? did you suffer physical harm? how many times? were you threatened? how many times?

Can I open your Facebook account, right now?

You say the man hit you? what was he wearing? what did he say? what weapons did he use? where on your body did he hit you? why was he hitting you? he wanted to punish you? why

 Asylum officer questions to an activist from Burma on February 16, 2026

Anyone help you with your Written Statement? how did he help you? How did you write it?

To get your tourist visa, did you tell lies in your written application? why? did you tell lies, in response to oral questions at the US Embassy? why?

Tell me about all of your international travel. Did any country offer you permanent residence? Why didn't  you apply for asylum in any of those countries?

Tell me about your immigration status in USA: did you miss the one-year deadline? why? why not apply for asylum sooner? why not depart from your country sooner?

Why did you apply for asylum, when you did? Why did you depart from your country?

Did you suffer harm in your country? how many times? who harmed you, and why?

Were you targeted? Are you special? The government has a specific interest in you? 

Tell me the name of your relative who gave you information

Who do you fear? why is your government angry at you? If they were angry at you, why weren't you arrested when you went to the airport, to depart?

How many threats did you get in 2021? in 2022? in 2023?

Were you a member of a party or an organization? Did that group write a letter of support for you? why not?

What is the platform of the NLD? what is its mission? when did you begin to support it? why? how did you hear about it? tell me the name of your friend who told you about it. Did the party have a reputation? did people have common knowledge about it? when was the last time you supported it? what kind of support did you give?

How did you participate in campaingns? what would a cell phone video show? Did you post on Facebook? did you print out any of your postings?

How did the government find out about your activities? what does dalan mean? what does ISI mean? [Informers/Spies/Infiltrators] How did the government get informatin about you? did anyone tell you, that the government had information about you?

What would happen if you return to your country? Your government has forgotten about you, haven't they? What were your activities in USA? when you stood in front of the Embassy, what did you do? Did anyone notice that you were there?

Where do you get information from? what channel? when was the last time you were active in USA? how did you find out there was going to be protest on Sunday afternoon?

How would government know about your activities? who told you that? How do you know the government has lots of spies? Do you know anyone who protested in USA, and then got arrested upon return to Burma? How do you know that? how would government know if you return to Burma?

Why didn't they kill you, when you were in Burma? Who says the government is still interested in you? Years have gone by, yes?

If you return, would you continue to be active in anti-government groups? what would you do? you had trouble in Yangon? OK, so why not go live in Mandalay?

Fernando Pineiro, FOIA director for ICE, filed this declaration in court on September 30, 2025. To read it, click on this link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17TmKyJH-8I0buNmBPCfnCtL5_jolU6nQ/view?usp=sharing 

 Questions asked of an activist

What is the motive of the bad guys? You say they want to punish the people? why? are some people in your country punished more than others? why?

What is your WRITTEN STATEMENT? how was it prepared? did anyone help you? how did he help? He made it chronological and described harm and threats?

Were you harmed or threatened in your country? How many times? When was the first time? last time? worst time?

What is "physical" harm? What is "emotional" harm? Is living under constant threat of harm quite painful? Is the entire country a prison? Just like in prison, you are under constant surveillance by people with guns? You need permission to travel? to sleep at your uncle's house?

The officer came near you? What did you see? what was he wearing? What expression was on his face? A big smile? what weapons did he have? what words did he say? 

How did he harm you?

At the moment of your arrest, where were you? what words did the officer say? What thoughts went through your mind?

Were you a member of a political group or a political party? did they give you a membership card? write a letter of support for you? 

How many protests did you attend in your country? how many in USA?

You were detained for three days? What did they tell you, on the day of your release?

What happened at the Yangon airport, when you went there to depart? What words were said? how did you pay the bribe? put cash into an envelope? put cash into your passport? how much?

how did you know how much to pay?

Did the ward officials visit every house on your street, or just yours? Were you treated differently from others? How, and why?

Is the government still looking for you? they have forgotten about you, haven't they?

Why did you decide to begin protesting in February 2021? why did you decide to protest in USA?

What is "material support"? Is it "something of value"? Did you give material support to a group that the USA believes is a terrorist group?

 November 2025: common questions that Asylum Officers ask:

In your country, did you suffer harm or threats? How many times? What do you mean, when you say, "Every day in my country is being under threat"?

That means: the government hates the people, and harasses, extorts, threatens, arrests, and kills people every day. The government is mean and nasty. Police can come and take you away at any time of any day.

Did you suffer physical harm? How many times? When was the first time? when was the last time? when was the worst time? When the officer was hurting you, what words did he say? Do you remember the words he said? Can you repeat them now?

What WORDS did the officer say?

Were you threatened? how many times? when was the first? when was the last? which was the worst? What WORDS did the officer say?

How were the threats given to you? 1] the officer stood three feet away and shouted at me, face-to-face 2] the officer said threats over the phone 3] the official made threats on television

4] the official made threats on the radio 5] the official made threats in the newspaper 6] they put megaphones on car roofs, drove slowly down the street, and yelled at the people