1. does the US Government know your address? If you told Mr. A your new address, that is nice, but did he write it down in your file, so that Mr. B knows your address also?
-make sure the government knows your address!
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did you report your problem to the police? Mr. Rah, from Mexico, was denied asylum because he did not report his problem to the Mexican police.
-in two different cases, where soldiers beat up the applicant, the asylum Officer asked "did you report your problem to the police?"
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is it a stupid question, after being beat up by soldiers, to ask "did you complain to the police about the soldiers?" Maybe, maybe not.
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Anyway, one answer is "No, I did not report it to the police, because that would have been a waste of time. The police are afraid of the soldiers. The police do not investigate crimes by soldiers."
Friday, June 24, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
an activist from the DRC
The Asylum Officer asked:
-when was your passport issued? was this your first passport? did you have any trouble getting your passport?
-you left your country on December 10th? what was your last address in your country?
Where did you live for the 90 days before you left your country?
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Why are you applying for asylum?
Why does your government pursue you?
What were your activities, that brought you to the attention of your government?
Why did the youth talk to you? what was special about you, that encouraged them to talk to you?
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inside the prison, what did the guard say to you? what language did he speak?
How did you get released? where did you go, immediately after being released?
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when did you decide to go to USA?
what did you say to get your visa? did you tell lies?
How did you get your passport, if your government hated you, and wanted to arrest you? the police gave info about you to the passport office, yes?
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where were you, at the moment of your arrest? where did they take you? how long did it take to get there? where did they take you?
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what did you do, during the three months before you left your country? where did you sleep at night?
After you left your country, was anyone harmed, because of you?
Is there anything else?
What would happen to you if you return?
The soldier hit you? did you report that to the police? why not?
-when was your passport issued? was this your first passport? did you have any trouble getting your passport?
-you left your country on December 10th? what was your last address in your country?
Where did you live for the 90 days before you left your country?
-
Why are you applying for asylum?
Why does your government pursue you?
What were your activities, that brought you to the attention of your government?
Why did the youth talk to you? what was special about you, that encouraged them to talk to you?
-
inside the prison, what did the guard say to you? what language did he speak?
How did you get released? where did you go, immediately after being released?
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when did you decide to go to USA?
what did you say to get your visa? did you tell lies?
How did you get your passport, if your government hated you, and wanted to arrest you? the police gave info about you to the passport office, yes?
-
where were you, at the moment of your arrest? where did they take you? how long did it take to get there? where did they take you?
-
what did you do, during the three months before you left your country? where did you sleep at night?
After you left your country, was anyone harmed, because of you?
Is there anything else?
What would happen to you if you return?
The soldier hit you? did you report that to the police? why not?
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?
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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?
-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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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?
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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?
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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?
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why are there errors on page 4?
You made mistakes on page 4? why?
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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?
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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?
-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?
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why are there errors on page 4?
You made mistakes on page 4? why?
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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?
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