Asylum Lawyer
Offering Expert Legal Guidance and Representation Across Florida
At Maribel A. Piza, P.A., we are dedicated to supporting the diverse immigrant community in South Florida, bringing over fifteen years of compassionate legal guidance to those seeking a new life in the United States. Recognizing the complexities you and your family may encounter, we offer our expertise to navigate these challenges with you.
Should you or your loved ones seek refuge due to the threat of persecution or violence in your homeland, we urge you to contact our South Florida team without delay. Our commitment is to empower you through the U.S. immigration system, ensuring you receive the full protection and opportunities afforded by U.S. asylum laws.
What Does Asylum Mean?
Asylum in the United States is a form of protection that permits individuals to remain in the country instead of being returned to a place where they are at risk of persecution or serious harm.
Seeking Asylum Protection in the United States
Immigration statutes offer safeguarding measures and rights for individuals escaping dangers such as:
- Subjugation
- Intimidation
- Bodily harm
- Mental distress
- Violation of fundamental human freedoms in their nations of origin.
Eligibility Requirements for Asylum in the United States
You may qualify for asylum under the following circumstances:
- If you have experienced (or are under threat of) violence by your government;
- If you are being persecuted by your government on the basis of race, gender, political affiliation, or membership in a particular social group;
- If you are being deprived of basic human rights or civil liberties in your country.
Asylum can be sought at any U.S. border or entry point, or within the United States, regardless of how you entered, including illegal entry.
However, you may not be eligible for asylum if you have the freedom to:
- Travel within your own country;
- Leave your country;
- Relocate to a different part of your country to escape the danger.
Ineligibility may also apply if you’re seeking asylee or refugee status from outside the U.S. (not at a port of entry) or if you’ve been in the U.S. for over a year without seeking asylum.
Upon consultation and a preliminary assessment by an asylum officer, your case may be referred to an immigration judge for review. Even if the officer doubts the likelihood of your asylum claim succeeding, you have the right to request a hearing before a judge.
In the courtroom, you must demonstrate to the immigration judge a credible fear for your safety in your country of origin.
Contact Maribel A. Piza, P.A. Today
If you are seeking asylum and require legal assistance, reach out to Maribel A. Piza, P.A. in South Florida.
How To
Apply for Asylum
The duration of the asylum application process can vary widely, typically ranging from half a year to several years, based on individual circumstances. If you’ve recently arrived in the U.S. and wish to apply, you should follow these steps within your first year:
- File Form I-589, the Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, promptly upon arrival.
- Await two correspondences from USCIS:
- Confirmation of your application’s receipt.
- Instructions to go to an application support center (ASC) for fingerprinting arrangements.
- Go to the ASC for your fingerprinting and undergo a background/security check.
- Look out for an invitation to an interview with an asylum officer.
- Attend your interview, accompanied by an attorney if you choose. If you’re not fluent in English, you should bring a translator.
- An asylum officer will evaluate your eligibility for asylum.
- The officer’s decision is reviewed by a supervisory asylum officer.
- Finally, you will be informed of the decision, which you may be asked to collect from the asylum office after two weeks, or it will be sent to you by mail.
