For those who have been persecuted in their home countries or who have fear of persecution, obtaining legal status as an asylee or refugee may be possible. At the office of the Illinois Immigration Law Group, our experienced attorneys can represent you with your asylum or refugee case. Reach out to our team directly today to learn more about how we can help you.
What Is a Refugee?
As defined by United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), refugees refer to people outside of the United States who cannot return home, or who are unwilling to return home, because they are in fear of suffering serious harm as a result. A refugee is someone who is of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and must demonstrate that they have been persecuted or fear persecution due to race, political opinion, nationality, or religion.
What Is Asylum?
While the terms “refugee” and “asylum” are often used interchangeably, they do not refer to exactly the same thing. A person may seek refugee status only when they are outside of the United States, whereas someone seeking asylum must meet the definition of a refugee but seeks asylum status while already within the United States.
Common Questions About Asylum Status in the United States
Like the exact term and process for gaining status, the process related to working in the United States after being granted legal status and the process for bringing family members with you differs depending on whether you are requesting legal status based on being a refugee or an asylee.
For those who are granted refugee status, work authorization is granted and the person can begin working immediately upon arriving in the United States. For those who are seeking asylum, on the other hand, work authorization cannot be pursued at the same time that status as an asylee is pursued; instead, a person in this position can only apply for work authorization if at least 150 days have passed since they first completed their asylum petition and no decision has yet been made on the petition.
Bringing your family to the United States is also an important consideration. Both refugees and asylees can petition to bring their families to the United States by filing a Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition.
Our Immigration Attorneys Can Help
Fleeing one’s own country can be terrifying and lead to many questions about the future – many of which may feel very unknown and uncertain. If you are seeking refugee or asylee status within the United States, our attorneys understand how much is on the line for you, and we want to help. When you call our experienced immigration attorneys, our lawyers will aggressively advocate for your rights and work hard to ensure that you receive the legal protections you need.
To learn more about your rights as someone who is fleeing their own country due to fears of persecution, please call the Illinois Immigration Law Group directly today. Our lawyers can provide you with the legal support and guidance you need during this very trying time.