Jacksonville Asylum Attorneys

Protection for Foreign Nationals in Danger

If you aren’t safe in your home country and have already entered the United States, then you might be able to seek asylum and stay. Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A. and our Jacksonville asylum lawyers would be happy to help you understand your immigration options as someone who needs asylum to remain safe from physical harm and torment that could happen if you returned to your home country. Our attorneys can also help refugees, who are people who are seeking safety in the United States but have not yet been able to enter the country.

Find out more about asylum right now. Call (904) 530-5771 or contact us online.

Who Qualifies for Asylum?

The first thing you should know about asylum eligibility is that you must file for asylum within one year of entering the United States. Do not risk missing this one-year filing deadline by waiting too long to get legal assistance. Contact our firm immediately to see if you can still file for asylum.

Asylum seekers must have valid and reasonable concerns about their safety if they should return to their home country. For many asylum seekers, proving the existence of dangerous persecution is often the most problematic part of their asylum case. Tangible evidence of persecution or violent dangers is crucial, so let our attorneys know if you have copies of threatening letters, intimidating texts or emails, medical records, and more that could be used to prove your case.

Lastly, asylum seekers must be at risk of persecution for at least one of these five reasons:

• Race
• Religion
• Nationality
• Political affiliation
• Membership to a specific social group

Immigration judges have taken wavering stances when defining what is a “membership to a specific social group” in terms of the law. Some have considered concepts like gender and sex to make someone belong to a social group. But others have demanded more rigid definitions, such as belonging to a group with a membership structure or titles.

What Does Asylum Allow?

If your asylum case is successful, then you can lawfully remain in the United States for at least one year. While under asylum protections, you can legally apply for housing and jobs. When your asylum status ends in a year, you can apply for a permanent residence visa, which can eventually allow you to become a legal permanent resident (LPR).

Asylum also allows similar protections and opportunities to your spouse and minor children. However, you must be accompanied by them when you first file as an asylum seeker. You cannot necessarily use your asylum status as a means of bringing them into the country later.

Can Asylum Status Be Taken Away?

USCIS can strip you of your asylum status early if it believes that your country of origin has become reasonably safe for you to return. This situation usually only occurs when asylum status was sought due to a militaristic presence in the country, such as a known band of criminals conducting vigilante and guerilla warfare, who have since been defeated. If you don’t think it is safe to return to your country regardless of what changes have occurred there, then you might qualify for humanitarian asylum. This status continues asylum for outstanding reasons, such as your life in your home country was entirely upended and undone, so returning there would put you under undue hardship to “start over.”

With Such an Important Case, Trust Real Professionals

Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A. has been helping immigrants and foreign nationals in Jacksonville for more than 40 years. If you need help achieving asylum status, then you will want to work with a team as experienced and insightful as ours. We are here to guide you every step along the way, so you can rest easier in knowing that your case is in such protective care.

Contact our firm right away if you need our help!