Refugees & Asylum

Dedicated Legal Advocacy from an Immigration Attorney that is Empathetic to your Plight

The United States offers refugee status or asylum for the protection of foreign nationals who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion.

The process for applying for asylum can be complicated, so it is important to work with an experienced lawyer, who can help you navigate the process. The Messer Law Group, LLC is ready, willing, and able to support all immigrants/foreign nationals seeking to stay in the United States. Mr. Messer is very sympathetic and compassionate to those that need to file for Asylum.

Mr. Messer abhors those that are bullies and that harm or persecute other people for their own gain or amusement. Therefore, Mr. Messer promises to use every effort possible to fight for and protect your right to asylum here in the United States.

Refugees

Refugee status is a form of protection that may be granted to people who meet the definition of refugee and who are of special humanitarian concern to the United States. Refugees are generally people outside of their country who are unable or unwilling to return home because they fear serious harm.

Asylum

Asylum status is a form of protection available to people who:

• Meet the definition of refugee
• Are already in the United States
• Are seeking admission at a port of entry

You may apply for asylum in the United States regardless of your country of origin or your current immigration status.

Asylees May Request Permission to Work in the United States, While Waiting for Their Application to be Approved

To apply for employment authorization, you must file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. For more information, see the Form I-765 webpage.

180-Day Asylum Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Clock – Based on a Pending Asylum Application:

To apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) based on your pending asylum application under the (c)(8) category, you may file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, 150 days after you file your asylum application. You are not eligible to receive an EAD until your asylum application has been pending for at least another 30 days, for a total of 180 days, commonly referred to as the 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock.

Delays that you request or cause while your asylum application is pending with an asylum office or with the Executive Office for Immigration Review do not count toward the 150-day waiting period or the 180-day eligibility period.

Filing for Permanent Residence (Green Card)

You may apply for a Green Card, one (1) year after being granted asylum. To apply for a Green Card, you will be required to file a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status with the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS). You must submit a separate Form I-485 application packet for yourself and, if applicable, for each family member who received derivative asylum based on your application.

For more information about Green Cards, see our Green Cards for Asylees page.

For more information about asylum, see our Asylum Questions and Answers page.