Thank you for volunteering to represent an Afghan asylum seeker pro bono before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is our comprehensive course on affirmative asylum representation for Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. In this course, you will learn everything from the legal basis for asylum to what to file in an affirmative application to how to prepare a client for the asylum interview. If you have taken on a pro bono case and need mentorship, please don't hesitate to reach out to us for further guidance and information!
Course Curriculum
Overview of Asylum Law and Application Preparation Process
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Communicating with Your Client
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The Basics of Asylum
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- Sources of Asylum Law and Procedure
- Elements of Asylum (11:47)
- Persecution (13:37)
- Nexus (12:05)
- "Well-Founded Fear" of Persecution (8:43)
- Asylum Grounds: Race, Religion, Nationality, and Political Opinion (10:53)
- Asylum Grounds: Particular Social Groups (17:09)
- Corroboration and Credibility (13:54)
Framing Specific Types of Asylum Cases
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Bars to Asylum
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Preparing Your Case
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- Completing the Form G-28 (5:44)
- Completing the Form I-589
- Preparing the Declaration (Includes Samples) (10:15)
- Gathering Client-Specific Evidence (4:14)
- Common Afghan and U.S. Civil Documents Your Clients May Have (9:44)
- Obtaining Translations of Documents
- Country Conditions (8:58)
- The Memo of Law and List of Exhibits (Includes Samples)
Filing Your Case and Preparing for the Interview
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- Submitting the Asylum Application Electronically
- What Happens After Submission: Receipt, Biometrics, Interview (2:17)
- What to Expect During the Interview - Including Actual Interview Questions (33:13)
- Mock Asylum Interview (59:29)
- Preparing the Client for the Interview (8:52)
- The Arlington, VA Asylum Office (6:49)
- The Houston, TX Asylum Office (6:59)
Including Spouses and Children on an Application
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Templates and Other Resources
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Post-Interview
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Get In Touch for Additional Support
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Hi, we're VECINA!
VECINA is a nonprofit that seeks to empower immigrant justice advocates through mentoring attorneys, educating communities, and mobilizing volunteers.
Created as Part of the
Welcome Legal Alliance
The Welcome Legal Alliance is a collaborative project among the American Immigration Council, ABA COI, Rights First, VECINA, and Welcome.US to serve Afghan asylum seekers with volunteer legal assistance (both limited and full scope representation) in preparing and filing their applications before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.