Thousands of people who arrive at our borders or are already in the United States apply for asylum each year. A person who is granted asylum has the right to live and work here permanently and to bring family members here. The process is complex and can take years to complete. In the past decade, there has been a large wave of refugees and displaced people fleeing from war, violence, natural disasters and poverty to seek safety in Europe. These individuals have been exposed to a wide range of traumatic events and can be at high risk for developing mental health problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Asylum is a form of protection in the United States offered to people who can prove they were persecuted or fear persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, political opinion or sexual orientation. In the United States, asylum seekers must undergo a lengthy and difficult process of applying for and being found to have credible fear by an immigration judge.
The United States has a long history of offering protection to the victims of persecution. In the modern era, there have been many landmark decisions by courts and by Congress that have expanded the legal definition of who qualifies for asylum. However, the law remains discretionary and there are many cases in which a person who qualifies for asylum is denied. In such cases, there are backstop forms of protection like withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture that may be available.
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