Asylum Attorney
Your story, told the way the law requires it to be told.
Asylum is one of the most consequential — and least forgiving — areas of United States immigration law. A successful claim provides protection from removal, work authorization, a path to permanent residency, and the ability to bring close family members to safety. A denied claim, in many cases, results in an immediate referral to removal proceedings. The same story can succeed or fail depending on how it is presented, what evidence is developed, and how thoroughly the applicant is prepared. Our job is to make sure that the story you have lived is told the way the law requires it to be told.
Why asylum cases turn on preparation
Asylum is one of the most demanding paths in U.S. immigration law. The same facts can win or lose depending entirely on how the case is built.
Filing deadline from last entry into the United States
Protected grounds: race, religion, nationality, PSG, opinion
After filing before EAD eligibility begins
May be included as derivatives or follow-to-join
Sources: USCIS Asylum Procedures & EOIR statistics
From application to grant
Strong asylum cases are built methodically — eligibility, evidence, and a story that holds together under questioning.
- Step 1
Eligibility analysis
Mapping your facts onto asylum, withholding, and CAT — including the one-year filing deadline.
- Step 2
Personal statement
A detailed, consistent, sworn account that supports every legal element required.
- Step 3
Country conditions record
State Department reports, expert declarations, and corroborating evidence.
- Step 4
Interview or hearing
Mock questioning, exhibit review, and full procedural walk-through.
- Step 5
Decision & next steps
On grant: I-730 family follow-to-join and the path to permanent residency.
The legal framework — and why it is narrower than people expect
Under United States immigration law, an applicant for asylum must show that they have suffered past persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Each of those terms has a specific legal meaning, and not every form of harm — however serious — fits within them. Generalized violence, economic hardship, and personal disputes that do not fall within a protected ground are routinely denied even when the underlying suffering is real.
The applicant must also show that the persecution was committed by the government of their home country or by an actor the government is unable or unwilling to control. They must show that internal relocation is not reasonable. And they must show that their account is credible — meaning consistent, detailed, and supported by available corroborating evidence.
The one-year filing deadline and the exceptions to it
An asylum application generally must be filed within one year of the applicant's last entry into the United States. Missing that deadline is one of the single most common reasons claims are denied, and the exceptions are narrow — extraordinary circumstances such as serious illness, ineffective prior counsel, or the recent maturation of a child applicant; or changed circumstances in the country of nationality that materially affect eligibility.
Where an applicant is past the deadline but otherwise qualified, two related forms of protection remain available — withholding of removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act and protection under the Convention Against Torture. Both have higher standards than asylum but provide meaningful safety. We assess all three forms of relief at the outset of every case.
Affirmative versus defensive — two different proceedings, two different strategies
An asylum application filed with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, before the applicant is in removal proceedings, is called an affirmative application. It is decided by an asylum officer in a non-adversarial interview. If the officer is not persuaded, the case is referred to immigration court for a defensive proceeding before an immigration judge — adversarial in nature, with a government attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security on the other side.
The two proceedings call for different preparation. An affirmative interview is built around the personal statement, the supporting evidence, and the rapport between the applicant and the officer. A defensive hearing is built around legal motions, witness preparation, expert testimony, and direct and cross-examination conducted in open court. We prepare each kind of case to the standard the proceeding requires.
Building the personal statement — the heart of every asylum case
The personal statement is the single most important document in most asylum cases. It is the applicant's sworn account of what happened, why it happened, and why returning to the home country would not be safe. It needs to be detailed enough to satisfy the officer or judge that the applicant has lived the experience, consistent enough to withstand cross-examination, and structured enough to map clearly onto the legal elements of the claim.
We work intensively with each client on the personal statement, often over multiple sessions, with the help of professional interpreters where needed. We ask the questions the asylum officer or government attorney will ask. We identify the gaps that need to be filled with corroborating evidence. We make sure that the statement reads as the applicant's own account, in their own voice.
The personal statement is the single most important document in most asylum cases. It is the applicant's sworn account of what happened, why it happened, and why returning to the home country would not be safe. It needs to be detailed enough to satisfy the officer or judge that the applicant has lived the experience, consistent enough to withstand cross-examination, and structured enough to map clearly onto the legal elements of the claim.
— Wogwu Law
Country conditions, expert evidence, and the supporting record
Even the strongest personal account benefits from corroboration. We assemble a country-conditions record that includes State Department reports, human rights organization reporting, news coverage, and academic analysis specific to the applicant's region, ethnic or religious group, or political affiliation. Where available, we obtain personal corroborating documentation — police reports, medical records, photographs, identity documents, witness declarations — translated and authenticated to immigration standards.
For cases that turn on a particular medical condition, psychological diagnosis, or sociological context, we retain expert witnesses to provide written reports and, when needed, live testimony. The record we build often runs to several hundred pages, organized to allow the officer or judge to navigate it quickly.
The interview, the merits hearing, and the appeal
We prepare every applicant for the asylum interview or merits hearing in detail. That preparation includes mock questioning, document review, walk-through of the procedures, and discussion of how to handle cross-examination if the case is in immigration court. The applicant is the most important witness in any asylum case, and how they present — clearly, consistently, with the precision the law requires — is something that can be developed with practice.
If the case is denied, the appeal process is governed by strict deadlines and procedural rules. We handle appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, where appropriate, petitions for review to the federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Family, work, and the practical consequences of a grant
When an asylum application is granted, the consequences are immediate and far-reaching. The applicant becomes eligible to apply for permanent residency one year after the grant. Spouse and unmarried children under twenty-one can be added to the case as derivative asylees, including those who remain abroad. Work authorization is automatic. Travel becomes possible with a refugee travel document, although careful planning is required to avoid jeopardizing the status.
We walk every grant through what comes next — adjustment of status, family reunification under the I-730 follow-to-join petition, and eventually naturalization. Asylum is a beginning, not an end.
What asylum seekers ask us first
- What if I missed the one-year filing deadline?
- Narrow exceptions exist — extraordinary circumstances such as serious illness or ineffective prior counsel, or changed circumstances in your country. Withholding of removal and CAT protection remain available even past the deadline.
- Can my family be included on my asylum case?
- Yes. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 in the U.S. can be derivative applicants. Family members abroad can be reunited later through the I-730 follow-to-join petition.
- When can I work after filing for asylum?
- Generally, you can apply for an EAD 150 days after your asylum application is filed, with USCIS issuing the card after day 180 if your case is still pending.
- What is the difference between affirmative and defensive asylum?
- Affirmative cases are filed with USCIS and decided by an asylum officer in a non-adversarial interview. Defensive cases are litigated in immigration court before a judge with a government attorney opposing the claim.
- Can I travel while my asylum case is pending?
- Travel during a pending case is risky — particularly returning to your home country, which can undermine the claim. Refugee travel documents are available only after a grant of asylum.
What clients say about working with us
"Lisa Wogwu is a superstar! She has been working with me for two years in my immigration practice and I have to say she is amazing. She is a wonderful trial attorney, an incredible wordsmith, and a zealous advocate for her clients. Hiring Lisa is not just a good choice, it is the best one!"
"If you are looking for a compassionate, thorough, and professional attorney, I highly recommend Ms. Wogwu. After years of waiting for a hearing date, Ms. Wogwu made me feel at ease and prepared me on what to expect. Received a fully favorable decision then and there."
"My first experience with Ms. Lisa was phenomenal — I found a gem. Although it was just a consultation I tremendously appreciated her personality and knowledge about the immigration process. In my second experience, she gave me excellent five-star service above my expectations."
Embark on your immigration journey with Wogwu Law.
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