Syrians are seeking asylum in the United States due to the civil war that started in 2011 and still has not stopped. Political oppression and human rights abuse are typical during a civil war. And the United States can provide shelter for Syrians. But will you receive asylum even if you come from Syria?
Basically, if you a Syrian, you must first check if you are eligible for asylum. And only when you meet the initial asylum requirements, you can arrive to the United States and contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
There are these five grounds for Syrians to qualify for asylum in the U.S.:
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- Nationality
- Race
- Membership in a particular social group
- Religion
- Political opinion
Asylum for Syrians in the United States
If you are Syrian and afraid of persecution in Syria for any reason listed above, you can come to U.S. and start the asylum process. The most often ground for Syrians to seek for asylum is their political opinion.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee if you will be allowed to stay in the U.S. One recent example was when USCIS rejected an application for asylum filed by Radwan Ziadech.
Radwan is a Syrian dissident and political opponent fighting against the Syrian President. USCIS denied Radwan’s application simply because he organized a conference with Syrian opposition groups. A USCIS asylum officer considered that Radwan, by organizing a conference, supported a terrorist group. Strangely enough, the U.S. government supports members of those opposition groups during the war in Syria.
What we want to say is that before you apply for asylum to USCIS, you should determine whether you definitely qualify for asylum. An immigration lawyer will be able to help you gather the facts and convince USCIS that you are eligible for asylum. Given the difficult situation in Syria, any Syrian looking for asylum in the United States must get their chance. With a lawyer, your chances to receive asylum will be much higher.