California Immigration

USCIS Expands Asylum Processing with New San Francisco Office

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USCIS announced the opening of an additional temporary San Francisco Asylum Office in Oakland, California. Effective May 15, 2024, asylum applicants under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Asylum Office may receive an interview notice to appear at the asylum office located in Oakland instead of San Francisco. This additional location increases the San Francisco Asylum Office’s capacity to schedule and conduct affirmative asylum interviews more efficiently.

Applying for Political Asylum

Asylum Cases — how asylum works, who qualifies, and practical next steps

Asylum is a form of humanitarian protection for people who fear persecution in their home country on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Asylum may be sought affirmatively with USCIS or defensively in immigration court. The process is documentary and time-sensitive; correct preparation is essential.

Two main paths

  • Affirmative asylum: file Form I-589 with USCIS while not in removal proceedings; if granted, the applicant receives asylum and can apply for a green card after one year.
  • Defensive asylum: present the asylum claim as a defense in removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge when removal charges have been filed.

Key evidence to assemble

  1. Detailed sworn declaration and witness statements.
  2. Identity documents, police or medical records, arrest reports, and contemporaneous evidence.
  3. Country-condition research tying broader patterns of harm to the applicant’s personal profile.
  4. Proof supporting exceptions to the one-year filing rule if applicable.

Immediate steps we take for new clients

  • Conduct a focused intake and credibility screening.
  • Collect and preserve records (medical, police, photographic, witness info).
  • Prepare the asylum declaration and exhibit index; file I-589 or defensive brief and coordinate any EAD/reparole needs.

Contact us for a targeted intake if you or a client fears return to their home country — we handle screenings, filings, hearings, and appeals with focused country-condition research and client preparation.

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