What Is Asylum?

Asylum is a protection granted under both U.S. and international law that allows individuals who have suffered persecution — or have a well-founded fear of future persecution — to remain in the United States. The legal standard derives from the 1951 Refugee Convention and is codified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Unlike refugee status (which is applied for from abroad), asylum is sought from within the U.S. or at a port of entry.

There are two pathways: affirmative asylum, where the applicant proactively files Form I-589 with USCIS within one year of arriving in the U.S.; and defensive asylum, where the claim is raised as a defense against removal in immigration court. Affirmative applications are heard by USCIS asylum officers in a non-adversarial interview setting; defensive applications are heard by immigration judges and resemble an adversarial court proceeding with government attorneys present.

To be granted asylum, the applicant must demonstrate that they belong to a protected ground (race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or particular social group), that the persecution was or would be carried out by the government or a group the government cannot or will not control, and that the fear of persecution is both subjectively genuine and objectively reasonable. LGBTQ+ individuals, domestic violence survivors, and members of specific ethnic minorities have all been recognized as qualifying particular social groups in certain circuits, though case law varies.