Once you apply for asylum and receive asylee status, it can be a huge relief. Unfortunately, some people mistake asylee status for permanent residency. The truth is that it is not the same as being a permanent resident.
After you obtain asylee status, you can lose it. Asylees are not permanent residents. It is possible for you to obtain permanent resident status, but you must be in the U.S. for at least one year before you can apply, explains the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
What justifies termination of status?
A person with asylee status could lose his or her status if there is no longer a fear of persecution due to a change of circumstances. Likewise, those who have protection from another country can lose their status. Now, changing conditions in a country are not enough to justify termination of status, according to the USCIS. An officer may determine that you did not fit the definition of refugee during admittance to the United States. Additionally, criminal acts can also lead to termination.
What procedures do officers go through to terminate status?
It is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that carry out the terminations. Officers will review your file and determine if there is evidence to terminate a person’s status. A supervisor will review all the evidence and then forward the evidence to the Refugee Affairs Division. Then, the RAD will send a recommendation back. Next, you would have an interview with the field office. If the RAD recommends termination, then your family members may also have their files requested.
