Take Charge of Your Asylum Case: The Risks of Blindly Trusting Attorneys

As someone who has analyzed countless asylum cases while working on an AI system to assist with asylum applications, interview expediting, and mandamus lawsuits, I’ve been stunned by what I’ve seen. Many immigrants pay $5,000 to $20,000 to attorneys and receive very little in return. This article isn’t just about the inefficiencies—it’s about why you need to take control of your own case.

The Shocking Reality

Fact: Many attorneys make serious, basic mistakes in asylum applications. These errors can cost you your future in the U.S., yet immigrants often trust blindly instead of verifying their attorneys’ work.

Real-Life Examples of Attorney Mistakes

• An attorney failed to mark any basis for asylum on Form I-589. The form simply referred to an “attached statement,” which wasn’t actually attached. Officers were left to guess the applicant’s case.
• One lawyer claimed the applicant faced persecution for working as a prosecutor, but the application didn’t list this job, nor did it include any proof like work IDs or affidavits.
• Another attorney mixed up Ukraine and Russia on the form. The applicant, who had never lived in Russia, couldn’t answer related questions during the interview and was denied asylum, only to win in court years later after changing attorneys.
• An attorney created a false narrative about persecution based on being a “White Russian” in Kazakhstan, ignoring the applicant’s real background and mixed ethnicity. The inaccuracies harmed the case and alienated the officer.
• Another submitted a “blank” I-589 along with 300 irrelevant pages of outdated country reports. No effort was made to highlight relevant sections, wasting the officer’s time and creating a bad impression.