Experienced asylum attorneys protecting Brooklyn residents from persecution. Affirmative asylum, defensive asylum in removal proceedings, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture (CAT) protection — serving all Brooklyn communities.
Brooklyn's immigrant communities include many individuals who fled persecution, violence, or human rights abuses in their home countries. Our attorneys build asylum cases with compassion, precision, and the strongest possible evidentiary foundation.
Brooklyn's diverse immigrant population includes many individuals who left their home countries due to political persecution, religious discrimination, domestic violence, gang violence, LGBTQ+ persecution, ethnic conflict, or other serious human rights violations. Many arrive not knowing they may qualify for asylum protection — or that the clock for applying starts running from their date of entry.
At Mandi Law Group, our asylum attorneys serve Brooklyn clients from the initial case assessment through the USCIS Asylum Office interview or immigration court individual hearing. We prepare thorough, well-documented asylum applications that clearly establish the legal basis for protection — and we stand beside every client at their hearing to present their claim.
We serve Brooklyn asylum seekers from West Africa, East Africa, Central America, the Caribbean, South Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. All consultations are confidential. We understand the sensitivity and urgency of asylum claims and treat every case with the seriousness it deserves.
Asylum applications filed proactively with the USCIS Asylum Office (I-589) for Brooklyn residents not in removal proceedings. Comprehensive case preparation including country conditions documentation, personal declaration, corroborating evidence, and Asylum Office interview preparation.
Asylum as a defense against deportation for Brooklyn residents already in removal proceedings before New York Immigration Court. Full court representation at 26 Federal Plaza and Varick Street courts. Individual hearing preparation and examination of witnesses.
Alternative relief for Brooklyn residents who cannot qualify for asylum but face a clear probability of persecution in their home country. Withholding of removal provides protection from deportation even if the asylum deadline has passed.
CAT protection claims for Brooklyn residents facing a risk of torture if returned to their home country. Available even where asylum or withholding is barred by criminal history or other factors. A critical safety valve for high-risk cases.
Extending asylum protection to spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the principal asylum applicant. Both affirmative and defensive derivative applications handled. Family unification through follow-to-join benefits for asylees.
Asylum applications must generally be filed within one year of U.S. arrival. We identify and document qualifying exceptions — changed circumstances (country conditions change) and extraordinary circumstances (medical conditions, legal disability, ineffective prior counsel) — to overcome the one-year bar for Brooklyn applicants who missed the deadline.
To qualify for asylum, persecution must be based on at least one of the following five protected grounds:
Persecution based on your racial identity or perceived racial group membership.
Persecution for practicing, converting to, or refusing to practice a religion.
Persecution based on your national origin, citizenship, or ethnic group.
Persecution for holding or being perceived to hold political views opposed by the government or a controlling group.
Persecution based on membership in a group sharing a common characteristic — including LGBTQ+ identity, domestic violence victims (in some cases), and gang targeting of family members.
To qualify for asylum, you must be unable or unwilling to return to your home country due to past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution based on one of five protected grounds: (1) race, (2) religion, (3) nationality, (4) political opinion, or (5) membership in a particular social group. You must apply within one year of entering the U.S. (with limited exceptions) and must not be barred by criminal history, security grounds, or prior denials. We evaluate Brooklyn applicants' claims in full detail to determine eligibility and build the strongest possible case.
Affirmative asylum is filed proactively at the USCIS Asylum Office (currently in New York) by individuals not in removal proceedings. If denied, the case is referred to immigration court. Defensive asylum is raised as a defense in immigration court by someone already in removal proceedings. Brooklyn residents receive affirmative asylum interviews at the Newark, NJ Asylum Office (which covers New York). Defensive asylum hearings for Brooklyn residents are held at New York Immigration Court (26 Federal Plaza or Varick Street).
Possibly. Two exceptions exist: (1) Changed circumstances materially affecting your eligibility — such as a significant change in country conditions or a change in your personal circumstances (e.g., conversion, relationship, or new political activity) — and (2) Extraordinary circumstances that prevented timely filing — such as a serious illness, mental or physical disability, prior attorney ineffectiveness, or legal disability. We evaluate Brooklyn applicants for these exceptions and build detailed evidentiary records to support them.
Key documents include: Form I-589 (complete and detailed asylum application), personal declaration describing persecution in detail, country conditions evidence (State Department reports, news articles, human rights organization reports), identity documents, any available corroborating evidence (police reports, hospital records, photos, witness letters), and evidence of prior persecution or threats. Our attorneys guide Brooklyn clients through every document requirement and help obtain hard-to-find country conditions evidence.
Processing times vary significantly. Affirmative asylum interviews at the Newark Asylum Office currently have a wait of 6–24+ months depending on when the application was filed (newer applications are being prioritized under the 'last in, first out' policy). Defensive asylum cases in New York Immigration Court can take 2–5+ years to reach an individual hearing due to court backlogs. During the pending period, most applicants receive work authorization (EAD) after 150 days. We keep Brooklyn clients updated on their specific case timeline.
Yes, after your asylum application has been pending for 150 days without a final decision (not counting delays caused by you), you can apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD allows you to work legally in the U.S. while your case is pending. We file EAD applications at the right time and monitor the 150-day clock for all Brooklyn asylum clients.
If you fled persecution and need legal protection, our asylum attorneys are here to help. Confidential consultation — Brooklyn and all NYC boroughs.