Asylum seekers in detention
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Asylum Manual for Volunteer Attorneys
This excellent and very thorough manual was developed by Public Counsel to orient and guide their pro bono attorneys through the asylum process. Although the entire manual is very useful, particularly of note for those serving detained survivors are the resources in Appendix 6.
Fundamentals: Legal Services Resources
Publications
Immigration Dynamics - Processes, Challenges and Benefits.pdf (155.312 KB)
Advocates for Human Rights Pro Bono Asylum Representation Manual
Asylum Officer Basic Training Course Lesson Plan on Interviewing Survivors
Germain, R., AILA’s Asylum Primer: A Practical Guide to U.S. Asylum Law and Procedure (7th Ed. 2015) - available for purchase
Preface available to read online here
Excerpt of Chapter 2: US Asylum Law available to read online here
Wilkinson, John, “Immigration Dynamics: Processes, Challenges, and Benefits,” in Smith, Hawthorne, Keller, Alan, and Lhewa, DW, eds. Like a Refugee Camp on First Avenue: Insights and Experiences from the Bellevue-NYU Program for Survivors of Torture. New York: Bellevue-NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, 2007, Chapter 3 (attached to this post - see top of post for download)
For more on conditions of detained asylum seekers, read:
Kassindja, Fauziya. Do They Hear You When You Cry? New York: Random House, 1998. This is a true story of a 17-year old girl detained for almost two years who eventually wins asylum in a landmark case at the Board of Immigration Appeals based on her fear of female genital mutilation.
Websites
Asylum Officer Basic Training Course
Training for mental health evaluators evaluating torture survivors for asylum claims
Training for pro bono legal representatives
Audiovisual Materials
A Well-Founded Fear, (Documentary, 1999)
Casablanca (Movie, 1942)
The Kite Runner (Movie, 2007)
An American Tail (Animated Movie, 1986, for children)
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Practice Manual for Pro Bono Attorneys Representing Detained Clients with Mental Disabilities in Immigration Court
(2009, 124 pp.) Provides guidance for attorneys representing detained asylum seekers (and others) who have mental health issues; includes tips and information on getting mental health evaluations and services while detained.
Pro Bono Attorney Manual Legal Orientation Program
2007 training manual for pro bono attorneys representing individuals in immigration proceedings in San Pedro, California, and working with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. Provides fairly complete information for pro bono attorneys; a possible model for your pro bono training & orientation program.