How is asylum law different from refugee law?
Asylum law and refugee law are two sides of the same coin. Asylum and refugee relief applicant must prove that they possess a well-founded fear of persecution abroad on account of race, religion, nationality (i.e., ethnicity), membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Those who seek protection in order to be admitted to the United States do so as refugee relief applicants. Those who seek such protection after admission (e.g., as tourists or students with limited duration visas) or unlawful entry into the U.S. do so as asylum applicants. Why did you decide to accept the role of director? I served as an Immigration Judge and for a time as the presiding Immigration Judge for Los Angeles from 1990 through 2007. I heard and adjudicated tens of thousands of asylum cases, and was often grossly disappointed by the mediocre representation afforded asylum applicants. My disappointment was mitigated on occasion, however, by the extraordinary quality of representation afforded
