Asylum Assistance

Human Rights First (HRF) helps people living in the greater Washington, D.C., New York City, and Houston metropolitan areas who do not already have legal representation, cannot afford an attorney, and need help with a claim for asylum or other protection-based form of immigration status.

Types of cases HRF handles:

ASYLUM: HRF helps people who are afraid to return to their home countries because they have suffered harm and/or have a well-founded fear of future harm because of who they are.  This may include harm that is based upon their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or some other characteristic about themselves that they cannot change, such as their sexuality. To apply for asylum, a person MUST apply within ONE YEAR of entering the United States, unless they can show that they qualify for an exception to that rule.

Human Rights First also helps people to apply for withholding of removal and for protection under the U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT).

To apply for help at the Washington, D.C. Office:  call the office front desk at (202) 547 5692. You will be asked to leave a voice message into our asylum voice mail. A member of the staff will call you to provide a screening and they will let you know if you qualify for an intake meeting with HRF. Walk-in requests for assistance are not permitted in the D.C. Office. Various languages spoken.