Before Gontcharova v. Ashcroft, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) applied a draconian standard that required asylum applicants to provide "corroboration" of their testimony, often without explaining what the immigrant lacked or without giving him or her an opportunity to explain why it would be difficult to provide evidence. In its decision, 384 F.3d 873 (7th Cir. 2004), the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals modified DHS's corroboration rule, requiring the agency to give an immigrant an opportunity to respond.
NIJC has a new Chicago address at 111 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60604 and a new email domain at @immigrantjustice.org.