NIJC Procedural Manual for Asylum Representation (PDF)

NIJC’s asylum manual provides an overview of the U.S. asylum process and provides basic guidelines for attorneys representing asylum seekers. None of these materials should be considered legal advice. Individuals are strongly encouraged to seek counsel from qualified immigration attorneys or Board of Immigration Appeals-accredited representatives before submitting applications for asylum.

At the end of 2020, the Trump administration published multiple final rules that dramatically change the asylum system. Because most of these rules were not in effect as of the date this manual was updated, most rules apply prospectively to asylum seekers who file for asylum after the effective date of the rules, and the rules are being litigated, this manual does not address the changes in detail. For more information about the Trump administration's attacks on asylum, please see https://immigrantjustice.org/issues/asylum-seekers-refugees.