Louisiana asylum attorneys at Liberty Law Group handle a variety of asylum cases all across the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.  

Before requesting asylum in the United States, it is first important to understand the qualifications for asylum. In order to prevail with the immigration case,  an asylum applicant must prove that he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution based upon one or more of the following five protected grounds:

• race;
  
• nationality;
  
• political opinion;
• religion; or                                                                                                                                                                                 '
• membership in a particular social group                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                              
To establish persecution, an applicant must show that the harm the applicant experienced or fears is sufficiently serious to amount to persecution. The applicant must also prove that the persecutor's motivation in causing the harm is on account of the applicant's race, nationality, political opinion, religion, or membership in a particular social group. The applicant must also that the person or entity that harmed or is threatening the applicant is the government or an entity or person that the government is unable or unwilling to control.  

The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has described persecution as an experience that “must rise above unpleasantness, harassment and even basic suffering.” There is no requirement that an individual suffer “serious injuries” to be found to have suffered persecution. However, the presence or absence of physical harm is relevant in determining whether the harm suffered by the applicant rises to the level of persecution. 


Violations of “core” or “fundamental” human rights, prohibited by international law, may constitute harm amounting to persecution. These rights include freedom from arbritrary deprivation of life, genocide, slavery, torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment, prolonged detention without notice of and opportunity to contest the grounds of detention, rape and other severe forms of sexual violence. For economic harm to rise to the level of persecution it must be deliberately imposed and severe. 

Sadly, many immigrants make life changing decisions before considering whether they might legally qualify for asylum. Also equally disapointing is the fact that most asylum applicants who have been the victims of gang or cartel violence do not qualify for asylum. Before making such a life changing decision or if you are already in the United States and need to apply for asylum or are already in the process of applying for asylum, contact Louisiana asylum lawyers at Liberty Law Group for a free consultation.