Pokoman, my opinion is this one. I could be wrong of course. I believe that all asylum cases are different from each other, we have it clear. But, there are stronger cases than others otherwise some cases shouldn't be sent to a judge in the first place. There are cases based on religion persecution, torture , political persecution, and many others. When u apply for asylum in this country, I think the first step they do is to check your background locally with agencies, if u are clear ok, then, they move to the second step. The second step is to check your background in your home country. Each embassy in each country has its own team that is in charge to check all the proves, evidence and information attached in asylum applications...how do you think they will find out that what you are saying is true or not?..just cause at the time of the interview you brought a big smile and the FBI and CIA clearence is enough?......Nope, I don't think so. They have to ask around in your home country to verify everything that you are arguing in your statement. Each embassy has its own budget for this. This is the most powerful and richest country in the world, they should have money. Also, I don't think religion persecution or torture is treated in the same way as political persecution. For this two types of persecution, I think the USCIS cares more about phisical evidence than statements by other people. For political persecution, they care more about comments done by other people regarding your family and the case by itself. If you were involved in a political movement in your country, they have to ask people that moves at your same level and knows about the case ( persecution, abuse of power, economical terrorism..etc ) and with all those comments a final conclusion has to come. Usually this people is the one that has all the economical power in your country. Their comments are really valuable. If what happened really happened in the first place. Also, I think that for political persecution this country has to check for conflict of interest and international relations as well. Because, they know that if they are giving asylum to a person that was against the government in power in your country, that means that this country in some way thinks that your opinions and your position is right. The conclusion is, that they think the government of your country is corrupt and human rights are not respected at all. Probably, the main embassy of your country in US will be notified about the asylum application. If they don't like the idea of you applying for asylum, they are going to move their tentacles and do lobbys just to make you look bad, so asylum won't be granted to you. Every country takes care of his international reputation and that's because every year the US makes a public statement about human rights on each country. That statement is really important for all countries especially for third kind countries because from that statement comes the amount of money that this country will be helping your home country. ( financial aids..etc..). The better comments your country gets, the more support and aid it will get from the U.S. Of course, our home countries won't like the idea of people applying for asylum and complaining that human rights are not respected in our home countries. At the end, what is right and true has to win. That's what makes this country so great , the country of Freedom, Liberty and Justice!.
Conclusion, They have to interview people when your case is a political persecution, I don't see other option for political leaders.
Pokoman if you disagree, is ok man...everybody has a different opinion about how the asylum process works. None of us works in the USCIS to actually really know what happens in there at the time of applying for asylum. Mine is just an opinion and period. Replies, comments, disagrements are more than welcome. At the end , we are all learning from each other and clearing doubts. As asylees, we have to deal so much with the immigration process that the whole waiting time becomes an excuse to make Immigration a science, a main topic.
