Our Firm has extensive experience in successfully handling complex and cutting-edge refugee, asylum, and Convention Against Torture claims. Lisa Johnson-Firth, the principal of the Immigrants First started her immigration law career handling asylum claims while she was still practicing corporate law at an international law firm. Her first case was for a Turkish woman and her two children fleeing severe domestic violence in Turkey. Ms. Johnson-Firth won the case, despite the challenge that domestic violence claims were not, especially ten years ago, recognized as a basis for asylum.

Since her first case, she has successfully represented clients from around the world seeking refuge in the United States, and she has developed a strong background in complex asylum claims involving social groups.

In addition to meeting our client’s legal needs, our Firm’s holistic approach to working with traumatized clients enables them to regain a sense of empowerment. Sensitivity to our clients’ spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical needs builds trust in themselves and in their relationship with us, resulting in dramatically better case preparation.

Refugee & Asylum Claims. A refugee is defined as any person outside his or her country of nationality, or, in the case of a person having no nationality, his or her last habitual residence, who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country because of past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

An asylee is a person who meets the above definition of a refugee but who is either physically present in the United States or is at a port of entry at the time he or she seeks refuge.

Having refugee or asylum status in the United States entitles you to work, eventually seek a green card, and petition for your spouse and children, as well as many other benefits. However, the requirements for asylum and the scrutiny of petitions have become much more stringent, including that an asylum claim must be filed within one year of entry into the United States (with limited exception).