What Questions Does an Immigration Judge Ask at an Asylum Hearing? 

When you appeal the denial of your asylum petition, your case will be referred to an immigration court, where you and your attorney will have an opportunity to present your petition to an immigration judge. That judge will ask you questions about your petition. If you prepare for those questions, you will feel more comfortable when you appear before the judge and you will have a better chance of convincing the judge to approve your petition. 

An immigration appeals attorney at the Bassey Immigration Law Center can review your petition, help you prepare for the hearing, and give you more specific information about the questions that an immigration judge might ask.   

For more than 20 years, our attorneys have represented asylum seekers in hearings before immigration judges, and we have the knowledge and experience to know what questions you are likely to face. 

What background information will an immigration judge ask about? 

Before getting into the details of your asylum petition, an immigration judge will ask you about the biographical information you included in your petition with questions such as: 

• What is your full legal name? 
• Where and in what year were you born? 
• What is your current address? 
• If you are married, what is your spouse’s name? 
• Do you have children? If so, where were they born and what are their names? 
• How long have you been in the United States? 

What questions will an immigration judge ask about your asylum petition? 

An immigration judge will ask questions about why you are seeking asylum in the United States and why you believe it would be dangerous for you to return to your home country.  

A judge might ask: 

• What threats or harm did you experience in your home country? 
• Are those threats or harm related to your race, religion, membership in a political party or union, or your sexual orientation? 
• Are you or your family facing threats or harm in the United States? 
• What proof of threats or harm do you have? 
• Did you report the threats or harm to law enforcement authorities in your home country and, if so, how did they respond? 
• Are your family members in your home country facing similar threats or harm? 

In every case, the immigration judge will seek to verify if you qualify as a “refugee” under section 101(a)(42)(A) of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act and if you are barred from seeking asylum under Section 208(b)(2) of that Act. If you have specific concerns about whether you qualify, make sure you discuss those concerns with a Board of immigration appeals lawyer before your asylum hearing. 

What else will an immigration judge ask? 

An immigration judge might also ask if you are facing criminal charges or if you have been convicted of a crime, if you have made any other attempts to immigrate to the United States or another country, and if there are any unique personal or family circumstances that support your petition.  

Some of those questions might make you nervous, but you should listen to them carefully and answer them honestly and directly. If a judge suspects that you are not being honest or that you are hiding something, he or she will ask different questions that will bring out the truth. 

If you do not understand a question, you should ask the judge to clarify it for you. You can request an interpreter if you cannot easily speak or understand English.  

If you do not know the answer, you should simply respond that you do not know, rather than guessing or making up an answer.  

Call Bassey Immigration Law Center  

The immigration appeals lawyers at the Bassey Immigration Law Center in Tampa, Florida, help asylum seekers and their families throughout the United States to file asylum petitions and to appeal denials. Please call us for more information about the questions that an immigration law judge will ask in your case, and for all other legal assistance with immigration matters. 

About Bassey Immigration Law Center, P.A.

Bassey Immigration Law Center, P.A., led by attorney Aniefiok Bassey, provides comprehensive immigration services to individuals, families, and businesses in Florida and beyond. With over 20 years of experience, the firm assists clients with a wide range of immigration matters, from family reunification and green cards to business visas and deportation defense. The diverse, multilingual team is dedicated to supporting clients through the complex immigration process, with a special focus on citizenship, asylum, and LGBTQ+ immigration needs. They offer affordable initial consultations and are committed to delivering personalized, strategic guidance for achieving clients’ immigration goals.