If a person is persecuted in their home country because of their religion, nationality, race or membership in a certain social group, they can apply for political asylum or refugee immigration status in another country, different from their own one.
Political asylum refers to the protection given to political refugees from arrest by a foreign jurisdiction. Refugee status means that a person has the protection of the government of the country where her or she lives as an immigrant.
If you want to apply for political asylum in the United States, you should file the Form I-589 within one year of your arrival to the United States. No fee should be paid while applying for asylum. If you also name the immediate members of your family in the asylum application, they may also be eligible for asylum status.
You should note that the President of the United States puts each year a limit on the number of people who receive refugee status; asylum status is unlimited. If you don’t fit the criteria for political asylum or refugee status, you can ask for “temporary heaven“. It is given in cases when the conditions in your home country are dangerous.
If you have any legal issues with immigration law, you should better consult an immigration lawyer. Many experienced immigration attorneys you can find on Legal Bistro.