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dents, a luxury most applicants for political

asylum do not have, it took him over a year to

apply for asylum.44

Asylum Seekers Fear Retribution Back Home

Whereas few applicants for asylum are able to talk

about their persecution soon after they arrive in the United

States, those who are able to may have other valid reasons

for not wanting to immediately request asylum.  Many victims

of persecution fear that the government in their home coun-

tries will learn about their efforts to seek asylum protec-

tion in the United States and retaliate against the family,

friends, and colleagues they left behind.

After one of my clients fled his home country, in fear

for his life (government officials beat and harassed him for

participating in a demonstration denouncing the government's

treatment of people from his ethnic group), the government

repeatedly threatened his wife and two young children.  He

was forced to leave them at home because he had to flee so

quickly.  Government officials beat one of his sons and

broke into and ransacked his family's home on numerous

occasions.  Then, when my client participated in demonstra-

tions denouncing his home country's government while he was

living in the United States, government officials again

broke into his family's home in the middle of the night and

interrogated his wife about her husband's activities.

During the interrogation, they even mentioned that they knew

about his participation in the demonstration in the United

States.  As a result, my client feared that his government

was as aware of his every move while he was living in the

United States as it had been when he lived at home.  He is

still so concerned about possible retaliation against his

family and his own vulnerability that he asked that neither

his name nor his country be identified here.

Asylum Is Viewed as a Last Resort

Many asylum seekers view asylum as a last resort.  They

would prefer to return to their home country if possible and

therefore they often wait to see whether the conditions at

home will improve.  Only after acknowledging that the situa-

tion at home will not change do they apply, reluctantly, for

asylum.