Case #24-0030594
Initials & Country of Origin: T.S. and I.S. from Russia
Type of Case: Removal – Asylum
Language/interpretation needs: Russian interpreter needed
Date of Entry (and status, if any): 01/17/2024; T was detained and paroled, I was granted humanitarian parole
Next Hearing: T – 05/12/2025 (Master – IJ Zaske); I – 02/19/2025 (Master – IJ Miller)
Current Status/status expiry: Parole; Asylum applications filed pro se ~09/17/2024
Case Summary: T and his mom, I, are Jehovah's Witnesses from Russia. I was baptized in 1990, and T was baptized in 2010. When they went out preaching, people would yell profanities at them and call them "American spies” and scammers. After the ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017, they began having religious meetings in T's sister's apartment. Because of this, their neighbors would call the police to complain. In 2018, the police came to the apartment and told T they were looking for his sister because of the complaints. The police did not seem to know the family were Jehovah’s Witnesses. In December 2018, T fled to Turkey. He returned to Russia in 2019 to help his mom leave the country. They stayed in Turkey on short-term residence permits. They left Turkey in November 2023 when T's application to renew his permit was denied. At the border, they say they did CBP-1 and had an appointment scheduled. I was given an I-94, but T was detained for one month, then paroled with an Interim Notice Authorizing Parole.
Theory of the Case: Fear of future persecution by government and non-government actors on account of religion.
Legal Issues: Because of his manner of entry, T is subject to the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule. AHR believes T qualifies for an exception to this rule because he was paroled out of detention. DHS may also raise a firm resettlement argument in I’s case because her short-term residence permit offered a pathway to permanent status after 8 years (her permit needed to be renewed every 2 years). AHR believes an argument can be made that this is too speculative, because she does not know if her permit would have been renewed.
Commitment: Redline/Supplement I-589s, prepare evidence and testimony, appearances in Court; Work permit (initial and renewals)
Court: Yes
Experience level/case team size recommended: Appropriate for any experience level and team size
Type of Case: Removal – Asylum
Language/interpretation needs: Russian interpreter needed
Date of Entry (and status, if any): 01/17/2024; T was detained and paroled, I was granted humanitarian parole
Next Hearing: T – 05/12/2025 (Master – IJ Zaske); I – 02/19/2025 (Master – IJ Miller)
Current Status/status expiry: Parole; Asylum applications filed pro se ~09/17/2024
Case Summary: T and his mom, I, are Jehovah's Witnesses from Russia. I was baptized in 1990, and T was baptized in 2010. When they went out preaching, people would yell profanities at them and call them "American spies” and scammers. After the ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017, they began having religious meetings in T's sister's apartment. Because of this, their neighbors would call the police to complain. In 2018, the police came to the apartment and told T they were looking for his sister because of the complaints. The police did not seem to know the family were Jehovah’s Witnesses. In December 2018, T fled to Turkey. He returned to Russia in 2019 to help his mom leave the country. They stayed in Turkey on short-term residence permits. They left Turkey in November 2023 when T's application to renew his permit was denied. At the border, they say they did CBP-1 and had an appointment scheduled. I was given an I-94, but T was detained for one month, then paroled with an Interim Notice Authorizing Parole.
Theory of the Case: Fear of future persecution by government and non-government actors on account of religion.
Legal Issues: Because of his manner of entry, T is subject to the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule. AHR believes T qualifies for an exception to this rule because he was paroled out of detention. DHS may also raise a firm resettlement argument in I’s case because her short-term residence permit offered a pathway to permanent status after 8 years (her permit needed to be renewed every 2 years). AHR believes an argument can be made that this is too speculative, because she does not know if her permit would have been renewed.
Commitment: Redline/Supplement I-589s, prepare evidence and testimony, appearances in Court; Work permit (initial and renewals)
Court: Yes
Experience level/case team size recommended: Appropriate for any experience level and team size
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