4/2/18 A federal court judge in Seattle ordered the government to notify asylum seekers that they are required by law to file their asylum applications within one year of their entry, and to adopt and implement a procedure that will ensure that applicants are able to file their asylum applications by the deadline. This decision, issued last week, will impact thousands of noncitizens who have fled persecution in their home countries.
Without adequate notice, far too many asylum seekers do not learn about the one-year filing deadline until it is too late and face deportation back to the country that they fled, without ever being able to present their asylum claim. For many asylum seekers who are aware of the requirement and seek to file a timely application, the government imposes additional hurdles that make meeting the deadline an impossibility.
