Religious Persecution

Victims of religious persecution are entitled to certain protections under U.S. immigration law. If you have been persecuted or if you fear being persecuted in your home country because of a religion (or because you have or lack, or you are perceived to have or lack, a religion), then you may qualify for asylum based on religion in the United States.

Religion defined –

Since there is no formal definition of the term “religion,” the term must be understood broadly to include not only traditional institutionalized religions like Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, or Islam, but also any other newer or smaller system of sincere beliefs or practices that plays a similar role in the life of its adherents (whether or not it is associated with a God or gods).

Examples of the types of religious-based persecution, which may form the basis of a claim for asylum –

• Serious threats or infliction of physical, psychological, or economic harm by one’s own government or group the government is unwilling or unable to control.
• Punishment by religious police through beatings, prolonged detention, or other harm
• Punishment by a family member, whose authority over you is permitted or tolerated by your country’s government, based on your supposed failure to comply with religious norms
• Special restrictions on your religious freedom imposed by your country’s laws that have a serious impact on your individual way of life
• Severe discrimination imposed on you or your religious group or banning the practice of your religion and forcing you to join a certain religion against your will