Woman Forced to Cook or Die, Denied Asylum
Imagine you are forced to cook for an armed group. Imagine you manage to run away and make it to the United States. Imagine that you believe you will be protected here and file your asylum application, wanting a new beginning. Now imagine the immigration judge denies your asylum – not because it didn’t happen, not because they don’t believe you – but because WITHOUT ANY PROOF the immigration judge says you can safely live in a third country where you have never set foot. This is the new safe third country bar.
Why Do Immigration Judges Ask if Venezuelans Can Live in Ecuador or Honduras?
As of June 17, 2026, Immigration Judges can CANCEL asylum hearings – without reviewing evidence or hearing witnesses — unless the foreigner can prove that they PERSONALLY might be harmed in a country which has signed an Asylum Cooperative Agreement (ACA) with the United States. The following are the ACA countries, as of July 2026:
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Ecuador
The governments of Uganda and Belize have also signed contracts allowing the U.S. to transfer foreigners there.
Do I Need to Hire an Attorney So the Judge Doesn’t Cancel My Asylum?
Hiring an asylum expert has never been more important for seeking a new beginning in the United States. Blandon Law attorneys help you understand the constant changes of the law and work to get you a court hearing, your deserved chance to tell your story.
Example #1 – DHS argues that a Venezuelan has a safe third country in Italy because they have dual citizenship there. Blandon Law attorneys successfully argued creatively that a passport alone does not prove citizenship. Our client had no allegiance to Italy and so that was not a safe third country. Asylum won.
Example #2 – DHS argues that a Venezuelan should have asked for asylum in either Guatemala or Honduras because he traveled through those countries before entering the U.S. Blandon Law attorneys successfully argued that our client was detained in transit by criminals and reasonably believed they would be immediately returned to Venezuela by authorities. As a practical matter, the applicant could never get asylum in Guatemala or Honduras. Victory: immigration judge allowed our client to provide his testimony in a full hearing.
Blandon Law has been helping families get asylum, work permits, and green cards for 25 years. Call 954.385.0157 or click “Ask an Attorney” today to get the exact fee for your upcoming asylum interview. Also click “Ask an Attorney” if you have a question for a future blog.
#AsylumSeekers #AsylumAttorney #ImmigrationLawyer #SafeThirdCountry #ImmigrationCourt #VenezuelanImmigrants #AsylumProtection #ImmigrationLaw #USAsylum #BlandonLaw
All team members speak Spanish.
Disclaimer – These entries are based on real life events. Family member names, when used, are real. Client names are changed for privacy.
