Procedural Manual for Attorneys Representing Detained Asylum Seekers

Special Considerations When Representing Detained Applicants for Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and Relief under the Convention Against Torture

Updated February 2013

This manual offers basic guidelines for attorneys representing asylum seekers who are detained in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is a supplement to NIJC's Procedural Manual for Asylum Representation. The appendices listed below include useful forms and further resources.

None of these materials should be considered legal advice and individuals are strongly encouraged to seek counsel from qualified immigration attorneys or Board of Immigration Appeals-accredited representatives before submitting an application for asylum.

Appendices to the Asylum Detention Supplement 

A.  Contact Information for Chicago ICE Detention Facilities (October 2014)

B.  Sample Fax Cover Sheet Templates for Correspondence with the Detention Facilities

C.  Sample Request for Release Post-Grant

D.  March 6, 2012 ERO Field Guidance Reminder, “Reminder on Detention Policy Where an Immigration Judge Has Granted Asylum, Withholding of Removal or CAT.”

E.  Sample Argument that a Crimimal Conviction Does Not Constitute a “Particularly Serious Crime.”