Building Belonging Together: Free Burma Society’s Season of Gathering and Gratitude

December 25, 2025

Written by Kay Khine

This year—through both joy and hardship—Free Burma Society was honored to walk alongside the Burmese resettled community during a season of togetherness and reflection. Christmas offered a meaningful opportunity for families and friends to gather, including many who arrived in the United States just three years ago and are still adapting to new cultural and social landscapes. Sharing meals, stories, and time together reaffirmed a simple truth: belonging is nurtured through consistent care, patience, and shared presence. Our gatherings were uplifted by the voices and energy of young people. One especially moving moment came from a local Catholic church youth choir, where a community member’s daughter sang with sincerity and warmth. Her song carried hope, resilience, and a quiet strength that resonated deeply—reminding us why investing in the next generation matters. The year 2025 brought real challenges to many in our community. Job transitions, job losses, and the ongoing effort to balance work, family, and resettlement tested stability and endurance. For newly arrived families, these pressures were often compounded by language barriers, unfamiliar systems, and the weight of rebuilding life far from home. Yet, together, we moved forward. Free Burma Society continued to support Burmese families through connection, advocacy, and community care. We leaned on one another, shared resources, and strengthened bonds rooted in mutual understanding. As we enter a new year, we remain committed to standing with the Burmese resettled community—building a compassionate, supportive space where dignity is honored, resilience is celebrated, and no one walks alone.

Asylum Denied: Use of Passport to Depart Country

December 17, 2025

Written by Thone Dari

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) denied asylum to a respondent (“R”) from Moldova. R testified that he was beaten twice by police in 2021 due to his political opinion. Following those incidents, however, R lived in Moldova for several years without further harm.

MORAL OF THE STORY: be prepared to answer these questions:

“Your government has forgotten about you, and no longer is angry, correct?”

“Why didn’t your government arrest you at the airport?”

POSSIBLE REMEDY:

After you departed from your country, did officials ask your family about you?

Have you done anything in the USA to bring yourself to the attention of your government?

Did you pay a bribe at the airport? Was the official at the airport a supporter of your cause?

Was he strongly pro-government, or was he just a tired and over-worked employee who did not care who departed?

Did the official at the airport have a list of “bad people” who should be arrested?

Did the police department give information to the official, and did he read it?

FROM THE DESK OF KAY KHINE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

November 17, 2025

Danish Government Report – August 2024

In August 2024, the Danish Immigration Service released a 95-page report titled “Myanmar: Security Situation, Return, and Military Service.” This report—recently referenced by an asylum officer—is available on our website in the LIBRARY under Country Conditions.

All asylum applicants should review this report carefully. Asylum officers read it, and so should you. The findings provide critical insight into current risks, surveillance practices, and the treatment of individuals inside and outside Myanmar.

Below are selected excerpts:

Page 27
Access to social media—especially Facebook—is restricted. People rely on VPNs to bypass censorship. Military authorities monitor online activity, and individuals who like, share, or otherwise support posts critical of the junta face punishment.

Page 31
Travel restrictions remain severe. Anyone who stays outside their home village must register overnight with the local ward administrator within 24 hours. Unannounced nighttime household checks by the SAC are routine, particularly in Yangon, Mandalay, and other urban areas.

(begins on page 46)

Page 68
Myanmar’s military maintains sophisticated online-monitoring capabilities. Even posts made from outside Myanmar—such as on Facebook—are monitored. A special military unit tracks online activity, and junta supporters also report individuals for anti-regime expression.

Page 90
Individuals who have joined an opposition group after leaving Myanmar must never return. It is extremely dangerous, even near border areas, where disappearances are common. Family members inside Myanmar also face retaliation, including the confiscation of property.

Opinion:

The August 5, 2025 questioning of the Burmese activist was a textbook example of a high-pressure asylum interview—methodical, repetitive, and designed to test both memory and credibility. The officer probed every aspect of the activist’s account: application history, past harm, political activities in Burma and the U.S., surveillance, military encounters, emotional trauma, risk of return, and any possible ties to violent groups.

This exhaustive style is deliberate. Repetition and small-detail questions are used to uncover inconsistencies, assess the severity of harm, and gauge whether it was tied to a protected ground such as political opinion. But it also carries risks for applicants—slips in detail, offhand comments about safe relocation, or vague responses to “material support” questions can undermine the case.

Key Takeaways for Asylum Seekers:

Stay Consistent: Expect the same question in different forms. Even minor contradictions can damage credibility.Master Your Timeline: Know dates, places, names, and the sequence of events for harm, threats, and political activities.

Link Harm to a Protected Ground: Make the connection to political opinion, religion, ethnicity, etc., explicit.

Be Ready for Pressure: Specific questions about clothing, words spoken, or emotional reactions are meant to test truthfulness.

Answer Carefully on “Material Support”: Even minimal help to a labeled violent group can trigger legal bars.Avoid Minimizing Risk: Statements implying the government “forgot” about you or that you could live safely elsewhere may weaken your claim.

Describe Ongoing Impact: If fear, trauma, or harm continues, say so.

Know Your Political Footprint Abroad: Be prepared to explain how your activities in the U.S. could be known to your home government.

Read the questions: Exhibit 27

America: A Land of Freedom, Human Dignity, and Second Chances

July 4 2025

While America is often described as a land of opportunity, it is also a land of freedom, human rights, and dignity. The story of this Karenni refugee family, whom Free Burma Society helped resettle in the United States, is a powerful reminder of what makes this country unique.

This family arrived in the U.S. just three years ago. In the photo, you see a young girl named Mowt standing beside a small baby. Mowt was only three years old when she arrived in the United States. Her early childhood was shaped by fear and flight—forced to flee the brutal Burmese military regime just a year after she was born. Despite her young age, she had already learned to speak two languages, to swim, and to navigate life in the jungles along the Thai-Burma border. She witnessed air raids, gunfire, and destruction—scenes no child should ever see.

Once in the United States, the family quickly began rebuilding their lives. They found work, enrolled in school and aftercare programs, and eventually purchased a home. Their first language is Karenni, but they are all improving their English day by day.

This photo captures their fourth Independence Day celebration in the U.S. They are not yet citizens, but proudly celebrate American freedom while honoring their heritage by wearing traditional Karenni clothing. Their joy and pride speak volumes.

Free Burma Society is honored to help families like this start a new chapter—one where they are free to live with dignity and contribute fully to their communities. They are working hard, paying taxes, participating in civic life—just like millions of Americans who came before them seeking safety, dignity, and a better future.

This is what freedom looks like.

Free Burma Society Celebrates a Hard-Fought Asylum Victory Amid Tragedy

June 13 2025

Free Burma Society is honored to share the bittersweet outcome of a recently resolved asylum case involving an elderly Burmese woman who faced years of hardship before receiving protection in the United States.

After surviving two strokes within a single year, she had missed the one-year filing deadline for asylum by over a decade. Despite the delay, her case was granted due to extraordinary circumstances, including her declining health, emotional trauma, and ongoing harassment by local authorities in her home country—a reality often faced by widows in her community.

Following years of emotional distress and increasing instability in her home country, she made the difficult decision to join her family in the U.S., entering on a visitor visa and remaining after it expired. As her health worsened and political conditions deteriorated further, it became unsafe for her to return. She filed Form I-589, seeking asylum based on her political opinion and her Chinese ethnic background.

During her asylum interview, she courageously shared how her circumstances had changed over time and expressed her deep fears about returning home. She also explained the significant barriers she faced, including difficulty accessing medical care due to the lack of valid identification and the constant fear of deportation.

Her application was ultimately approved. She was granted asylum and received both a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security number. Tragically, just one month after securing her status and finally achieving some sense of safety and belonging, she suffered a third stroke and passed away.

While the outcome of her case affirms the importance of humanitarian protections, her passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the toll taken by years of uncertainty and fear. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones. May her memory be a testament to resilience and the enduring pursuit of dignity and peace.