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?