A Good Lawyer is Hard to Find: Effective Counsel in Asylum Proceedings

• In Event: Immigrant Incorporation in the EU and US

Abstract

Prior to the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance and family separation policies at the southern border of the United States, the number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the United States has fluctuated greatly. With the large number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the United States over the years the question of what factors influence whether unaccompanied minors receive asylum in the United States or not becomes more pertinent? Past research indicates that one of the more important factors determining asylum success in U.S. immigration courts is if the applicants are represented by lawyers in their proceedings. The purpose of this research is to examine how access to lawyers, and quality of legal representation, influence the likelihood of unaccompanied minors receiving asylum in the United States. Using data on 10,294 cases of unaccompanied minors in immigration court from October 2nd 2013 to September 29th 2017 we aim to show that it is not only whether the minors are represented by lawyers that makes asylum more likely but also the quality of legal representation that matters as well.

Authors

• Daniel Bruce Braaten, Texas Lutheran University

• Claire Angelique Nolasco Braaten, Texas A&M-San Antonio