The Long Wait for Asylum
Victoria and Ammon* were granted asylum by the Arlington Asylum Office on August 1, 2024, nearly ten years after they first applied for asylum. When they fled Egypt, Victoria and Ammon were just newlyweds. They had hoped to build their life together and start a family in their home country, but soon realized that would be impossible. As a Coptic Christian, Victoria was forced to leave her job as an attorney after she was falsely accused of proselytizing to her Muslim co-workers. Her colleagues often spoke to her in demeaning and derogatory ways because of her refusal to convert to Islam.
“We were forced to leave due to death threats against me as a Christian and against my family, including my husband,” she says. “I was scared of leaving behind my [extended] family and everything I knew to face a new and unfamiliar place without friends or any preparation for living there.”
“Working with this family was a joy! Hailing back from Victoria’s legal career in Egypt, she and Ammon collected dozens of documents corroborating each part of their story, from their participation in the Orthodox church to Victoria’s legal career to the assaults and threats she and Ammon suffered,” says Michelle Swearingen, the legal advocate who worked on their case. Michelle goes on to say, “Despite all of Victoria’s work and the reality that she had an incredibly strong asylum case, both Victoria and her husband suffered significant amounts of anxiety leading up to their interview. This speaks to the difficulty of the asylum process. It is incredibly painful to speak about the hardest days of your life, and it is exhausting and distressing to collect evidence to prove you are telling the truth about what you suffered.”
“No matter how prepared and educated an asylum-seeker may be, or how strong their case is, the asylum process is always a long and arduous journey. To support and accompany these resilient individuals on that journey is our privilege. As we enter into these holy spaces of brokenness and hope, we know God is with us all.”
Victoria and Ammon have welcomed four children since they first applied for asylum ten years ago. They built new careers, continued to develop their English-language skills, and are focused on healing, rebuilding and creating a safe and loving home for their amazing children.
Michelle says, “Victoria and Ammon are incredible individuals who have persevered for years, through severe anxiety, loss and countless setbacks, for the opportunity to live safely and for the freedom to practice and express their Christian faith. I have no doubt they will do beautiful things here in the United States. And I’m so thankful that RILA is part of their story.”
*Names have been changed for safety.