"Stop shedding tears": In American prisons, Russian dissidents express concern over potential extradition
In a bid to overturn the denial of her political asylum request, Natalia, a Russian political activist, has filed an appeal. The decision to deny her asylum was made by a judge in April, despite her family's history of anti-government protests and involvement with a banned opposition group in Russia.
Natalia fled Russia, fearing arrest for her family's opposition activism, and sought political asylum in the United States. However, she has spent over a year in an immigration detention center in Louisiana, a place she finds long and grim.
The days in the detention center are challenging for Natalia. Security guards can throw away inmates' meager belongings or forbid them from using a towel to keep warm during a walk outside. Inmates also claim they are going hungry and not receiving proper medical care.
Natalia expresses a deep sense of disappointment with the US judicial system, feeling it treats her the same way as in Russia. This sentiment is shared by Yuri, Natalia's husband, who was deported on a commercial flight over the summer, after a year in detention. However, Yuri was able to get off the plane in Morocco and buy a plane ticket to a third country.
Yuri is concerned that his wife might not have the same opportunity to leave the deportation flight, as was the case with the two mass deportation flights. Another Russian asylum seeker, held with Natalia, has lost her case and is awaiting removal.
The denial of Natalia's asylum request comes at a time when about 85 percent of Russian asylum claims adjudicated last year were approved. However, denials have increased in recent months. This trend is concerning for many asylum seekers, including Natalia, who fear being returned to Russia where they may face persecution.
Tens of thousands of Russians have applied for political asylum in the United States since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, there is no information available about who represented or supported Natalia during her asylum application process in the United States in recent months.
Some deportees have faced lengthy interrogations and arrest upon return to Russia. This is a concern for Natalia, who is worried about her inability to be present in her children's lives. Her biggest sorrow is not being able to take part in her children's lives.
Despite the challenges she faces, Natalia remains hopeful. She says she no longer cries, knowing she needs to live to see her appeal. The outcome of her case could set a precedent for other Russian asylum seekers in the United States.
US officials declined to comment on recent deportations of Russian citizens. However, the issue of political asylum for Russian citizens has become a topic of international concern, with many watching Natalia's case closely.
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