“An asylum seeker is any person who has fled from their home country for fear of their lives being jeopardized due to race, religion, nationality, gender, membership in a social group, or political opinion and has asked the United States to grant them asylum, or sanctuary.” (American Immigration Council)
Reasons for seeking asylum vary drastically, and each story is filled with the immense courage and resilience of the person seeking safety. Read real stories from DASH residents here.
Some of the primary places DFW receives its asylum-seeker population include Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, China, Pakistan, Central America, Burundi, and Angola.
DASH Eligibility Requirements
Asylum seekers must meet the following requirements in order to be accepted into the DASH program:
- Currently seeking asylum (not a refugee, asylee, or other type of migrant)
- Actively working on their asylum case
- Has or is currently searching for a lawyer, or has filed pro se
- Currently possesses less than $1000 to cover living expenses
- Willing to move to Fort Worth
- Willing to be interviewed by a DASH lawyer to confirm asylum seeker status
- Willing to follow all US laws, including not working or driving until the appropriate documentation is in hand
- Desperately in need of housing with no other options
*Note: There is NO “rule of faith” for asylum seekers. We serve asylum seekers from any and all backgrounds.
