U.S. asylum law identifies five protected grounds: race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and political opinion.
Why the protected ground matters
It is not enough to show that serious harm happened or may happen. An asylum applicant generally must show the required connection between the persecution and at least one protected ground. Lawyers often call this connection nexus.
More than one ground may be relevant to the same facts. The important question is not which label sounds strongest, but what the evidence actually shows about why the persecutor targeted or would target the person.
Examples of evidence that may help
Depending on the case, useful evidence may include statements or threats identifying a person's religion or political views, membership records, witness declarations, laws or policies targeting a group, credible country reports, or evidence showing how similarly situated people are treated.
Do not force facts into a protected ground. Record what happened, who was involved, what was said or done, and why you believe you were targeted.
Official sources
This page explains the framework generally and does not decide which protected ground applies to an individual case.