By Han Yin
Based on materials and research provided by David L. Cleveland
USCIS released 219 pages of Burma country-conditions training materials https://louisetraumacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/219-pages_merged-1-2.pdf in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the Free Burma Society. These materials were used to provide information to asylum officers reviewing cases involving Burma/Myanmar.
The full collection is available on the “Asylum Officer Material” page of the Louise Trauma Center website and is dated March 2026.
Burmese Activists Who Protest Abroad
One of the documents, found on page 46, is a Response to an Information Request dated March 9, 2004. An asylum officer asked what happened to Burmese citizens who participated in political protests outside Burma and were later deported back to the country.
According to the response, observers reported that at least some Burmese people who protested in Thailand had been persecuted after being returned to Burma. A researcher in London also reported that some Burmese activists were arrested immediately after being handed over to Burmese authorities.
The report also stated that Burmese Embassy officials in Washington, D.C. regularly photographed protesters and videotaped demonstrations. This information appears on page 47.
Another response, dated May 17, 2007, discusses Aung Lynn Htut, a former member of the Burmese Military Intelligence Service. According to the materials, he was assigned to the Burmese Embassy in Washington, D.C. to monitor Burmese citizens, political activists, and members of the exile community. His main responsibility at the embassy was reportedly to monitor the activities of Burmese exiles. This information appears on page 66.
Government Punishment of Family Members
A response dated July 23, 2008, beginning on page 74, discusses cases in which Burmese authorities punished family members when they could not locate the person they were seeking.
For example, in 2007, authorities reportedly wanted to arrest political activist Htay Kywe. When they could not find him, they arrested his brother.
In another case, authorities wanted to arrest poet Ko Nyein Thit but could not locate him, so his wife was arrested instead.
One particularly disturbing example involved Kyaw Wunna. Authorities reportedly arrested eight members of his family when they were unable to find him. Among those detained was his three-year-old daughter. This information appears on page 76.
These examples demonstrate how political repression in Burma has sometimes extended beyond activists themselves and affected their family members.
Ethnic Groups, Political History, and Regional Conflict
The training materials also contain important background information about Burma’s ethnic groups, political developments, and armed conflicts.
A response dated July 15, 2010, beginning around page 100, discusses the Pa-O organization.
Maps of Burma’s seven ethnic states begin on page 115, and a map showing the geographic distribution of ethnic groups appears on page 120. Page 128 contains photographs related to the Karen National Union (KNU).
Other sections include:
- A presentation on Burma’s political history from 1990 to 2008 on page 136.
- A discussion of the November 2015 elections beginning around page 146.
- Information about violence in Rakhine State in October 2016 on page 164.
- Discussion of the Rohingya population and related human-rights concerns beginning around page 180.
- A list of important actors involved in the February 2021 military coup on page 187.
The materials also identify several organizations used as country-condition sources as of 2023, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and Amnesty International. These references appear around page 194.
Violence Following the 2021 Military Coup
A section titled “Temporary Protected Status Considerations – March 2021”, beginning on page 197, describes the violence that followed the military takeover.
The materials state that security forces killed numerous protesters during February and March 2021, including killings carried out openly during the daytime.
The report also describes an increase in feared nighttime raids and arrests. In one example, police reportedly killed a man who was participating in a neighborhood watch intended to discourage nighttime arrests.
These reports provide important context about the danger faced by people who opposed the military government following the coup.
Religious and Linguistic Information
The training materials also address the treatment of religious minorities in Burma.
A January 2022 report beginning on page 203 discusses Muslims in Burma and related country conditions.
A language map covering the Bangladesh-Burma border region appears on page 214. Such information may be useful when reviewing cases involving ethnic and linguistic communities from border areas.
More Recent Developments
The risks connected to Burma’s military government have continued in more recent years.
According to Reuters, American businessman Adam Castillo, who wrote a book about experiencing Myanmar’s military coup, was detained after arriving at Yangon International Airport on June 12, 2026.
His detention is another example of the continuing security concerns involving people whose activities, writings, or public statements may be viewed negatively by Burmese authorities.
USCIS Country-of-Origin Research
Within USCIS is the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate (RAIO).
In January 2025, RAIO published a 39-page lesson plan titled “Researching and Using Country of Origin Information.” The lesson plan discusses the use of country-condition research when reviewing asylum and refugee cases.
According to the lesson plan, asylum officers may submit research questions, or “queries,” to RAIO Research. Responses to these questions may also be included in monthly research publications. In some materials, this office has also been referred to as the Research Unit.
Country-of-origin information is especially important in asylum cases because it can help provide context about political repression, ethnic or religious persecution, military activity, arrests, surveillance, and other conditions affecting applicants from a particular country.
Author’s Note
The USCIS materials contain a large amount of useful information, although the documents are not always organized chronologically. Some of the maps are also difficult to read because of their quality.
Despite these limitations, the released materials provide a valuable look at the types of information that USCIS asylum officers have received about Burma over many years. They include evidence concerning surveillance of Burmese activists abroad, retaliation against family members, ethnic and religious conflict, the military coup, and continuing political repression.
For Burmese asylum seekers and those assisting them, understanding these materials may provide useful background on how U.S. asylum officers research and evaluate country conditions.
About David L. Cleveland
David L. Cleveland served as Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Asylum Committee from 2004–2005 and has obtained asylum or withholding of removal for individuals from 48 countries. He is based in Washington, D.C.
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