We can thank then-Attorney General Janet Reno for her courageous and bold move in 1994 that secured that status of "social group" for applicants seeking protection from persecution because of their sexual orientation. It is heartening to have the most widely read newspaper in the nation's capital document this important immigration option because the vast majority of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and HIV+ persons fleeing persecution or afraid to return to their countries are completely unaware that they can apply for asylum here. (Persecuted in Homelands, Gays Seek Asylum in US Washington Post). Even with the arbitrarily applied one-year deadline and other restrictions added in recent years worthy cases are still granted on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. There are certainly glaring flaws in the administration of the asylum program, but the greatest hurdle facing LGBT/HIV+ applicants remains the widespread ignorance of the law and the often insurmountable barriers to qualified, expert legal representation. There are excellent non-profit organizations available to assist the indigent and, more than ever, a growing private attorney network able to provide representation. (Thanks, Vickie.)