Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 2000.11
May 13, 2010
Incorporating Change 1, May 23, 2017
USD(P)
SUBJECT: Procedures for Handling Requests for Asylum and Temporary Refuge
References: (a) DoD Directive 2000.11, subject as above, March 3, 1972 (hereby cancelled)
(b) DoD Directive 5111.1, “Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)),”
December 8, 1999
(c) Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, “Delegations of Authority,”
November 30, 2006
(d) Sections 227-229, “Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual,” Volume 2,
current edition
(e) DoD Instruction 5240.10, “Counterintelligence Support to the Combatant
Commands and the Defense Agencies,” May 14, 2004 “Counterintelligence
(CI) in the Combatant Commands and Other DoD Components,” October 5,
2011, as amended
1. PURPOSE. This Instruction reissues Reference (a) as a DoD Instruction in accordance with
the authority in References (b) and (c) to establish policy and assign responsibilities for DoD
handling of requests for asylum and temporary refuge in accordance with Reference (d).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the Department of Defense (hereafter
referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
3. DEFINITIONS. These terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this Instruction.
a. asylum. Protection granted by the U.S. Government within the United States to a foreign
national who, due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of his or her
race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is unable
or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of his or her country of nationality (or, if
stateless, of last habitual residence).
