In case your asylum applicant is not granted, make sure to alert the authorities to any risk that you might be returned to a country where you'll be tortured.
If you are a foreign-born person in the U.S. whom the immigration enforcement authorities are placing in removal proceedings, you will receive what's called a Notice to Appear (NTA).
Even if you meet the definition of a “refugee,” you will not be granted asylum once an Asylum Officer or an Immigration Judge finds that a criminal bar applies to you.
If you are physically present in the U.S., and are applying for asylum, you should also apply for two alternative forms of relief if you fear persecution or torture in your country of origin.