Mr Guan told the judge he didn't know whether he would survive the boat trip and wanted to make sure the footage would be seen. Mr Guan's lawyer, Chen Chuangchuang, said in his closing statement that the case is a “textbook example of why asylum should exist” and that the US has both a “moral and legal responsibility” to grant Mr Guan asylum. In making his ruling, Judge Charles Ouslander told Mr Guan the court found him to be a credible witness and that he had established his legal eligibility for asylum. Mr Guan, however, was not immediately released because the lawyer for the Department of Homeland Security said the department reserves the right to appeal. It has 30 days to do so, but Ouslander urged DHS to make its decision soon, noting that Mr Guan has already been detained for about five months.