Immigrant rights groups continue to come out in favor of the Refugee Protection Act of 2010, introduced last week by Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The American Immigration Lawyers Association issued a statement:

“This is a significant piece of legislation that comes at the right time given the global unrest that troubles our world,” said Bernie Wolfsdorf, President of AILA. “America has stood as a beacon of hope for so many and this bill gives hope to those who are in most need – refugees and asylum seekers. The bill would grant much needed protections to those fleeing persecution and brings about much needed reform in the adjudication system. I am hopeful Congress will act swiftly and in a bipartisan manner to fix the immigration process for refugees and asylees.”

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society strongly supports the new legistlation, which it deems necessary to correct changes that have eroded protection for refugees and asylum seekers in the United States:

While the provisions of the Refugee Act have resulted in the protection of countless refugees and asylum seekers during the 30 years it has been in effect, in recent years, protections for asylum seekers have eroded. Laws have been enacted containing provisions that threaten the rights and safety of asylum seekers, including a harsh expedited removal system, arbitrary deadlines for filing asylum claims, and other limitations on asylum seekers’ ability to obtain protection in the U.S. Even after asylum seekers have proven their credible fear of persecution, many are detained, and less restrictive alternatives to detention rarely are provided to asylum seekers who are found not to be threats to society. The Refugee Protection Act proposes thoughtful and effective solutions to these problems and will ensure that fairness is restored to the asylum system.

Immigration Equality, an immigrant rights group that has been “fighting for equality under U.S. immigration law for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV-positive individuals” since 1994 also endorses the bill:

“We have always believed that LGBT asylum seekers are disproportionately affected by the one year filing deadline for asylum applications, because so many of them simply don’t know that the persecution they faced as sexual minorities could be grounds for asylum here,” said Rachel B. Tiven, the group’s executive director. “Eliminating this unfair deadline will help many LGBT and HIV-positive victims of persecution obtain safe haven in the United States.”

The Church World Service, which has been assisting refugees since 1946, and the International Rescue Committe, which has been assisting refugees since 1933, have both issued statements supporting the proposed law.