Asylum and Its Discontents in the United States
A recent report from the Congressional Research Service concludes that “data analysis of six selected countries (the PRC, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Mexico) suggests that conditions in the source countries are likely the driving force behind asylum seekers.” These six countries represent the majority of asylum seekers coming to the U.S., and the … Read more
I am pleased to let you know about a new book, Legal Briefs on Immigration Reform from 25 of the Top Legal Minds in the Country. For the book, editors Deborah Robinson and Mona Parsa asked 25 of The Top Legal Minds in the Country this question: If you were called upon by the President of … Read more
According to a recent report, about 4,000 people known to be stateless are living in the United States. Probably, many more are living here under the radar. Refugees International reports that there are over 12 million stateless people world-wide: “Statelessness results from factors such as political change, border demarcation or secession, forced expulsion, discrimination, nationality … Read more
The RPA provides important new protections to asylum seekers, particularly the most vulnerable asylum seekers such as people who are pro se or detained. However, I can think of a couple important issues that are not addressed. Below are some problems that my clients have faced over and over again, and some suggested solutions. The … Read more
The Senate Judiciary committee held a hearing yesterday on the Refugee Protection Act. I wasn’t able to attend, but the Senate conveniently records such hearings, and you can view it here. My friend who attended thought it did not go very well for supporters of the bill. I can’t say I agree, though the last … Read more
Under INA § 235(b), an alien who appears at the border and claims asylum or expresses a fear of persecution must be interviewed. The Refugee Protection Act would require DHS to record these interviews. Currently, asylum interviews at the border (or the airport) are generally not recorded. As a result, there are often disputes about what … Read more
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing on “Renewing America’s Commitment to the Refugee Convention: The Refugee Protection Act of 2010” for Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The scheduled witnesses are: (1) The Honorable Dan Glickman, President, Refugees International; (2) Patrick … Read more
This is the fifth part in an ongoing series about the Refugee Protection Act. The RPA contains many provisions to improve legal services and legal access for asylum seekers. The root cause of many problems in the asylum system is that aliens are not provided with counsel. According to TRAC, a website that gathers statistical information … Read more
This is part four in a series of posts about the Refugee Protection Act (“RPA”), a bill introduced by Senators Leahy and Levin in the United States Senate. The RPA would modify the requirements for asylum by changing the requirement that a “central reason” for the persecution is a protected ground. In order to qualify … Read more
This is part three in a series about the Refugee Protection Act. The RPA provides guidance about what constitutes a “particular social group.” A refugee is defined as a person with a well founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. See INA § 101(a)(42)(A). … Read more