Washington, D.C. (December 11, 2020) Ayuda condemns the final rule published in the Federal Register today that seeks to eviscerate asylum protections for bona fide refugees fleeing persecution abroad. The rule, which will go into effect on January 11, will deprive thousands of individuals the protection which they deserve.
The regulation will narrow many critical terms and concepts in the Refugee Act and undo decades of case law interpreting its protections. The regulations will make it impossible, or nearly so, for individuals fleeing persecution by non-state actors whom governments are unable or unwilling to control to receive asylum in the United States. For decades, the United States, other countries, and international institutions have all recognized that individuals can meet the refugee definition, and therefore seek asylum, because they are fleeing persecution from which their governments cannot or will not protect them.
Children, survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence, survivors of gang violence, and many others who are fleeing persecution abroad will be dramatically harmed by this rule and deprived of the chance to live in safety in the United States which Congress envisioned for them in passing the Refugee Act.
About Ayuda
Ayuda helps low-income immigrants succeed and thrive in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Since our founding in 1973, Ayuda has served more than 150,000 immigrants throughout the region. Ayuda is the only non-profit service provider in the area that provides a wide range of immigration and family law assistance, social services, and language access support for all immigrants, from anywhere in the world. Ayuda’s comprehensive and open approach breaks down barriers, helps those in need, and makes our communities stronger.
