Proposed Regulation Attempts to Decimate Asylum - Comment by July 15

June 23, 2020

***PLEASE NOTE: THIS RULE IS PROPOSED AND NOT IN EFFECT.***

On June 15, the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office for Immigration Review posted a proposed regulation that would decimate asylum law and humanitarian protections. The proposed regulation is a clear attempt to END asylum in the United States. This sweeping regulation would apply to people seeking asylum at the border AND those who come to the US on a visa and seek asylum. Worse, this regulation may even apply to people who have already applied for asylum. This could impact thousands of our community members here in Maine.

 

Here are just SOME of the provisions:

  • Allows immigration judges to deny applications before an asylum applicant has had a hearing;

  • Sends individuals and families who seek asylum at the border to narrow “asylum-only” court proceedings, bypassing their opportunity for a full immigration court proceeding;

  • Eliminates asylum for those fleeing domestic or gang-related violence;

  • Directs judges and asylum officers to deny asylum for anyone who has failed to file taxes or paid taxes late (even once!) or worked without authorization;

  • Directs judges and asylum officers to deny asylum to anyone who has been in the United States for more than a year (despite Congress providing exceptions for the one-year deadline);

  • Allow judges to deny asylum for anyone who passed through other countries before arriving to the United States or crossed the border without going through an official entry point;

  • Narrows the legal definitions of ‘torture’ and ‘persecution’; and

  • Gives immigration officials discretion to deny asylum based on many new factors.

  • Click here to watch an explainer video from The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies

***PLEASE NOTE: THIS RULE IS PROPOSED AND NOT IN EFFECT.***

Tell the administration why this proposed regulation goes against everything the United States should represent. Tell the administration why we must preserve the right to asylum. You can use examples from your own experiences or talk about our country’s responsibility to those fleeing persecution and violence. Tell your family and friends to also speak up and comment against this horrific proposed ban on asylum.

If you need help getting started, you can find some templates from trusted organizations below. We strongly encourage you to personalize your message because the agencies are required to consider and respond to each unique comment received. The more comments received, the longer it will take to finalize the rule and begin using it to deny asylum cases and deport refugees.

TEMPLATES:

We need as many comments as possible to show the government and the public how important this issue is to people across the country. Speak up to save asylum today!

All comments are due by 11:59PM ET on Wednesday July 15th, 2020.

Email ILAP’s Advocacy and Outreach Attorney Julia Brown at jbrown@ilapmaine.org if you need assistance.

Call to ActionILAP MaineAsylum, Public Comment