In the aftermath of Attorney General Sessions’ decision that domestic violence survivors will no longer be eligible for asylum in the U.S., the KBI joins the Center of Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) at U.C. Hastings to support these brave survivors in their pursuit of safety and protection. CGRS provided legal defense for the client in Matter of A-B, the ruling Sessions reversed last month, thereby overturning a hard-won precedent that affirmed domestic violence as grounds for asylum. We …Read More
Archives for July 2018
Domestic Violence and Asylum
As news coverage and public outrage about children and parents separated at the border has escalated, Attorney General Sessions announced a reversal of asylum precedent that has gotten less attention, but also has vastly dire consequences—domestic violence will no longer be considered grounds for asylum. For many women, domestic violence is a daily reality, impacting their well-being, limiting their options, and threatening their lives and those of their children. In the Northern Triangle of …Read More
KBI Media Report: June/July 2018
The dangers faced by migrants and asylum seekers—in their countries of origin, en route to another country, and upon arrival in the U.S.—continue to be of grave concern. Our report this month focuses on the treacherous journey and the frequent obstacles to safety. Judicial Order to Return Children: A U.S. District judge in San Diego has ordered that government agencies reunite all separated migrant children with their parents, within 14 days for those under the age of 5 and 30 days for …Read More
Kenia’s Story: Fleeing Domestic and Gang Violence
Growing up with domestic violence as a child and then threatened by gang violence as an adult, Kenia has lived a life of severe and ongoing trauma. Yet her inner strength and a mother’s passion to protect her child steeled her for an arduous journey north from Honduras, and brought her to the U.S.–Mexico border to seek a safer, better life. When Kenia arrived at the KBI comedor with her four-year-old son Josue last month, she had fled a history of violence in her native Honduras, most …Read More
KBI July Announcements
The KBI’s annual gathering of teen advocates, Kino Teens Leadership Days, drew high school students from across the country, and throughout the summer KBI staff are participating in conferences and meetings around the globe. Also at the border, Jesuits West held their ordination liturgy in solidarity with migrants, and the KBI hosted immersions for three high school groups. Kino Teen Leadership Days: The KBI hosted the Third Annual Kino Teens Leadership Days, a 5-day advocacy-oriented …Read More