This month’s media report focuses on the asylum system in the U.S., with stories about asylum law violations, long waiting periods at ports of entry, and heart-wrenching deportation decisions faced by reunited families. Violations of Asylum Law: Attorney General Sessions’ recent announcement that domestic and gang violence will no longer be considered grounds for asylum is the latest in an ongoing rollback of asylum seeker rights in the U.S. This opinion piece discusses the “gutting of our … [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...]
KBI Media Report: May 2018
The common thread of our report this month is an exceedingly troubling one—violence and abuse suffered by vulnerable people in countries of origin, on the migrant journey, and at the U.S.–Mexico border. The stories here cover armed government crackdowns of demonstrations in Nicaragua; obstacles to asylum in Mexico; and the fatal shooting of a young Guatemalan women by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. State-Backed Violence in Nicaragua: In recent months, the repressive regime in Nicaragua has … [Read more...]
KBI Media Report: April/May 2018
Our report includes recent news about immigrant children separated from their parents, coverage of the Refugee Caravan as participants arrive at the border, and a photo/video essay on the issues and implications of building a border wall. Separated Parents and Children at the Border: After the separation of hundreds of undocumented immigrants from their children and a pending American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit on behalf of a Congolese mother separated from her 7-year-old daughter, the … [Read more...]
KBI Media Report: March 2018
Our report this month includes news about extended deadlines for asylum seekers who were not informed of application deadlines; a reversal of U.S. policy resulting in more likely detention of pregnant women; and an overview of life at the border with a section about the work of the KBI. Access to Asylum: In a class-action lawsuit, a U.S. District judge determined that authorities failed to inform asylum seekers of the one-year deadline for filing applications and ruled that Citizenship and … [Read more...]