Denial and Delay: How terrorism related provisions in immigration law affect asylum seekers and refugees
Thursday November 12 , 2009
- By: Migration Policy Institute
- Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
- Location:
MPI Conference Room, Suite 300 (Third Floor)1400 16th Street, NWWashington, DCMap: maps.google.com
- Contact:
- Source: Immigration Advocates Network > IAN Nonprofit Resource Center
Media outlets, human-rights organizations, and members of Congress continue to highlight cases of refugees and asylum seekers denied protection and resettlement to the United States because of overly broad terrorism-related provisions in US immigration laws. This is despite the fact that these individuals pose no security threat to the United States and have not committed individual acts of wrongdoing. Often, their cases are denied or put on hold based on involuntary support of groups deemed terrorist organizations or affiliation with groups abroad which opposed repressive regimes or supported US objectives. Some high-profile cases involve Iraqis who fought the regime of Saddam Hussein alongside US forces; children who were forced to fight or provide support to groups deemed terrorist; or applicants related to someone deemed a terrorist but never themselves involved in any terrorist activities. While the US Congress attempted to address the impact of these provisions in 2007 by instituting a waiver process and exempting certain groups of refugees, this piecemeal approach has proven to be unworkable and thousands of refugees remain in limbo with their applications for asylum, permanent residence, and family reunification on hold. Some face a real threat of deportation back to a country where they face persecution.
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) is pleased to host a discussion on these issues, on the occasion of a new report release by Human Rights First. The report examines the flaws and lack of flexibility in the current system and provides recommendations to focus the scope and application of terrorism-related immigration law provisions to target those who are a threat to US security and whom Congress intended to target.
Speakers:
Anwen Hughes, Senior Counsel and Deputy Director of the Refugee Protection Program, Human Rights First
Melanie Nezer, Senior Director of US Programs and Advocacy, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
Kathleen Newland, Director of the Migrants, Migration, and Development, and Refugee Policy Programs, MPI
For more information and to register, click here.
