Immigrant
Women Too

Protect Asylum to Protect Lives

Victory: Attorney General Garland Restores Protections for Refugee Survivors

On June 16, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland vacated Matter of A-B- and other Trump-era Justice Department rulings that attempted to shut the door on immigrant women escaping domestic violence.

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Stories

Firsthand stories from courageous women who have left everything they know behind to find safety and justice

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Asylum Means Survival

12x

The rate of femicides (gender-motivated killings of women) in Honduras is 12 times the global average. It’s nearly 6 times the average in El Salvador and triple in Guatemala.

99%

In Guatemala, 99% of violent crimes against women are dismissed.

1980

Congress passed the Refugee Act, enshrining in U.S. law our commitment to protecting refugees in accordance with international law.

92%

The percentage of asylum cases rejected by Stuart Couch, the immigration judge who twice denied Ms. A.B. asylum.

390%

Between 2008 and 2015, there was a 390% increase in domestic violence cases in Honduras.

35 years

The average life expectancy for transgender women in El Salvador.

38%

Asylum approval rates for Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans declined sharply - by 38% - following Jeff Sessions’ June 2018 Matter of A-B- ruling.

50,000+

50,000+ asylum seekers and immigrants are currently locked up in immigration prisons.

 

Winning Back Protections for Refugee Survivors

On June 16, 2021, Attorney General Garland vacated Matter of A-B- and other Trump-era Justice Department rulings that attempted to shut the door on people escaping domestic violence, gang brutality, and other human rights violations. 

This life-saving move by Garland was the culmination of years of hard-fought litigation and advocacy. Immigrant women bravely shared their stories and demanded justice for their communities.

This victory energizes us and reminds us that, when we work together, we can deliver safety and justice for refugees.

CGRS

The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies protects the fundamental
human rights of refugee women, children, LGBT individuals, and
others who flee persecution in their home countries through legal
expertise and training, impact litigation, policy development,
research, and in-country fact-finding.

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