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John, It’s been seven years since we first sued the U.S. government over its policy of turning back asylum seekers from ports of entry at the southern border. Today, after a long legal battle, we have good news. Since at least 2016, Customs and Border Protection has used its Turnback Policy to deny vulnerable people their right to pursue asylum claims, using misrepresentation, threats, abuse, metering, and coercion to send people back into harm’s way. Many people have met horrible fates—becoming victims of rape, kidnapping, extortion, and murder—after being turned back at ports of entry and denied access to the asylum process. We knew this was immoral and illegal. The American Immigration Council, along with our partners, sued the government in 2017 on behalf of Al Otro Lado and impacted asylum seekers. On Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with us, affirming a lower court’s decision that the systemic turnbacks were unlawful.
The ruling upholds the right to seek asylum. Pushing people back to Mexico only endangers them and plays right into the hands of dangerous criminal organizations. Our government should instead be investing in ports of entry and improving humanitarian processing at the border. Years-long legal battles like this are hard-fought, but worth it when lives and the rule of law are at stake. Consider making a gift to the Council today so we can continue fighting for the rights of asylum seekers.
Sincerely, |
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| Suchita Mathur Senior Litigation Attorney |
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