Washington, D.C. (June 12, 2018) — U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday overturned the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision in Matter of A-B-. In his ruling, Sessions dismantled longstanding asylum protections for victims of domestic and gang violence.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five Asian American civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:
“In the latest phase of this administration’s all-out offensive against immigrants and asylum seekers, Sessions has unilaterally and shamefully decided to end vital pathways to refuge for women survivors of domestic violence and other victims of brutal gang violence. Sessions displays unacceptable ignorance of the social dynamics of domestic and gang violence and abdicates his duty as Attorney General by completely disregarding the underlying facts and evidence in this and similar cases.
This heartless decision jeopardizes the lives of countless people fleeing persecution at the hands of non-governmental actors, including those fleeing genocide or harm based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Sessions has a responsibility to serve and protect, and yet he has cavalierly written a death sentence for thousands of women and LGBTQ individuals who are now in immediate danger of being sent back to their abusers. This is especially egregious given this Administration’s history of misogyny and in light of the #MeToo movement.
Sessions’ ruling is an assault on women and persecuted minorities everywhere that violates our most basic values, and we will not allow this affront to our communities to go unchallenged.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice | AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.
