Federal Judge Ruling a Victory for Asylum Seekers

Washington, D.C.—In response to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia striking down policies that made it nearly impossible for victims of domestic and gang violence to seek asylum, Human Rights First’s Anwen Hughes issued the following statement:

Today’s ruling is a victory for the men, women, and children whose lives depend on access to asylum. For over 40 years Human Rights First has served brave individuals fleeing horrific violence and persecution in search of safety. And so we saw firsthand the damage that Attorney General Sessions’s ruling, and the Department of Homeland Security’s policies implementing that ruling, caused to women and victims of violence by non-state actors, who simply wished to rebuild their lives in the United States.

This administration is engaging in a prolonged attack on the asylum system, designed to punish refugees in order to score cheap political points. We’re glad that today the court saw these policies for what they are: illegal and incompatible with our values.