(SACRAMENTO, CA, 7/15/2020) – The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) strongly opposes a proposed rule presented in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Review,” which was published in the Federal Register on June 15.
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CAIR-CA urges the DHS and the DOJ to reject the proposed rule in its entirety due to the fact that it would cause uncertainty, inconsistency and chaos in the adjudication of protection claims and expose countless people to persecution and torture because of their religion, political opinions or other protected grounds.
CAIR San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) Immigrants’ Rights Attorney Amir Naim said:
“The proposed rule strips away due process protections and attempts to rewrite asylum law with the stroke of a pen. If these rules are implemented, it would place thousands of people in danger of being returned by our government to countries where they are likely to face torture, murder, or persecution.”
CAIR Sacramento Valley/Central California (CAIR-SV/CC) Immigrants’ Rights Consulting Attorney Sahreen Manzar said:
“The Trump administration’s proposed rule would essentially eliminate most people’s ability to obtain asylum. For desperate families and individuals escaping untold suffering, persecution and violence in their home countries, this rule could be a death sentence. We must do everything we can to push back and halt this dangerous proposal.”
CAIR Greater Los Angeles (CAIR-LA) Immigrants’ Rights Attorney Amina Fields said:
“This rule, along with many previous rules implemented by this administration, is an attempt to systemically dismantle our asylum system. The approval rate for asylum cases by immigration judges are already very low with some judges approving just 10% of asylum applications. This new rule creates yet another enormous barrier to decrease the approval rate even more. The U.S. government has the capacity to process applications fairly and effectively. This proposed rule will not resolve any current problems we have with the status quo. It merely demonstrates the abuse of executive authority because it attempts to rewrite asylum laws and policies that have been set in place by Congress and the courts.”
CAIR San Diego (CAIR-SD) Operations & Development Manager Omair Khan said:
“The proposed changes to asylum rules are another shameful and harmful example of the Trump administration targeting immigrants, refugees and communities of color. This rule would further traumatize these communities while putting many more lives at risk.”
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CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
CONTACT: Communications Coordinator Zoha Raza, 408.418.6902, zraza@cair.com; CAIR-SV/CC Communications Manager Kalin Kipling-Mojaddedi, kkipling@cair.com; CAIR-LA Communications Manager Eugene Fields, efields@cair.com; CAIR-SD Operations & Development Manager Omair Khan, okhan@cair.com
