Save the U.S. Asylum System

The Trump administration has chipped away at the U.S. asylum system for the past four years, continually enacting policies which restrict asylum access until the system has come to an effective halt. On June 15, the Administration released a new set of proposed rules that would even further restrict asylum access, especially for Central American applicants, and, according to experts, “abolish the U.S. asylum system as we know it.”  

There are several ways you can take action to raise your voice on behalf of asylum seekers: 

1) Watch a webinar tomorrow, Friday, June 26, at 2 p.m. EDT, from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) on the new proposed asylum rules and what you can do to support asylum seekers. Click here to register. A recording of the webinar will be available on CLINIC’s website afterward.  

2) Register by July 1 for Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days, July 14-16, organized by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC). Participants will be able to join a virtual meeting with the office of one of your Members of Congress. Participants will receive training and talking points and will be accompanied to the virtual meeting by members of the IIC. Click here to register by July 1 (date extended).

3) By July 15, submit a public comment to the Administration explaining your alarm at the impact of these proposed rules on asylum seekers, some of the world’s most vulnerable people. You can find a sample comment and talking points on the click-to-comment form from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC). Only unique comments will be counted, so please add your own message on to the sample comment. 

La Sagrada Familia icon by Kelly Latimore