WASHINGTON, – A coalition of 19 attorneys general from around the United States has challenged the Trump Administration’s efforts to potentially undermine asylum protections for thousands of Caribbean and other immigrants.
In an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in U.T. v. Barr, the coalition pushed back against an interim final rule in which it said the US Government is “effectively ignoring asylum claims by sending people — many of whom are fleeing violence and persecution — to third countries that have signed asylum cooperative agreements with the federal government.”
“Not only does the rule harm asylum-seekers, but it deprives states of the valuable economic contributions made by immigrants — including asylees and asylum-seekers — who join workforces across the country, start entrepreneurial ventures, and pay millions of dollars in taxes each year,” said the coalition in a statement.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the coalition fight, said “the president and his administration are once again showing their lack of compassion and humanity by endangering the safety of asylum-seekers fleeing for their lives.
“Instead of making it harder for immigrants to flee persecution, danger, and great peril, the administration should be welcoming these individuals, who provide extraordinary contributions to America’s culture and economy,” she said. “Our coalition will continue fighting for these asylum-seekers and the founding principles of our nation which have always welcomed immigrants.” (CMC)
