In response to a court decision temporarily blocking the Trump administration from denying asylum to people seeking protection arriving between ports of entry, Amnesty International USA executive director Margaret Huang issued this statement:
“It is unlawful and cruel to deny protection to desperate families simply because they arrived between ports of entry, especially when we have seen many people being turned away even when presenting themselves at these ports.
“This ruling is a temporary relief for thousands of families and reaffirms our responsibility to protect human rights. People who are fleeing violence and persecution have the right to seek safety. These are people just like you and me, except they are running for their lives. We must not abandon mothers, fathers, and children who have lost everything and are trying to rebuild their lives.”
Last month, Amnesty International released a report finding that U.S. border authorities regularly violated both domestic and international law by turning away asylum-seekers at the border without registering or determining their claims, even at ports of entry.
This statement can be found online at https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/court-grants-temporary-relief-to-desperate-families-seeking-asylum
