The Trump Administration, through Presidential Proclamation, has been systematically dismantling the legal immigration system since 2017. Perhaps the most appalling aspect of this insidious agenda has been the legion of attacks on asylum laws and procedures attempting to deny protections to victims of campaigns of terrorism, gang warfare, and never-ending domestic violence. Indeed, the most vulnerable have consistently been the administration’s favorite target and scapegoat, however, the latest litany of proposed changes to the federal regulations governing asylum are so disturbing and their practical implications so dire that if adopted they will effectively snuff out the last remaining avenues for those fleeing their homelands and seeking refuge in the United States.
The window for Public Comment on the proposed changes to the federal regulations ends July 15, 2020. Anyone may comment. The more comments the government receives the more it must consider and incorporate it into its decision-making process in order for that process to be legal. The Supreme Court recently reminded the administration of this in finding that it acted unlawfully in the manner it attempted to end the DACA program for the many young non-citizens known as the Dreamers. We must be mindful of this reality especially in such a critical election year. Timing can not only be key, but critical. For information about the many proposed changes, resources on how to craft your own comment, as well as recommended templates and a link to the government’s public comment submission page please click HERE.