Policy and Advocacy

The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is a leading voice in the movement to rebuild the U.S. asylum system and expand access to protection for women, children, LGBTQ+ people, and others seeking refuge. Our Policy & Advocacy team serves as a critical resource on asylum to policymakers, journalists, and the public. We place people seeking asylum at the center of our advocacy, amplifying the stories and leadership of courageous survivors of violence.

Featured Policy Publications

CGRS provides rapid analysis of policy developments and offers practical recommendations for decision-makers at all levels of government, advising our leaders on how to ensure the United States lives up to its legal and moral commitments to people fleeing persecution.

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State Department Sabotages Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

The Trump administration is undermining the integrity of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, injecting incomplete or misleading information into critical legal processes that rely on professional, unbiased research.

IACtHR’s Advisory Opinion on the Climate Emergency

This analysis unpacks the Inter-American Court’s Advisory Opinion on the Climate Emergency and Human Rights, highlighting key findings on cross-border displacement and offering recommendations to enhance protection and support advocacy.

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Third Country Removals: Legal Protections and Compliance Concerns

This factsheet outlines the legal framework, limits, and procedural safeguards for U.S. third country removals. It highlights compliance concerns and distinctions from safe third country agreements.

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Climate Change and Disaster Displacement: Practical Toolkit

This Toolkit offers guidance on applying international and regional refugee and human rights law to protection claims involving climate change and disasters. It equips decision-makers and advocates with key legal principles, considerations, and case examples.

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The Impact of U.S. Immigration and Border Policies on Haitians

This submission to the UN Human Rights Council documents how current U.S. policies denying migrants the right to seek asylum violate both domestic and international law, and have a disproportionate impact on Haitian and other Black asylum seekers forced to stay in Mexico.

Climate

Climate change and climate-related disasters are quickly becoming one of the leading causes forcing refugees to flee their homes, often across international borders. CGRS’s climate advocacy initiative aims to advance protections for climate-displaced people on national and international levels.

Gender

CGRS was founded in 1999 after Professor Karen Musalo’s groundbreaking legal victory in Matter of Kasinga, which recognized persecution motivated by gender as grounds for asylum for the first time in U.S. law. Today, we continue that work to advocate for policies that advocate for gender-based persecution as a basis for asylum.

International Work

CGRS has special expertise in conditions in the countries from which many asylum seekers flee, including Mexico, Haiti, and Northern Central America. We work with civil society organizations in the United States and Latin America to address the root causes of forced migration and contribute to the development of a more robust regional system of refugee protection and advocate in Congress, with the executive branch, the United Nations, and other instruments of government.

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Endorsed Legislation

Fairness to Freedom Act

SHIELD Act

WISE Act

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act

No Round Up Act

American Dream and Promise Act

UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act

Protecting Sensitive Locations Act

Partnerships

CGRS works with various national and international organizations and coalitions to better amplify our message and build a network of support for our initiatives.

#WelcomeWith Dignity

CGRS is a founding member and leader in #WelcomeWithDignity, a landmark campaign to transform how the United States welcomes people seeking asylum.

UNHCR

CGRS and UC Law SF host Kate Jastram, our Director of Policy and Advocacy as the first Sergio Vieira de Mello Chair in the United States, partnering with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

LAWG

CGRS is a member of the Latin American Working Group that works closely with civil society partners in Latin America to mobilize organizations and networks to advocate for just U.S. policies.

Refugee Council USA

CGRS is part of the Refugee Council USA coalition focused on supporting and protecting the rights of forcibly displaced people.