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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 provide rapid analysis of policy developments and offer 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.
A Journey of Hope: Haitian Women’s Migration to Tapachula, Mexico
We co-authored a report about Haitian women's migration to Mexico along with the Haitian Bridge Alliance and El Instituto para las Mujeres en la Migración, A.C.
Looking to 2021: Policy Priorities for the Next Administration
CGRS Legal Director Blaine Bookey and Director of Policy and Advocacy Kate Jastram outline CGRS's policy priorities for the Biden-Harris administration.
Asylum Priorities for the Next Administration
This memo outlines CGRS's recommendations for six specific non-partisan priority actions the United States can take to rebuild the U.S. asylum system in the next presidential term.
Matter of A-B- One Year Later: Winning Back Gender-Based Asylum Through Litigation and Legislation
This article surveys Matter of A-B-'s impact in its first year, discusses how it has fared in the federal courts, and argues that Congress must act to ensure that gender-based violence claims are adjudicated in a manner consistent with international law.
As Trump Doubles Down, Courts Side with Immigrant Women Seeking Asylum
This piece breaks down a series of victories at the Ninth Circuit, where the court overturned denials of asylum to women fleeing domestic violence, rejecting the Trump administration's attempt to gut protections for suvivors.
Federal Court Reaffirms U.S. As Safe Haven for Domestic Violence Survivors
This piece breaks down the First Circuit decision in De Pena-Paniagua v. Barr, affirming the right of domestic violence survivors to seek asylum.
Groups Urge Trump Administration to Stop Turning Back Asylum Seekers
This article describes a letter sent by 182 organizations, urging the Trump administration to reverse its Title 42 policy, which allows border agents to summarily expel asylum seekers under the pretext of the pandemic.
Family Fleeing: Family Membership as a Basis for Asylum
This article analyzes the existing state of U.S., foreign, and international law on persecution on account of “membership in a particular social group” defined by family and explores how this theory can be applied in practice in the wake of the 2019 Attorney General ruling in Matter of L-E-A-.
The Trump Administration Must Not Use Pandemic as Excuse to Endanger Refugees
This article calls on the Trump administration to reverse its Title 42 expulsion policy and instead protect the health of asylum seekers during COVID-19 by expeditiously paroling them into the U.S., reducing needless detention, and putting a moratorium on all deportations.
Inside the So-Called “Safe Third”—and Trump’s Latest Attack on Asylum-Seekers
This piece critiques the United States' agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, allowing the return of asylum seekers to those countries, which are patently unsafe for refugees and migrants.
