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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.
Restore asylum for women fleeing abuse and death
This op-ed urges Congress to pass the Refugee Protection Act which, among other crucial provisions, would restore acces to asylum for women and girls fleeing gender-based violence.
48,000 Asylum Seekers Have Been Put in Harm’s Way by the Trump Administration
This piece describes the devastating consequences of the Trump administration's Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) (also known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy), which forces people seeking asylum to await their court dates in perilous conditions south of the border.
Trump’s senseless cruelty toward evacuees from the Bahamas
This op-ed criticizes President Trump's rejection of a proposal to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Bahamian nationals in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, as well as the president's cruel statements demonizing Bahamians.
The Trump Administration is Fighting to Indefinitely Detain Migrant Children and Families
This piece criticizes the Trump administration's rule authorizing the government to imprison immigrant children indefinitely, explaining how the rule endangers children and why it is unlikely to hold up in court.
Immigrant Women Too: The Legal Fight to Ensure Safe Haven for Survivors
In this piece, CGRS Legal Director Blaine Bookey unpacks the Trump-era Matter of A-B- ruling, a step backwards for the rights of refugee survivors, and urges advocates to keep up the fight.
Evolution of Refugee and Asylum Law in the United States
This volume engages human rights, domestic immigration law, refugee policy in the United States, Canada, and Europe. CGRS Director Karen Musalo authored Chapter 2: Evolution of Refugee and Asylum Law in the United States.
The Struggle for Equality: Women's Rights, Human Rights, and Asylum Protection
This article investigates the historical legal struggles of women seeking asylum in the U.S, including harmful decisons like Matter A-B- which have undermined the ability of people fleeing gender-based violence to obtain protection.
Working with Medical and Mental Health Experts in Asylum and Related Fear-of-Return Claims
This article discusses the role health experts play in asylum and other fear-of-return cases and offers guidance on best practices for collaboration between attorneys and experts.
El Salvador--A Peace Worse Than War: Violence, Gender and a Failed Legal Response
This article explores the conditions underpinning high levels of gender-based violence and femicide in El Salvador, including the impact of the country's civil war, and evaluates the response of legal and governmental institutions to gender-based violence.
No Justice for Guatemalan Women: An Update Twenty Years After Guatemala's First Violence Against Women Law
This report provides an update on the situtation of violence against women in Guatamala and implementation of a 2008 law addressing the issue, offering recommendations to the Guatemalan government and urging officials to accelerate training to handle cases of violence against women.
