In recent post I discussed the Board’s decision to allow Guatemalan women to apply for asylum based on a history of domestic violence in their country. As I discussed in that post, the Board left the door open to asylum claims to victims from any country that fails to protect victims of domestic violence because of state inability to protect or inaction. The history of domestic violence in Guatemala in staggering, with the United Nations reporting that 2 women are killed every day because of domestic violence in the country.
Although these numbers are mind-numbing, the numbers in the Middle East are more staggering. These numbers how that, for example, in Lebanon 88% of women were subject to some form of abuse. The question will be whether, on a case by case basis, the abuse will rise to the level of persecution under asylum law. These high numbers of domestic violence cases and the lack of protections for victims opens the door to asylum cases from the Middle East. I know that these cases will come up through the system and I hope that USCIS will grant them because I know that these women deserve protections.
- Sessions’ Domestic Violence Decision is Inhumane and Should Be Reversed
- Who Is Eligible to Self-Petition For VAWA?
- Asylum for Victims of Domestic Violence
- Self-Petitions Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
- Other Legal Claims