On July 8, 2024, IRAP submitted a public comment opposing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Interim Final Rule on Securing the Border, published on June 7, 2024.
What does the rule entail?
- Suspends entry at the U.S. southern border until total border encounter numbers drop persistently and drastically
- Eliminates access to asylum except in exceedingly narrow circumstances
- Raises the legal standard for eligibility to pursue withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture
- Requires noncitizens to “manifest” fear in order to be screened for any form of protection
This rule, associated with the Presidential Proclamation on Securing the Border, signed on June 3, 2024, has already been challenged in litigation, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center v. DHS, for violating domestic and international law. It is feared that this rule will lead to people with valid claims being returned to persecution and will disproportionately impact populations served by IRAP.
IRAP urges DHS and EOIR to withdraw the rule in its entirety. The public comment in question can be accessed here.
Source: refugeerights.org