today the AG overruled a precedential case that allowed survivors of domestic violence to obtain asylum. this decisions is deeply troubling and a dangerous harbinger for what's to come. here's what happened. 1/ justice.gov/eoir/page/file…
protecting survivors of DV under asylum law has been litigated for nearly 20 years in the US. @CGRShastings & @KarenMusalo, among many others, have done groundbreaking work to advance the law allowing survivors of DV to receive asylum when their gov'ts can't protect them. 2/
years of litigation finally resulted in the Board's decision in 2014, Matter of ARCG - finding that “married women in Guatemala unable to leave their relationship” constitute a particular social group and can be eligible for asylum on that basis. 3/
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this is particularly important for the many women fleeing violence in the Northern Triangle. women interviewed by @UNHCRUSA said they/their kids face extreme levels of violence on a near-daily basis, incl. rape and assault. unhcr.org/enus/publicati… 4/
so how could Sessions overrule this precedent decision that's kept so many women & families safe? case certification allows Sessions total authority to overrule & rewrite decisions by the Board of Immigration Appeals. he does so consistent with his own political agenda. 5/
in her 8 years as AG during the Clinton Administration, Reno decided 3 cases pursuant to certification. AGs Holder & Lynch decided 4, under Obama. And Sessions? he's certified FOUR cases since January alone. 6/
Sessions' choice of cases to certify - so far, cases limiting asylum and docket management for judges - demonstrate his insidious attempt to systematically dismantle the asylum system and what modicum of due process exists in immigration courts. 7/
as he dramatically limits asylum, denies judges the ability to manage their dockets, & imposes quotas on judges to make imm. proceedings "more efficient", we can be sure of one thing: immigrants in need of protection will suffer the brutal consequences. 8/
