Cyrus Mehta: Musings On Our Asylum System – After AG Sessions’ Remarks on ‘Dirty Immigration Lawyers’
In this post on his blog, Cyrus Mehta responds to Attorney General Jeff Sessions denigration of immigration lawyers and asylum seekers. Here is the conclusion:
“If Mr. Sessions was not so blinded by his animus against asylum seekers, he may appreciate the lawyer’s role in interpreting and advancing the definition of a social group to protect people fearing persecution if they are unable to establish a nexus on account of race, religion, nationality or political opinion. The challenge has become even greater after the Acosta definition was limited by also requiring that the social group is defined with particularity and is socially distinct. This includes those who were unable to seek protection in their countries if they suffered domestic violence or because of their sexual orientation. The lawyers that Mr. Sessions derides are not exploiting loopholes but protecting people from harm, unjust imprisonment or death. If this is what Mr. Sessions means by a dirty immigration lawyer, then lawyers endeavoring to broaden protections for vulnerable people under our asylum system ought to feel extremely proud.”
KJ