Unacceptable Biden and Harris Admin Hypocrisy on Title 42

By Melanie Nathan, March 30, 2022 JUST END IT PRESIDENT BIDEN – WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN! NOW! If the Biden administration does not immediately LIFT TITLE 42 – then it is clearly turning its back on LGBTQI asylum, seekers and all the others waiting at our borders since TRUMP instituted the policy. If … More Unacceptable Biden and Harris Admin Hypocrisy on Title 42

On Title 42 – An Anniversary Urging Biden to Ditch Trump’s Illegal Expulsions

On Title 42’s Two-Year Anniversary, Advocates Urge Biden to End Illegal Expulsions WASHINGTON — On the two-year anniversary of Title 42, groups challenging expulsions of asylum-seeking families urge the Biden administration to end the deadly policy. Earlier this month the groups won a major victory in their class action lawsuit Huisha-Huisha v. Mayorkas, with the D.C. Circuit prohibiting … More On Title 42 – An Anniversary Urging Biden to Ditch Trump’s Illegal Expulsions

Perhaps Ukraine Can Wake the World to the GLOBAL Refugee Crisis

Dear All, I am so happy that it is the weekend. Because this has been a hella week. Yet our hella is nothing like the HELL being experienced around the world. We can either use our time to escape other people’s hell with lip service – we can talk the hell out of it – … More Perhaps Ukraine Can Wake the World to the GLOBAL Refugee Crisis

UNHCR and USA – Good News for Advancing Needs of LGBTQI+ and other Refugee

From African Human Rights Coalition web-news: Much work occurred this past year by and on behalf of LGBTQI people in forced displacement, including the UNHCR Global Roundtable, with 13 thematic workshops resulting in 39 crucial recommendations. As well as UNHCR’s monthly consultations and Panel As well as World Pride Summit for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and … More UNHCR and USA – Good News for Advancing Needs of LGBTQI+ and other Refugee

Biden Must End Trump MPP After SCOTUS Debacle

Today the U.S. Supreme Court denied the government’s request for stay in Biden v. Texas, allowing a lower court decision ordering the Biden administration to revive the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) to stand. The administration had formally terminated MPP in June – fulfilling the president’s Day One promise to end the policy, in recognition of … More Biden Must End Trump MPP After SCOTUS Debacle

Closing Speech at Malmö Key Points on LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Key points in Melanie Nathan’s Closing Keynote, held at World Pride, Copenhagen, 2021,Human Rights Conference and Refugee, Asylum and Immigration Summit, Malmö, Sweden The REFUGEE, ASYLUM & IMMIGRATION SUMMIT in Malmö included people with lived-experience, human rights defenders, and those who we hold responsible for the legislation, policies and services that ultimately impact and saves … More Closing Speech at Malmö Key Points on LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Ghana and the New Hateful Anti LGBTI Draft Bill

Ghana is launching into anti-LGBTQI swampland that will bring violence and danger to LGBTQI individuals in that country, as well as risk the nations standing with regard to international AID and tourism. Draft anti-gay legislation submitted to Ghana’s parliament may legislate up to 10 years in prison for LGBTQI individuals as well as groups those … More Ghana and the New Hateful Anti LGBTI Draft Bill

Garland Overturns Hateful Trump Asylum Precedent

United States Attorney General, Merrick Garland Overturns Trump Asylum Precedent Excluding Domestic Violence Survivors: San Francisco, CA (July 26, 2021) – Today Attorney General Merrick Garland overturned a Trump-era asylum precedent that undermined protections for survivors of domestic violence and other gender-related persecution. In 2020 then-Attorney General William Barr issued the precedent, known as Matter … More Garland Overturns Hateful Trump Asylum Precedent

Undermining Protection in the EU: Report on Proposed Pact on Migration and Asylum

Members of the European Parliament have been discussing the proposed EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Commission presented the Pact last September as a “fresh start,” promising to create a comprehensive, regional approach to asylum and migration. Eight months later, negotiations continue with agreement far from sight. The EU is long overdue to establish … More Undermining Protection in the EU: Report on Proposed Pact on Migration and Asylum

Garland Must Act Now to STOP Trump Policy Harm

This morning NPR aired a great story on how Trump’s Justice Department rulings continue to place domestic violence survivors and others at risk of deportation. The story features  Ms. A.B. (Matter of A-B-) and Cristina, one of the many women wrongly denied asylum due to these rulings. We are calling on A.G. Garland to vacate … More Garland Must Act Now to STOP Trump Policy Harm

UNHCR Seeks Urgent Access to Asylum Seekers Denied by Tanzanian Government

AHRC joins UNHCR in appealing for access to detained asylum-seekers in Tanzania On Thursday, as Executive Director of African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC), I received an urgent message of distress from a group of refugee/ asylum seekers in Tanzania who noted that they were about to be “deported” back to their home country, Uganda. They … More UNHCR Seeks Urgent Access to Asylum Seekers Denied by Tanzanian Government

President Biden’s Swift Immigration Action brings added Hope for LGBTQI Refugees

Thanking President Biden on Quick Immigration Action with a Hope for added considerations for LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers Newly inaugurated President Joe Biden signed several executive orders today including the repeal of the Trump administration’s travel bans, which barred people from many African and Muslim-majority countries from coming to the United States. The Biden administration … More President Biden’s Swift Immigration Action brings added Hope for LGBTQI Refugees

Court Blocks Trump Death to Asylum Rule

San Francisco, California (January 8, 2021) – Today the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction blocking a sweeping Trump administration rule that would gut protections for people fleeing persecution and torture. The injunction halts the new rule’s implementation nationwide ahead of its scheduled effective date of Monday, January … More Court Blocks Trump Death to Asylum Rule

New Litigation Challenges Trump’s Cruel Anti-Asylum Law

San Francisco, California (December 24, 2020) – Four immigrant rights organizations – Pangea Legal Services, Dolores Street Community Services, Inc., Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), and Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition – have requested a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit challenging a sweeping new rule that will eviscerate access to protection for people … More New Litigation Challenges Trump’s Cruel Anti-Asylum Law

Pandemic reduces Heroes and Zeroes to a Reflection on 2020

Each Year I write a top 10 Heroes and Zeroes. This year it is very simple! Or should I say Pandemic worn down – renders it simple- The Heroes in each and every category are LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees and the Zeroes are Donald Trump,  his grifter family and each and every single Republican … More Pandemic reduces Heroes and Zeroes to a Reflection on 2020

Trump’s Parting Gift to Asylum Seekers is abject Hate and Revenge

“I think it is even worse. I think he knows that this could be the most revengeful parting gift he is capable of delivering to the human rights world and Americans who care!”  Melanie Nathan San Francisco, CA (December 10, 2020) – Today the Trump administration announced the publication of sweeping regulations that will make it virtually impossible … More Trump’s Parting Gift to Asylum Seekers is abject Hate and Revenge

Shocking Report as U.S. Immigration ICE Accused of Torturing African Asylum Seekers

Allegations against American Immigration, Customs and Enforcement officers as shocking Human Rights Abuses reported, reflect a TRUMP attack on black immigrants At African Human Rights Coalition we are particularly aware of the hardship suffered by LGBTQI individuals who seek asylum from the violence they experience in their home countries, where they have no recourse to … More Shocking Report as U.S. Immigration ICE Accused of Torturing African Asylum Seekers

AHRC Submits Comment Opposing the EOIR and USCIS New Trump Proposed Asylum Rule

On July 9 the Trump administration introduced yet another hateful asylum rule – this time exploiting pandemic fears and weaponizing specious public health claims against asylum seekers. African Human Rights Coalition submitted its public comments today. We urge as many people as possible to speak out against this shameful attack on asylum seekers. An outpouring of comments … More AHRC Submits Comment Opposing the EOIR and USCIS New Trump Proposed Asylum Rule

El Salvador Police Officers Convicted of Killing Trans Woman Deported from U.S.

As a country conditions expert who testifies for LGBTQI people from African countries, I often speak about the risk of death for deported lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer asylum seekers and allies. I know some American judges do not take this seriously and that often government lawyers fight asylum cases in disbelief. Well ‘the proof of the pudding,’ … More El Salvador Police Officers Convicted of Killing Trans Woman Deported from U.S.

UNHCR Calls for Investigation into Murder of Transgender Woman in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, expresses its deep dismay at the violent death of a Salvadoran transgender woman who had applied for asylum in Guatemala. The woman’s body was found on August 1 at her home in Guatemala City. She had fled El Salvador in 2017 after having suffered violence due … More UNHCR Calls for Investigation into Murder of Transgender Woman in Guatemala

Trump Must Stop destroying the US Asylum System

First Appeared in Gay Star News: We must stop Trump from destroying the US asylum system 20 JUL 2020 by Melanie Nathan. In his 2016 election campaign, Donald Trump claimed Mexico was offloading ‘rapists’ at the border. And he vowed his administration would no longer accept this. Four years later, his trajectory of scapegoating and … More Trump Must Stop destroying the US Asylum System

A Win – No Ban Act Passes the House – Pertinent to Vote Trump Out

For more than three years, the Trump administration has done what it can to stop Muslims, refugees, asylum seekers, and many others from entering our country. The passage of the National Origin-Based Anti-discrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act is a major step toward ending discrimination in our immigration laws and policies.​ It happened- In the … More A Win – No Ban Act Passes the House – Pertinent to Vote Trump Out

Responding to Trump Killing Asylum

In his 2016 election campaign, Donald Trump claimed Mexico was offloading ‘rapists’ at the border. And he vowed his administration would no longer accept this. Four years later, his trajectory of scapegoating and lies has yielded the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office of Immigration Review’s new rule. This rule effectively destroys the asylum process … More Responding to Trump Killing Asylum

URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Save Asylum Seekers from Trump’s New Rule to Slaughter American Asylum

We have the opportunity to speak up and stop the Trump administration’s latest anti-asylum rule from ever taking effect. Submit your comment today! https://bit.ly/3fgvqh6 #SaveAsylumAsylum is under attack, but we can all fight back TODAY. Submit a public comment and share your support for asylum seekers. The Trump administration will be required to read and … More URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Save Asylum Seekers from Trump’s New Rule to Slaughter American Asylum

Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Transit Ban as it Violates Asylum Law

San Francisco, CA (July 6, 2020) –A federal appeals court has upheld a block on the Trump administration’s attempt to make individuals who traveled through a third country on the way to the United States before arriving at the southern border ineligible for asylum, with very limited exceptions. The lawsuit, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Barr, … More Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Transit Ban as it Violates Asylum Law

Trump Loses in Federal Court as Deportation of Boy under Public Health Laws Halted

Federal Court Again Blocks Removal of Honduran Youth in First Challenge to Trump Administration’s Illegal Border Expulsion Order – Judge Says Trump Order Likely Unlawful A federal court has once again provisionally blocked the deportation of a Honduran boy in the first legal challenge to the Trump administration’s order restricting immigration at the border based on … More Trump Loses in Federal Court as Deportation of Boy under Public Health Laws Halted

African HRC Launches Video Pride Message from LGBTQI Refugees in Kakuma Camp

Yes, you may have a sneak preview – though official launch is 11 am PST tomorrow at the event LGBTQ Pride and Migration 2020 tomorrow June 20th for World refugee Day. This Saturday we invite you to join African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) as we celebrate World Refugee Day with PRIDE, honoring the brave and … More African HRC Launches Video Pride Message from LGBTQI Refugees in Kakuma Camp

LGBTQI Pride on World Refugee Day

LGBTQ DIGITAL PRIDE AND MIGRATION 2020 will commemorate the struggles of displaced people and LGBTQ Refugees and is scheduled this year for World Refugee Day, which is celebrated annually on June 20th. World Refugee Day commemorates the struggles of millions of displaced people. The significant population of displaced people who identify as LGBTQI underscores the importance of celebrating … More LGBTQI Pride on World Refugee Day