The End of Asylum in America
The End of Asylum in America
After World War II, America committed to never again slam the door shut on people fleeing persecution who needed protection.
The Trump administration is now dismantling that commitment. Piece by piece, our asylum system is being warped and replaced by one that is cruel, racist, and illegal.
Under the new set of rules, people looking for our help are being trapped in Mexico, denied access to lawyers in freezing Border Patrol facilities, and sent to Central American countries with nearly no due process.
The ACLU is working to bring these policies to an end. Below you can learn more about the Trump administration’s war on vulnerable asylum seekers and what we’re doing to stop it.
Last updated on June 3, 2021
NOTE: On March 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order allowing immigration authorities to immediately expel asylum seekers at the border, sending them to Mexico or their home countries. The administration has used the COVID-19 pandemic to justify these new restrictions, which were extended indefinitely as of May 20. The ACLU is closely monitoring the effects of this order, which you can learn more about below.
Featured Stories
An Indigenous Woman Made it to Safety in the U.S. DHS Won't Let it Go.
An Indigenous woman was persecuted for being Mayan in Guatemala. DHS wants to be able to pull her and her daughter out of their family’s arms in Massachusetts.
An Indigenous Woman Made it to Safety in the U.S. DHS Won't Let it Go.
How to Co-opt a Pandemic to Ban Asylum
The Trump administration is exploiting a public health crisis to achieve its long-held goal of ending asylum at the border
How to Co-opt a Pandemic to Ban Asylum
Asylum Seekers Stranded in Mexico Face a New Danger: COVID-19
For asylum seekers returned to Mexico, an uncertain and dangerous future now looms.
Asylum Seekers Stranded in Mexico Face a New Danger: COVID-19
From Being Tortured in Sri Lanka to the U.S. Supreme Court
A landmark case being argued by the ACLU will determine whether noncitizens can be deported without federal court review.
From Being Tortured in Sri Lanka to the U.S. Supreme Court
In Nicaragua, She Dodged Bullets. Now She's Stuck at the Border.
Julia fled a crackdown on activists in Nicaragua. New asylum rules have her stuck in one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico.
In Nicaragua, She Dodged Bullets. Now She's Stuck at the Border.What You Can Do
Support Asylum Seekers: Defund MPP
Support Asylum Seekers: Defund MPP