Attorney General Sessions is poised to reverse long-settled policy that allows survivors of domestic violence to seek asylum protection. We need to tell him that we stand with survivors.
Aracely’s story began in Honduras, where she lived with her family in a small community. At age 15, a man in her village known for his violent temper kidnapped her. His abuse continued for years, until one day he shot Aracely in the head, killed her two sons, and then killed himself. Aracely, who was pregnant with a daughter, miraculously survived, as did her daughter. After that, her abuser’s family blamed Aracely for his death and threatened to kill her and her family. She tried escaping to another part of Honduras, but his family found her there. Aracely's only chance to stay alive was to flee to the United States, where she was granted asylum in 2015. AG Sessions is now seeking to retract existing policy that asylum officers and immigration judges should grant asylum to women fleeing severe domestic violence who meet a range of other stringent criteria. He just announced that he is redeciding a case, Matter of A-B-, in which a woman was granted asylum because she experienced extensive physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her domestic partner, much like Aracely. You can read more about it here.
If you have any questions, contact Archi Pyati, Tahirih Justice Center.