I usually don't do this here

but I want to ask you all for your help here. There's a bill that's going to be up in the House pretty soon. Real ID (HR 418) is going to hit the floor as early as next Thursday (it's being introduced by Sensenbrenner (R-WI)).

The bill will dramatically affect asylum seekers coming to the United States. Now, I must disclose, that the bill has some provisions regarding immigration in general (No drivers license, easing environmental/construction laws in order to construct a wall along San Diego border) that some Democrats may be in favor of for economic reasons or national security reasons. If this does apply to you, I understand that you won't join me. I wish you could help but everyone has their own concerns.

For those of you who haven't given up on the plea yet, I'll give you a brief description of how the bill will affect asylum seekers.

1. Asylum seekers would have to prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution based on ONE and only one of the five grounds (race, religion, political opinion, nationality, social group), which would raise the standard in way that is problematic for mixed motive cases.
Some of you may not see such a big deal in this, but many times asylum seekers are persecuted for more than one of those reasons. It's a rather senseless change to asylum law.

2. Adjudicators would be given more discretion to doubt credibility, including weighing inconsistent statements and demeanor (e.g., lack of eye contact, flat affect, etc.).
I'm stunned that this would be written into law. Asylum seekers many times are fearing for their lives. While they wait to have their case heard they are held in a federal detention center or a local county jail. Their fate is in the balance and they are talking about denying asylum claims on the basis of actions that will in general be present.

3. The bill would also allow denials for someone whose testimony is credible but who doesn't have supporting documentation; thereby eliminating the current standard of only asking for more documentation if it's reasonable to do so.
Many of these people come to the country with little or nothing in their possession. When fleeing a country, many asylum seekers don't have a neat folder with all of their personal information.

4.Bars review by federal court.
The Executive Office of Immigration Review is not a proper court. It is an administrative court. The Judges directly work for the Attorney General. You can imagine how this AG is going to deal with asylum seekers. (maybe they have information. Let's stick this prod up their ass before we send them back to whereever they came form). The Federal Courts many times protect those limited rights that non-citizens do have in this country.

I apologize for the length of the post. I work with Asylum seekers and can honestly say that you will rarely, if ever, meet people who have faced the problems they have and overcome them.

I urge you to help out. Thank You

To find your congressman and his/her contact information, go to http://www.house.gov/Welcome.shtml and enter your zip code in at the top of the page, or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202/22-3121 and ask to be connected to your representative's office (if you don't know your representative's name, tell the operator your ZIP code).

Also, consider letting President Bush know you oppose the bill by leaving a message on the White House comment line at 202/456-1111, and consider contacting your Senators at www.senate.gov or using the Switchboard number above.

There's so much to keep track of and there's no doubt everything that's introduced is going to need action. I just don't see how we can keep spouting this freedom crap when we turn around and hurt people seeking asylum.

A legislative forum is crucial.

(That will help for people who can't afford to make long distance calls.)


1-877-242-0100

1-888-280-6279

1-800-648-3516

At least one of these numbers is still valid.

There was a thread here a day or two ago saying they'd been discontinued. -or are those new numbers?

Are all of them discontinued?

just in case.

this is important and probably the most important thread i have read here.

Asylum seekers do not need more restrictions and barriers.

They are already fighting an incredibly uphill battle. They should be able to provide all of the relevant material for why they can't return to their country.

I hope that other DUers can see the wrong in this bill and are willing to take a couple minutes to write a letter and make a couple of calls.
Hate to be dramatic, but this could very well end up being life or death for many people.

Do you have more info on this? What are the arguments for these changes? Can you show me opinions about why these should be opposed? I would like to be informed before contacting my reps.

1. I agree with you, it's senseless on the face of it. Why is this even being proposed?

2. I'm not so sure of this one. Who are these adjudicators? Are they judges? I tend to favor allowing judges wide lattitude. What is the current process for considering claims?

3. Supporting documentation. This change could be discriminatory, or grossly unjust in particular cases. What is the criticism of the current standard? What are the rebutals?

4. I can't see that this is right at all.

These laws aren't drawn up without some group in mind. Obviously they're trying to bar claims on the basis of being persecuted for being homosexual, forced into prostitution, or escaping practices like clitorectomy, which afaict amounts to black Africans and maybe South Asian people.