FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Renee Garcia, rgarcia@immdef.org; 213-634-7615
Statement on Attorney General Garland’s ruling on Matter of A-B- and Matter of L-E-A-
Los Angeles, CA. (June 16, 2021) Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) applauds Attorney General Garland’s decision to vacate Matter A-B- and Matter of L-E-A-. Under the Trump Administration, the original decisions were a heartless tool used to shut the door to thousands of survivors of gender and sexual violence and persecution in order to carry out their xenophobic agenda. While we have much work ahead to fully restore and reimagine the asylum system into one that welcomes all with dignity, today we celebrate this encouraging sign from the Biden Administration.
This decision has the power to save thousands of lives like our clients Patricia*, a mother and survivor of decades of domestic violence, and our unaccompanied minor client Jose who survived both domestic violence and persecution. For them and countless others, today marks the start of renewed hope that they will finally receive the protection they so desperately need as asylees.
"Vacating Matter A-B- and Matter of L-E-A- is a welcomed shift in U.S. asylum law that will steer this country back in the direction of moral justice. At ImmDef alone, this decision has an immediate impact on hundreds of cases where survivors of persecution are fighting at the trial and appellate level. As we celebrate this decision, we can't forget all those who were deported back into danger under the previous administration's atrocious decision. We applaud this significant first step toward restoring asylum law in the U.S., and hope this is the beginning of progress towards a future where we welcome all with dignity." - Director of Litigation and Advocacy, Munmeeth Soni, Immigrant Defenders Law Center