Denial and Delay the Impact of the Immigration Law’S “Terrorism Bars” on Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the United States
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Denial and Delay The Impact of the Immigration Law’s “Terrorism Bars” on Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the United States 5, 2012 on July archived 07-70336 No. v. Holder, Annachamy INADMISSIBLE UNDER § 212(a)(3)(B) INADMISSIBLE UNDER § 212(a)(3)(B) INADMISSIBLE UNDER § 212(a)(3)(B) INADMISSIBLE UNDER § 212(a)(3)(B) November 2009 About Human Rights First Acknowledgements Human Rights First believes that building respect for human rights This report was written by Anwen Hughes and edited by Eleanor and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every Acer. Additional editing was provided by Tad Stahnke, Annie Sovcik individual is entitled and will stem tyranny, extremism, intolerance, and Ruthie Epstein. We thank Sarah Graham for her work designing and violence. the report. Human Rights First protects people at risk: refugees who flee We wish to thank the many refugees and asylum seekers, attorneys, persecution, victims of crimes against humanity or other mass refugee services organizations and other community groups, human rights violations, victims of discrimination, those whose rights Department of Homeland Security officials, and others who provided are eroded in the name of national security, and human rights information included in this report. advocates who are targeted for defending the rights of others. These groups are often the first victims of societal instability and breakdown; their treatment is a harbinger of wider-scale repression. Human Rights First works to prevent violations against these groups About This Report and to seek justice and accountability for violations against them. Human Rights First is practical and effective. We advocate for Information on refugees and asylum seekers affected by the change at the highest levels of national and international policymak- immigration law’s “terrorism bars” has been obtained from ing. We seek justice through the courts. We raise awareness and refugees and asylum seekers themselves, from their legal understanding through the media. We build coalitions among those representatives, from decisions of the U.S. immigration courts, with divergent views. And we mobilize people to act. the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts of appeals, and from briefs filed in litigation by the Department Human Rights First is a nonprofit, nonpartisan international human of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. Many of rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C. To the names of the refugees and asylum seekers profiled in this maintain our independence, we accept no government funding. report have been changed at their request. Due to fears for the safety of family members who 5,remain 2012 in their home countries © 2009 Human Rights First. All Rights Reserved. and the danger thaton could July face those mistakenly labeled as “terrorists,”archived privacy concerns surrounding the details of their 07-70336past persecution, and concerns about jeopardizing their No. employment in the United States, these refugees have asked v. Holder, that their names be maintained in confidence. Annachamy Headquarters Washington D.C. Office 333 Seventh Avenue 100 Maryland Avenue, NE 13th Floor Suite 500 New York, NY 10001-5108 Washington, DC 20002-5625 Tel.: 212.845.5200 Tel: 202.547.5692 Fax: 212.845.5299 Fax: 202.543.5999 www.humanrightsfirst.org COVER PHOTOS (clockwise from top left) Andrew Heavens / Reuters STR New / Reuters Rashid Talukder/Autograph ABP Reuters Photographer / Reuters Table of Contents 1. Summary and Recommendations ....................................................................................................................................1 The Impact of the Immigration Law’s “Terrorism Bars” on Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the United States ............................1 The Immigration Law’s Overly Broad Definitions..........................................................................................................................3 Extreme and Inflexible Legal Positions........................................................................................................................................6 The “Waiver” Process—Cumbersome and Inadequate ................................................................................................................7 The Consequences: Divided Families, Lengthy Detentions and Delayed Integration..................................................................10 A Way Forward.........................................................................................................................................................................11 2. Protecting Refugees While Excluding Criminals and Dangerous People—The Proper Function of the Immigration Law’s “Terrorism Bars”..........................................................................................................................................................15 3. The Road to Absurdity—A Brief History of the “Terrorism”-Related Provisions of the Immigration & Nationality Act.............19 The Immigration Law’s Definition of “Terrorist Activity” ..............................................................................................................19 The USA PATRIOT Act, the New Definition of “Terrorist Organization,” and the Concept of “Material Support”.............................20 The REAL ID Act and the Proliferation of “Terrorism” Bars..........................................................................................................22 4. The Crisis—Reinterpretation of “Terrorist Activity” and Extreme Interpretation of Everything Else.......................................23 Redefining Victims of Repressive Regimes as Terrorists: The “Tier III” Embarrassment................................................................25 Retroactive Application of the Tier III Definition to Groups That Have Given Up Violence or No Longer Exist................................27 Terrorism As Contagious Disease: Misunderstanding the Notion of “Subgroup”.........................................................................29 Redefining Victims of Terrorist Organizations as Terrorists .........................................................................................................30 5, 2012 No Place for Children: The Application of the Terrorism Bars to Minors.........................................................on July .............................32 Four Dollars and Your Lunch: The Distortion of “Material Support” ..............................................................archived ..............................33 Your Mama’s a Terrorist— Inadmissibility by Blood and Marriage.................................................................07-70336 ..............................38 No. 5. The Failure to Deal with the Crisis: The Waiver Morass.....................................................................................................41 v. Holder, Concept and Statutory Background of the Waiver.....................................................................................................................41 Failure of ImplementationAnnachamy ...................................................................................................... ..................................................42 Statutory Expansion of Waiver Authority....................................................................................................................................43 Renewed Failure of Implementation: Unexpected Denial of Permanent Residence to Hundreds of Refugees..............................44 Back in Alice in Wonderland: A Tale of Two Iraqis....................................................................................................................46 6. The Crisis Continues.....................................................................................................................................................49 Still Expanding the Law’s Overbreadth: Administrative Interpretation of the “Terrorism Bars” .....................................................49 Still Waiting for Waivers of an Unworkable Legal Definition: The Continuing “Tier III” Problem....................................................50 More Bumps in the Road: Notices of Intent to Terminate Asylum Status ...................................................................................53 Still No Solution for Former Child Soldiers................................................................................................................................54 Still No Relief for Applicants in Immigration Court Proceedings.................................................................................................55 The Human Cost ......................................................................................................................................................................60 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................................................64 7. Appendices .................................................................................................................................................................65 8. Endnotes.....................................................................................................................................................................91 5, 2012 on July archived 07-70336 No. v. Holder, Annachamy