HIAS Lauds Refugee Protection Act as Effective Solution for U.S. Asylum System

WASHINGTON—Today, the Refugee Protection Act of 2016 was introduced in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. HIAS, the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees, supports this legislation and praised its introduction as a much-needed framework for fixing the broken asylum system in the U.S.

“The Refugee Protection Act proposes thoughtful, effective, and much needed solutions and will ensure that fairness is restored to the asylum system,” said Melanie Nezer, HIAS vice president for policy and advocacy.

“Despite our nation’s proud history of offering safe haven to the persecuted, laws enacted over the years have threatened the rights and safety of refugees and asylum seekers. Refugees and asylum seekers come to the U.S. after harrowing journeys fleeing persecution and violence. Yet, the legal obstacles they face include harsh expedited removal system, arbitrary deadlines for filing asylum claims, overly broad anti-terrorism provisions that are actually applied to victims of terror, and other limitations on the ability to obtain protection.”