Gina Mosley on Asylum Limits and Qualifications

(Newswire.net — May 18, 2018) Philadelphia, Pennsylavania — Recent developments in asylum qualifications have caused immigration attorneys around the country to warn people that thousands fleeing violence in their home countries may be turned away. U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions, appointed by President Donald Trump, has indicated that he would reshape who qualifies for asylum in the United States and whether those potential asylum applicants will receive a court hearing. Philadelphia-based family law and immigration attorney Gina Mosley understands that the reshaping of asylum laws could have long-ranging implications for those persecuted in their homelands. “Applications for asylum have skyrocketed in recent years,” says Ms. Mosley, who heads a private law practice in Philadelphia. “The Attorney General’s actions are designed to prevent abuse of the system, yet reshuffling current law may result in turning away legitimate asylum seekers.” Gina is no stranger to immigration law; she recently spoke out about immigration reform, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and its repeal. To learn more about her thoughts on this hot-button issue, visit https://newswire.net/newsroom/pr/00101263-attorney-gina-mosley-on-u-s-immigration-reform.html.

Currently, there is a severe backlog in asylum cases in the U.S.; with over 600,000 cases pending in courts, this number represents more than triple the number of cases from figures in 2009. Asylum seekers from Central America, particularly women and children, have increased sharply. Many of the people wishing to qualify for asylum are doing so because they claim to have been victims of gang and domestic violence in their home countries. Critics of the current asylum program, including Sessions, say that false claims run rampant, clogging the courts with frivolous cases that prevent legitimate victims from receiving their day in court. The Attorney General has already intervened in two cases, and is expected to move to close what he perceives as loopholes in the asylum rules. In one case, Sessions vacated a ruling that stated asylum seekers had rights regarding hearings before an immigration judge before their claims could be rejected. In the second case, he sought to clarify whether private crime victims, such as the victims of domestic violence, should or could qualify for U.S. asylum. Several former immigration judges have gone on record to say that they support Sessions’ moves, while others indicate that a rise in gang violence is the cause of spiking case numbers, not fraud as the Attorney General believes.

Asylum seekers currently must be able to demonstrate fear of persecution in their home countries, particularly for factors like religion or race. They must also originate from countries where the government is unwilling or unable to help. Not every claim is valid, of course, and the immigration courts must carefully weigh a number of additional factors before granting asylum. “The fear is that changes to the law will prevent victims of violence from being granted protection in the United States,” adds Gina Mosley, who has worked with hundreds of immigrants entering the U.S. “Domestic violence victims from other countries deserve a chance at qualifying for asylum.” For more information on Ms. Mosley and her law practice, visit http://www.themosleylawfirm.com.