The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to today’s announcement by the administration on US asylum policy.

Jenn Piatt, Senior Director of Refugee Resettlement & Asylum Policy and Advocacy, said:

“The IRC is strongly opposed to the administration’s latest decision to deny safe haven to families seeking asylum. Today’s action amounts to a blanket ban on vulnerable families fleeing violence and persecution in search of safety in the United States, clearly violating domestic and international law.

“This cruel decision will only result in uncertainty and insecurity for children and parents who are fleeing horrific violence and persecution. Further, it does nothing to address the root causes of this crisis, which are at the caravan’s origin, not its destination. The administration should instead be focused on addressing these root causes in the Northern Triangle, where humanitarian organizations like the IRC are on the ground working to alleviate suffering."

To date, the IRC’s emergency response in El Salvador has:

The IRC has responded to asylum seekers in the United States through: