H.R. 5851: Refugee Protection Act of 2016
On July 14, 2016, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Refugee Protection Act of 2016, which includes provisions to address many of the severe, longstanding problems in the U.S. refugee and asylum systems.
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the Senate companion on the same day.
- AILA Welcomes Legislation Designed to Protect Refugees - July 14, 2016
Among other things, the Refugee Protection Act would:
- Eliminate the one-year asylum filing deadline that unjustly bars thousands of individuals who need protection from seeking relief;
- Make the system more fundamentally fair by appointing counsel for children, victims of violence, and other vulnerable populations;
- Improve border screening protocols by allowing child welfare professionals to assist in the interviewing of children;
- Bolster the integrity of the system by increasing the availability of legal orientation programs and requiring quality control mechanisms during screening processes; and,
- Strengthen due process by providing asylum seekers a more meaningful opportunity to substantiate their claims in court and to clarify inconsistencies in the record.
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 16071412.