As a human rights lawyer who has done extensive immigration work, let me make something absolutely clear.
Asylum is legal immigration.
There's no "port of entry" requirement.
There's no "visa" requirement.
There's no "first country" requirement.
You enter the United States, and you apply for asylum.
Because asylum is legal immigration. Period.
Period.
@QasimRashid someone passed this to me.
Are you suggesting the US does not adhere to the Safe Third Country Agreement today?
@morganeogerbc @QasimRashid The US ended the “Safe Third Country Agreements”, yes.
https://immigrationimpact.com/2021/02/08/safe-third-country-agreement-biden/
@mathew that's great to see the Biden admin is doing something there. Those countries are certainly not universally safe third countries.
There is another such agreement between Canada and the US. It stops #LGBTQ+ persons in the US facing systemic persrcution from accessing safety in Canada.
Thus is why my organization urges LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to avoid the US at all costs in their journey. That needs to fall too.
Qasim Rashid, Esq.
Morgane Oger
mathew