WASHINGTON - June 19 -  As refugees, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and individuals around the world celebrate World Refugee Day, Human Rights First (HRF) is urging the United States to mark this occasion by strengthening its commitment to protect the rights of refugees who flee from persecution. HRF noted that the June 20th festivities provide an opportunity for U.S. leaders to reevaluate current refugee protection policies and take steps to ensure that the United States is living up to its moral and treaty commitments to refugees.

“It is ironic that, here in the United States -  a country that has done so much to help refugees overseas – asylum seekers who have sought refuge from political, religious and other persecution will spend World Refugee Day detained in prison-like facilities.” said Eleanor Acer, director of Human Rights First’s refugee protection program. “Though the United States has certainly helped countless numbers of refugees, U.S. detention policies have made our nation a far less ‘welcoming’ place for those seeking this country’s protection from persecution and danger.”

HRF recently issued a report documenting the ways in which U.S. detention of asylum seekers is inconsistent with international human rights standards. The report, "U.S. Detention of Asylum Seekers: Seeking Protection, Finding Prison," notes that since 2003, U.S. immigration authorities have spent more than $300 million to detain over 48,000 asylum seekers in jails and jail-like facilities, some of which are located in remote areas, far from legal representation. In its conclusion, the report outlines ways to improve this process in ways that are more cost-effective, just, and humane.

“World Refugee Day presents an opportunity for the Obama administration to commit to taking immediate steps to protect the rights of refugees – including those who are here in this country,” Acer noted, “The United States should set the global standard for how refugees will be treated. When the United States falters in its protection obligations here at home, refugees worldwide suffer.” 

Human Rights First’s recommendations to the Obama Administration include:    

• Stop detaining asylum seekers in prison-like facilities.

• Provide all detained asylum seekers with the safeguard of an immigration court custody hearing.

• Revise overly broad immigration definitions in order to target actual terrorism (rather than the victims of violence and repression) and implement a more effective process to adjudicate exemptions.

Human Rights First also calls on the U.S. to continue to lead efforts to ensure protection and assistance for Iraq’s refugees and displaced, as well as resettling vulnerable Iraqi refugees – including those who are at risk because of their ties to the United States.  The U.S. must also take steps to improve support for refugees resettled here in the United States.

In addition to monitoring and advocating for the protection of the rights of refugees, Human Rights First also provides legal counsel to refugees who seek asylum in the U.S. – working in partnership with volunteer lawyers at U.S. law firms. “As Human Rights First marks World Refugee Day, we will be celebrating our volunteer attorneys’ hard work and dedication. They have helped so many refugees and their families to rebuild their lives in safety and security in this country. We look forward to working with them in the years to come and with the Obama Administration as it works to strengthen protections for refugees,” Acer concluded.