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href="/irc-ambassadors" aria-label="Ambassadors">Ambassadors</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item--type-2" data-rpl-main-menu-level-1><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item-link" href="/where-we-work" aria-label="Where We Work">Where We Work</a><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target aria-label="Main Menu Option Expand Toggle"></button><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item--last"/><p class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item-title">placeholder</p><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-3"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>Africa</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/burkina-faso" aria-label="Burkina Faso">Burkina Faso</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/burundi" aria-label="Burundi">Burundi</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/cameroon" aria-label="Cameroon">Cameroon</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/central-african-republic" aria-label="Central African Republic">Central African Republic</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/chad" aria-label="Chad">Chad</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/ivory-coast" aria-label="Côte d'Ivoire">Côte d'Ivoire</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/democratic-republic-congo" aria-label="Democratic Republic of Congo">Democratic Republic of Congo</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/ethiopia" aria-label="Ethiopia">Ethiopia</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/kenya" aria-label="Kenya">Kenya</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/liberia" aria-label="Liberia">Liberia</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/libya" aria-label="Libya">Libya</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/mali" aria-label="Mali">Mali</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/niger" aria-label="Niger">Niger</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/nigeria" aria-label="Nigeria">Nigeria</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/somalia" aria-label="Somalia">Somalia</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/south-sudan" aria-label="South Sudan">South Sudan</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/sudan" aria-label="Sudan">Sudan</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/tanzania" aria-label="Tanzania">Tanzania</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/uganda" aria-label="Uganda">Uganda</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/zimbabwe" aria-label="Zimbabwe">Zimbabwe</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>Asia</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/afghanistan" aria-label="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/bangladesh" aria-label="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/malaysia" aria-label="Malaysia">Malaysia</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/myanmar" aria-label="Myanmar">Myanmar</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/pakistan" aria-label="Pakistan">Pakistan</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/thailand" aria-label="Thailand">Thailand</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>Europe</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/germany" aria-label="Germany">Germany</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/greece" aria-label="Greece">Greece</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/italy" aria-label="Italy">Italy</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/poland" aria-label="Poland">Poland</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/serbia" aria-label="Serbia">Serbia</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/topic/ukraine-crisis" aria-label="Ukraine">Ukraine</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>Latin America</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/colombia" aria-label="Colombia">Colombia</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/ecuador" aria-label="Ecuador">Ecuador</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/el-salvador" aria-label="El Salvador">El Salvador</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/honduras" aria-label="Honduras">Honduras</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/mexico" aria-label="Mexico">Mexico</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/peru" aria-label="Peru">Peru</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/venezuela" aria-label="Venezuela">Venezuela</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>Middle East</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/iraq" aria-label="Iraq">Iraq</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/jordan" aria-label="Jordan">Jordan</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/lebanon" aria-label="Lebanon">Lebanon</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/occupied-palestinian-territory-opt" aria-label="Occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)">Occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/syria" aria-label="Syria">Syria</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/country/yemen" aria-label="Yemen">Yemen</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-title" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target>United States</div><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target></button><div class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-1"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/abilene-tx" aria-label="Abilene, TX">Abilene, TX</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/atlanta-ga" aria-label="Atlanta, GA">Atlanta, GA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/baltimore-md" aria-label="Baltimore, MD">Baltimore, MD</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/boise-id" aria-label="Boise, ID">Boise, ID</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/charlottesville-va" aria-label="Charlottesville, VA">Charlottesville, VA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/dallas-tx" aria-label="Dallas, TX">Dallas, TX</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/denver-co" aria-label="Denver, CO">Denver, CO</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/des-moines-ia" aria-label="Des Moines, IA">Des Moines, IA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/elizabeth-nj" aria-label="Elizabeth, NJ">Elizabeth, NJ</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="https://www.rescue.org/united-states/iowa-city-ia" aria-label="Iowa City, IA">Iowa City, IA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/los-angeles-ca" aria-label="Los Angeles, CA">Los Angeles, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/louisville-ky" aria-label="Louisville, KY">Louisville, KY</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/miami-fl" aria-label="Miami, FL">Miami, FL</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/missoula-mt" aria-label="Missoula, MT">Missoula, MT</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/new-york-ny" aria-label="New York, NY">New York, NY</a></li></ul><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-4 rplc-main-menu__level-4--group-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/oakland-ca" aria-label="Oakland, CA">Oakland, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/phoenix-az" aria-label="Phoenix, AZ">Phoenix, AZ</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/richmond-va" aria-label="Richmond, VA">Richmond, VA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/sacramento-ca" aria-label="Sacramento, CA">Sacramento, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/salt-lake-city-ut" aria-label="Salt Lake City, UT">Salt Lake City, UT</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/san-diego-ca" aria-label="San Diego, CA">San Diego, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/san-jose-ca" aria-label="San Jose, CA">San Jose, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/seattle-wa" aria-label="Seattle, WA">Seattle, WA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/silver-spring-md" aria-label="Silver Spring, MD">Silver Spring, MD</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/spokane-wa" aria-label="Spokane, WA">Spokane, WA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/tallahassee-fl" aria-label="Tallahassee, FL">Tallahassee, FL</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/tucson-az" aria-label="Tucson, AZ">Tucson, AZ</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/turlock-ca" aria-label="Turlock, CA">Turlock, CA</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item"><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-4-menu-item-link" href="/united-states/wichita-ks" aria-label="Wichita, KS">Wichita, KS</a></li></ul></div></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item--type-1" data-rpl-main-menu-level-1><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item-link" href="/what-we-do" aria-label="What We Do">What We Do</a><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target aria-label="Main Menu Option Expand Toggle"></button><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item"/><p class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item-title">Where We Focus</p><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-3"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/economic-wellbeing" aria-label="Economic Wellbeing">Economic Wellbeing</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/education" aria-label="Education">Education</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/health" aria-label="Health">Health</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/empowerment" aria-label="Empowerment">Empowerment</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/safety" aria-label="Safety">Safety</a></li></ul></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item--last"/><p class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item-title">Our Approach</p><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-3"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/outcome/women-girls" aria-label="Centered on Women & Girls">Centered on Women & Girls</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/policy" aria-label="Policy & Advocacy">Policy & Advocacy</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/page/how-we-use-evidence" aria-label="How We Use Evidence">How We Use Evidence</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="https://airbel.rescue.org/" aria-label="Airbel Impact Lab">Airbel Impact Lab</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/reports-and-resources" aria-label="Reports and Resources">Reports and Resources</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item--type-1" data-rpl-main-menu-level-1><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-menu-item-link" href="/how-to-help" aria-label="How To Help">How To Help</a><button class="rplc-main-menu__level-1-expand-toggle" data-rpl-main-menu-expanding-section-target aria-label="Main Menu Option Expand Toggle"></button><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-2"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item"/><p class="rplc-main-menu__level-2-menu-item-title">Give</p><ul class="rplc-main-menu__level-3"><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/make-lasting-impact" aria-label="Donate Monthly">Donate Monthly</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item-link" href="/start-a-fundraiser" aria-label="Start a Fundraising Campaign">Start a Fundraising Campaign</a></li><li class="rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item rplc-main-menu__level-3-menu-item--leaf" data-rpl-main-menu-level-3><a 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srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/super_widescreen_21x9_1925px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?h=6714ca05&itok=pNK2xEuh 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/super_widescreen_21x9_2058px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?h=6714ca05&itok=ISEnTWJE 2x," media="all and (min-width: 40.063em) and (max-width: 64em)"><source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/square_1x1_400px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?itok=vMQYdwuv 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/square_1x1_1280px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?itok=iGWwCwXP 2x, /sites/default/files/styles/square_1x1_1280px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?itok=iGWwCwXP 3x,"><img src="/sites/default/files/styles/square_1x1_1280px_wide/public/2024-10/pic_5.jpg?itok=iGWwCwXP" alt="An IRC staff member faces away from the camera and towards the Mexico - U.S. border, while adorning a vest that has the IRC logo on the back."/></picture></div><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__inner-content-wrapper"><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__text-wrapper"><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__primary-1"><div class="rplm-stacked-headline-2 rplm-stacked-headline-2--type-one"><div class="rpla-slug rpla-slug--size-large" tabindex="0">Explainer</div><h1 class="rpla-responsive-title rpla-responsive-title--long" tabindex="0"> Is it legal to cross the U.S. border to seek asylum? </h1><div class="rplm-stacked-headline-2__summary-wrapper"><p class="rpla-paragraph" tabindex="0"></p></div></div></div><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__primary-2"><div class="rplc-hero-article__dates-wrapper"><div class="rpla-meta"> July 1, 2022 </div><div class="rpla-meta">Last updated: <time datetime="2024-11-01T16:21:10+00:00">November 1, 2024</time></div></div></div><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__secondary-1"><div class="rplm-social-share rplm-social-share--type-two"><div class="rplm-social-share__icons-wrapper"><div class="rplm-social-share__icon-only-link-wrapper" data-rpla-hover-target><a 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href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#211e5254434b4442551c685204131148550413114d4446404d041311554e04131142534e5252041311554944041311740f720f041311434e53454453041311554e0413115244444a0413114052584d544c04126707404c511a434e45581c49555551520412600413670413675656560f5344524254440f4e534604136740535548424d4404136748550c4d4446404d0c42534e52520c54520c434e534544530c5244444a0c4052584d544c" class="rpla-icon-only-link rpla-icon-only-link--type-two rpla-icon-only-link--mail" data-rpla-hover-target data-rpl-popup aria-label="mail" tabindex='0' target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="mail"><span class="rpla-icon-only-link__icon-wrapper"><div class="rpla-icon rpla-icon--mail rpla-icon--fill-third-party-hover"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16"><path d="M14.717 3.64V2.387s.064 0 .192.032c.127.032.32.064.544.224s.417.417.513.802c0 .032.032.096.032.128v.64c0 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1.218v4.585H1.28V7.775L.032 6.59v1.217L0 10.725v1.796c.032.13.064.225.096.354.096.225.257.417.48.545.193.127.482.19.674.19h13.53c.193 0 .386-.063.546-.16.32-.19.577-.544.64-.93.033-.223 0-.255 0-.384v-5.61H16z"/></svg></div></span></a></div></div></div></div><div class="rpll-hero-layout-1__secondary-2"></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div><main id="main-content" class="rpll-page__main" role="main" tabindex="-1"> <div></div><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body rpla-paragraph--lead"><span dir="ltr">Families escaping violence and persecution in their home countries often undertake a dangerous journey to seek safety in the United States. Many are fleeing unprecedented and growing humanitarian crises in Latin America, the Caribbean, Afghanistan and parts of Africa. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Here’s how the process works:</span></p><h2 class="rpla-standalone-section-heading rpla-standalone-section-heading"><strong>What is asylum?</strong></h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Asylum is a form of protection granted to individuals who can demonstrate that they are unable or unwilling to return to their country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of:</span></p><ul class="rpla-unordered-list rpla-unordered-list--body"><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span>race,</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span>religion,</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span>nationality,</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span>membership in a particular social group,</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span>or political opinion.</span></li></ul><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The right to seek asylum was incorporated into international law following the atrocities of World War II. Congress adopted key provisions of the Refugee Convention (including the international definition of a refugee) into U.S. immigration law when it passed the Refugee Act of 1980.</span></p><div id="14136" class="rplc-image-well-width rplc-image-well-width--caption-style-standard"><div class="rplc-image-well-width__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div class="rplc-image-well-width__image-wrapper"><img class="rpla-responsive-image" src="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/17652/e-image/lincy_asylum_seeker_photo_sized.jpg?itok=2X4IOQ9O" alt="Lincy Sopall, who was granted asylum in the U.S., sits at a desk holding a pencil and looking at a sheet of paper. Her supplies for her fashion design studio are behind her. " srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/17652/e-image/lincy_asylum_seeker_photo_sized.jpg?itok=2X4IOQ9O 640w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1280px_wide/public/image/17652/e-image/lincy_asylum_seeker_photo_sized.jpg?itok=wQyycEcv 1280w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1920px_wide/public/image/17652/e-image/lincy_asylum_seeker_photo_sized.jpg?itok=dclppBQx 1920w," sizes="(min-width: 1208px) 1208px,(min-width: 321px) 100vw, 320px"></div><div class="rplc-image-well-width__caption-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption rplm-caption--style-default"><div class="rplm-caption__text-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption__text">Lincy Sopall, a transgender woman who faced abuse and persecution in Honduras, received asylum in the U.S. in 2018 and works as a fashion designer. She says of her decision to flee: "I had only two choices: leave Honduras and live or stay and die."</div><div class="rplm-caption__credit">Photo: Andrew Oberstadt for the IRC</div></div></div></div></div></div><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading">Who is an asylum seeker?</h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>An asylum seeker is someone who has fled their home in search of safety and protection in another country. Because they cannot obtain protection in their home country, they seek it elsewhere. Asylum seekers may be of any age, gender, socio-economic status or nationality—though the majority come from regions of the world that are suffering from conflict, disaster and weak rule of law.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“Asylee” is the term used in the U.S. for people who have been granted asylum. Under U.S. immigration law, a person granted asylum is legally allowed to remain in the country without fear of deportation. They qualify to work and travel abroad and can apply for their spouse or children under the age of 21 to join them. Asylees have the opportunity to become permanent residents, and eventually, citizens, provided that they meet all other requirements.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>To be granted asylum, one must meet the definition of a refugee. However, international law recognizes that the refugee status determination process can be lengthy and complex. Therefore, asylum seekers should receive certain protections </span><em><span>before</span></em><span> a state has officially recognized them as refugees. Asylum seekers begin their process either at the U.S. border or within the U.S.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>"A refugee is inherently a refugee even if a government hasn’t yet made that determination," says IRC senior director for asylum and legal protection Olga Byrne. "If you meet that definition and you’re fleeing danger, you should not be penalized for your manner of entry, and you should not be turned away at the border to a country where you’d face persecution."</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><a href="/article/left-limbo-one-familys-grueling-journey-find-safety-us" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5afcbf80-9a13-4bfa-a783-a7d2cc25246b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Left in limbo: One family’s grueling journey to find safety in the U.S."><span>Read Natalia's story of having to flee her home in Honduras and travel thousands of miles, determined to find a safe place to raise her children.</span></a></p><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading">Is seeking asylum legal?</h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Yes, seeking asylum is legal. Asylum seekers must be in the U.S. or at a port of entry (an airport or an official land crossing) to request the opportunity to apply for asylum.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>"There’s no way to ask for a visa in advance for the purpose of seeking asylum,” says Byrne. “You just have to show up.”</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>However, since June 4th, 2024, an </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/06/04/a-proclamation-on-securing-the-border/" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>executive order on the border</span></a><span> and its </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/30/a-proclamation-on-amending-proclamation-10773/" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>amendment</span></a><span> of September 30th, has curbed the legal right to seek asylum.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Learn how </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/what-do-president-bidens-border-policies-mean-asylum-seekers" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>President Biden’s border policies are affecting asylum seekers</span></a><span>.</span></p><div id="31272" class="rplc-special"><div class="rplc-special__content" data-rpl-special-container data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div><div id="35239" class="rplc-call-to-action-1 rplc-call-to-action-1--background-black rplc-call-to-action-1--position-middle"><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><a href="https://help.rescue.org/donate" class="rplc-call-to-action-1__content-wrapper" aria-label=" <div>Support our work</div> " data-rpla-hover-target><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__text-wrapper"><h3 class="rplc-call-to-action-1__title"><div>Support our work</div></h3><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__subtitle"><div>The IRC supports asylum seekers and helps refugees resettle in new communities while providing humanitarian support in over 40 crisis-affected countries around the world. </div></div></div><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__button-wrapper"><button class="rpla-button rpla-button--size-medium rpla-button--type-one rpla-button--with-icon rpla-button--icon-position-after"><span class="rpla-button__text">Give today</span><div class="rpla-button__icon-wrapper"><div class="rpla-icon rpla-icon--heart"><svg clip-rule="evenodd" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-miterlimit="1.414" viewBox="0 0 16 16"><path d="M8.593 2.173l.834.93.513-.449.128-.128.096-.064.064-.064c.065-.064.129-.097.193-.161.288-.192.641-.32.994-.32h.673c.193 0 .353.032.513.064.321.096.641.288.898.577l.481.545.224.257.193.192c.16.192.256.641.32 1.058.032.225.032.417.032.641v1.347c0 .16-.064.353-.128.513-.128.353-.352.706-.609 1.058-.128.161-.289.321-.417.481-.128.161-.32.289-.481.449l-2.116 1.86-2.116 1.892-.866.769-.417-.385-4.232-3.719-.513-.481-.289-.224-.224-.225c-.289-.321-.577-.673-.77-1.026-.192-.353-.32-.705-.32-1.058V5.123c0-.417.064-.866.192-1.218.064-.193.128-.321.192-.417l.449-.513.449-.513c.096-.096.257-.225.417-.321s.321-.16.481-.192c.096 0 .192-.032.256-.032h.93c.193.032.353.064.513.128.161.064.321.16.481.256.064.065.128.097.193.161l.256.256L7.984 4.77l.385.417 1.731.032-.801-.897-.385-.417L6.99 1.853l-.257-.257c-.128-.128-.224-.224-.352-.288a3.008 3.008 0 0 0-.77-.417 3.467 3.467 0 0 0-.833-.193c-.321-.032-.513 0-.77 0H3.591c-.16 0-.288.032-.449.064a3.792 3.792 0 0 0-.833.321c-.225.16-.449.321-.674.545l-.481.513-.481.577a1.866 1.866 0 0 0-.416.834 5.448 5.448 0 0 0-.225 1.571v1.443c.032.609.225 1.154.481 1.635.257.481.577.866.93 1.251.096.096.16.192.288.288l.225.225.545.481 4.265 3.751.641.577.545.481.064.065c0 .032.032 0 .032 0l.032-.033.128-.128.257-.224 1.25-1.09 2.117-1.86 2.116-1.86c.16-.16.353-.288.545-.513.16-.192.353-.385.513-.577.321-.417.609-.866.802-1.379.096-.256.16-.545.192-.833V5.348c0-.257-.032-.513-.064-.77-.032-.256-.064-.513-.16-.802a2.763 2.763 0 0 0-.385-.833.854.854 0 0 0-.161-.193l-.128-.128-.224-.256-.449-.674c-.385-.417-.898-.769-1.475-.93a3.78 3.78 0 0 0-.866-.096h-.737a3.322 3.322 0 0 0-1.636.545c-.128.097-.256.193-.352.289l-.064.064s-.032.032-.065.032l-.128.128-.513.449z" fill-rule="nonzero" /></svg></div></div></button></div></a></div></div></div></div></div><h2 class="rpla-standalone-section-heading rpla-standalone-section-heading">How do people seek asylum at the border?</h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Despite established rights under U.S. and international law, the US government has severely restricted access to asylum at the border since 2017.</span></p><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading">What was "Remain in Mexico?"</h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>A policy called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or “Remain in Mexico” forced certain asylum seekers to wait out their U.S. immigration court cases in Mexico with little or no access to legal counsel. Although a federal court blocked the Biden Administration’s attempts to end this program, the Supreme Court later ruled in the administration’s favor.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>For over three years, MPP impacted more than 75,000 asylum seekers, requiring them to wait out their U.S. court hearings in Mexico–mostly in northern border towns. There they faced the often impossible expectations to gather evidence and prepare for a trial conducted in English while struggling to keep their families safe.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“U.S. border policies have continued to represent a challenge for asylum seekers to get to safety, while Mexico has also undertaken new actions to slow migration at both the northern and the southern border,” explains </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/northern-mexico-stranded-asylum-seekers-are-risk-violence-informal-settlements-irc-0" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>Rafael Velásquez</span></a><span>, country director for the IRC in Mexico.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“Mexico has certainly become one of the main recipients of asylum claims in recent years but the country is not necessarily an option for everyone.”</span></p><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading" id="Title 42"><strong>What was Title 42? </strong></h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>In March 2020, the Trump Administration implemented a public health rule during the COVID-19 pandemic to turn away asylum seekers at the border–without giving them a chance to present their cases for asylum. The rule was commonly referred to as “Title 42” because the legal authority referenced by the policy is in Title 42 of the U.S. Code.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Between March 2020 and May 2023, Title 42 was used to justify nearly 3 million expulsions under the pretext of public health. </span><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-cdc-scientist-said-covid-era-health-policy-used-to-expel-migrants-unfairly-stigmatized-them/" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>Public health officials agreed</span></a><span> that Title 42 did not protect people from COVID-19 and drove up the number of encounters at the border as people crossed repeatedly. This rule faced a number of legal challenges for undermining the U.S.' obligations to asylum seekers under domestic and international law. There was and is no public health rationale for denying people their legal right to claim asylum at the U.S. border. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Title 42 ended on May 11, 2023, coinciding with the end of the federal public health order for COVID-19. However, the next day, on May 12, 2023, President Biden implemented the ‘asylum ban’, which continues to undermine the rights of asylum seekers at the U.S.–Mexico border.</span></p><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading"><span>What is President Biden’s “Asylum Ban”?</span></h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>While the IRC welcomed the end of Title 42, President Biden’s </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/what-president-bidens-asylum-ban-and-what-does-it-mean-people-seeking-safety" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>‘</strong>asylum ban’</span></a><span> bars asylum seekers who passed through another country on their way to the southern U.S. border unless they had previously applied for (and been denied) asylum elsewhere or were lucky enough to secure a limited appointment time at a port of entry through a new U.S. government </span><a href="https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory/cbpone" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>app for smartphones</span></a><span>, called CBP One.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>This policy stands in stark contrast to President Biden’s commitments to overhaul inhumane asylum and deportation processes. It turns asylum protections into a lottery system, often leaving the protection of vulnerable people to chance, while many remain in dangerous conditions. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>This does not meet the criteria for how an asylum system should work.  </span></p><div id="12620" class="rplc-image-well-width rplc-image-well-width--caption-style-standard"><div class="rplc-image-well-width__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div class="rplc-image-well-width__image-wrapper"><img class="rpla-responsive-image" src="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/15703/e-image/asylum_photo_sized.jpg?itok=mxNlrpgT" alt="In the IRC's Welcome Center for asylum seekers, a husband and wife sit with their back to the camera as they discuss their journey as asylum seekers. The wife is holding their 2-year-old daughter. " srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/15703/e-image/asylum_photo_sized.jpg?itok=mxNlrpgT 640w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1280px_wide/public/image/15703/e-image/asylum_photo_sized.jpg?itok=RdUaz_sp 1280w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1920px_wide/public/image/15703/e-image/asylum_photo_sized.jpg?itok=nukitYlT 1920w," sizes="(min-width: 1208px) 1208px,(min-width: 321px) 100vw, 320px"></div><div class="rplc-image-well-width__caption-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption rplm-caption--style-default"><div class="rplm-caption__text-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption__text">19-year-old Stephanie and her 22-year-old husband Thomas were forced to flee Honduras with their two-year-old daughter, Judy, because of gang violence.</div><div class="rplm-caption__credit">Photo: Andrew Oberstadt/IRC</div></div></div></div></div></div><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading"><strong>A Biden administration executive order is limiting asylum rights</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>On June 4, 2024, the Biden administration issued an </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-executive-order-asylum-harmful-counterproductive-and-illegal" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>executive order</span></a><span> that temporarily suspends the right to seek asylum for people who arrive at the southern border away from an official point of entry, or without a </span><a href="/article/what-do-president-bidens-border-policies-mean-asylum-seekers" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="363e4c11-4c27-4e10-b5f5-6cc94fd98c0a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="What do President Biden’s border policies mean for asylum seekers?"><span>CBP One app appointment</span></a><span>. An update to this measure was </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-harmful-and-illegal-approaches-us-border-regulations-will-return-more-people" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>announced</span></a><span> on September 30, 2024, tightening asylum restrictions even further.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Under this order, the legal right to seek asylum will remain suspended until the average number of daily southern border encounters drops below 1,500 for 28 consecutive days, an increase from the previous 7-day requirement.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Encounters do not include people arriving at ports of entry. However, the </span><a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/09/30/fact-sheet-joint-dhs-doj-final-rule-issued-restrict-asylum-eligibility-those-who" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>updated order</span></a><span> now includes unaccompanied children in the calculation for daily encounter averages, even though they will remain exempt from the suspension and related measures.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The IRC has warned that the executive order is harmful, counterproductive and illegal. </span><a href="https://act.rescue.org/lBLJl7z" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>Join us in calling for President Biden to protect the rights of asylum seekers.</span></a></p><h3 class="rpla-standalone-subsection-heading rpla-standalone-subsection-heading"><strong>The impact of restrictive policies </strong></h3><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The impact of Remain in Mexico alongside nearly 3 million Title 42 expulsions, and now often long waits to request asylum at ports of entry, has required Mexico to </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-president-and-ceo-david-miliband-irc-work-mexico-following-program-visit" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>fulfill growing humanitarian needs</span></a><span> as asylum seekers wait, sometimes for years, to seek safety in the U.S. Families are </span><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/national-sitrep-mexico-september-2024" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>finding themselves</span></a><span> at risk of murder, rape, extortion and other violence. Organized criminal networks and human smugglers have targeted desperate asylum seekers and profited from the border policies that deny them their rights. </span><a href="/press-release/asylum-needs-mexico-2023" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cb7bc7ec-a8cb-4c83-a4b1-e33a3c95a896" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="As Mexico receives a record number of asylum requests, IRC warns that food, shelter and protection mechanisms remain critical needs"><span>An IRC survey</span></a><span> found that 4 in 10 people displaced throughout Mexico had been victims of at least one crime while in the country, such as robbery and kidnapping. In fact, the main safety risk identified by men and women was related to kidnappings or forced disappearance (18% and 16% respectively).</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“Here in Tijuana, we’re in exactly the same conditions that people are fleeing from, everything from cartels and violence to gang presence,” says Kathy Kruger, who works for IRC partner Casa del Migrante in Tijuana, Mexico. Local shelters and organizations like hers have made heroic efforts to help asylum seekers despite strained resources.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Language barriers and racism have made the situation particularly dangerous for Black asylum seekers, as they face discrimination and violence on their journey and at the border. In just one example, the Haitian Bridge Alliance and Espacio Migrante </span><a href="https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports/2021/12/13/its-very-hard-to-have-rights-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-refugee-and-migrant-communities-in-tijuana" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>documented</span></a><span> extensive evidence of discrimination in Tijuana, particularly as it related to accessing services during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Those asylum seekers who do make it to the U.S. will eventually have to make their case to stay in immigration court. There, the outcome can be vastly different depending on whether or not they can access legal representation. Unlike in the U.S. criminal legal system, asylum seekers are not guaranteed a government-funded lawyer. </span><a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/448/" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>One study</span></a><span> found that asylum seekers who had submitted an asylum application before the immigration court were five times more likely to be granted asylum if they had a lawyer. (To </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/what-happens-when-asylum-seekers-face-deportation-without-lawyer" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>learn more</span></a><span>, read IRC staff attorney Kayla Moore's account of an asylum seeker who had to make his case without a lawyer.)</span></p><h2 class="rpla-standalone-section-heading rpla-standalone-section-heading">Where do asylum seekers in the U.S. come from?</h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>A substantial number of asylum seekers are fleeing violence, persecution and natural disasters like in Haiti and several Latin America countries, including Mexico. Asylum seekers also come from Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, India, Eritrea, Ghana, Ethiopia and Cameroon. Some Afghans and many people displaced by the war in Ukraine have also come to the U.S. southern border to ask for asylum.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>"Mixed migration through Mexico—usually onwards to the United States—has been a longstanding mechanism for people fleeing violence and conflict from the Caribbean and Central and South America,” explains Velásquez. “However, we have seen a particular increase in the number of asylum seekers from all over the world transiting through the country, including from places as distant as Asia, Africa and Europe."</span></p><div id="41462" class="rplc-image-well-width rplc-image-well-width--caption-style-standard"><div class="rplc-image-well-width__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div class="rplc-image-well-width__image-wrapper"><img class="rpla-responsive-image" src="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/2023-05/pic.png?itok=OpnXHBez" alt="Maria sits across the table from her daughter, watching her make a bracelet." srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/2023-05/pic.png?itok=OpnXHBez 640w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1280px_wide/public/2023-05/pic.png?itok=A_j4q3Qk 1280w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1920px_wide/public/2023-05/pic.png?itok=uJxVp6II 1920w," sizes="(min-width: 1208px) 1208px,(min-width: 321px) 100vw, 320px"></div><div class="rplc-image-well-width__caption-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption rplm-caption--style-default"><div class="rplm-caption__text-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption__text">Maria* and her two children had been in Juárez, Mexico for five months after death threats from local gangs forced them to flee their home in Honduras. When she arrived at the U.S. border to claim asylum, she was turned away under Title 42.</div><div class="rplm-caption__credit">Photo: Paul Ratje for the IRC</div></div></div></div></div></div><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>People living in northern Central American countries are enduring violence akin to a war zone.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Honduras is considered one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America, with homicide rates being among the highest ever recorded in the region. </span><a href="/article/what-gender-based-violence-and-how-do-we-prevent-it" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e732b452-bffc-4d34-9dad-723453587e0b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="What is gender-based violence – and how do we prevent it?"><span>Gender-based violence</span></a><span> is rampant; one woman is killed every 28 hours. With chronic gang violence, extreme weather caused by climate change and the impacts of COVID-19 worsening the crisis, the number of people in need of aid has more than doubled since 2020.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“More than anything in Honduras, I felt fear,” explains Maria*, a 37-year-old mother of two who was forced to flee with her family after receiving death threats from organized criminal groups. “When you don’t give them money, they threaten to kill you.”</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The IRC has also </span><a href="/press-release/crises-ecuador-and-haiti-will-shape-migration-latin-america-2024-irc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f585ae2d-ef2a-4c37-b5f2-5d1aa005edc0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Crises in Ecuador and Haiti will shape migration in Latin America in 2024: IRC"><span>warned</span></a><span> that the ongoing crises in </span><a href="/country/ecuador" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3c38cc19-10a5-48ca-a61b-2bbcfac25816" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Ecuador"><span>Ecuador</span></a><span> and Haiti will shape migration in Latin America throughout 2024.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The conflict between Ecuador’s government and criminal armed groups is driving safety concerns while economic pressures simultaneously erode livelihoods. Homicides in Ecuador surged by 245% from 2020 to 2022. Military operations aimed at controlling criminal organizations pose the danger of escalating violence, causing harm to civilians and triggering displacements as individuals seek refuge from their homes in search of safety.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>A growing number of Ecuadorians are leaving their crisis-stricken country. In 2023 there was a 75% increase in the number of Ecuadorians navigating the treacherous Darién Gap, highlighting their desperation to escape </span><a href="/article/crisis-ecuador-what-you-need-know-and-how-help" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="dcb6fef4-393c-4faa-9ede-6d16bc4a458e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Crisis in Ecuador: What you need to know and how to help"><span>circumstances at home</span></a><span>. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><a href="/article/crisis-haiti-gang-violences-vice-grip-amidst-political-turmoil" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2e45eef1-b594-4906-bef1-0b4c7de377ad" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Crisis in Haiti: Gang violence’s vice grip amidst political turmoil"><span>In Haiti</span></a><span>, killings and kidnappings are on the rise, with significant swaths of the capital city Port-au-Prince </span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-caribbean-port-au-prince-haiti-gangs-8793b917718e5f67f27317e765c410aa" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>controlled by criminal groups</span></a><span>. Gangs also have gained control over ports and transport routes, blocking the flow of basic goods and hampering humanitarian access to deliver aid. Nearly half of Haiti’s population requires humanitarian assistance, including almost 362,000 people who have been internally displaced. Food insecurity is expected to worsen across the country, exacerbating conditions for the almost 5 million Haitians who are already experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>After they flee their home, asylum seekers must survive the extremely dangerous journey north, the path fraught with gang violence similar to the areas they are fleeing; gender-based violence targeting women, girls and the LGBTQ+ community; the risk of human trafficking of children, teens and women; and, for Black asylum seekers especially, racism and discrimination.</span></p><div id="15290" class="rplc-image-well-width rplc-image-well-width--caption-style-standard"><div class="rplc-image-well-width__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div class="rplc-image-well-width__image-wrapper"><img class="rpla-responsive-image" src="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/19102/e-image/gettyimages-1235438809.jpg?itok=jpYvzRbb" alt="In a makeshift encampment in Mexico, a Haitian family--a mom, dad and young daughter--look straight at the camera while sitting on the ground next to their suitcases and blankets. " srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_640px_wide/public/image/19102/e-image/gettyimages-1235438809.jpg?itok=jpYvzRbb 640w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1280px_wide/public/image/19102/e-image/gettyimages-1235438809.jpg?itok=j4kOssWA 1280w, /sites/default/files/styles/well_width_13x9_1920px_wide/public/image/19102/e-image/gettyimages-1235438809.jpg?itok=j1qiqmUY 1920w," sizes="(min-width: 1208px) 1208px,(min-width: 321px) 100vw, 320px"></div><div class="rplc-image-well-width__caption-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption rplm-caption--style-default"><div class="rplm-caption__text-wrapper"><div class="rplm-caption__text">A Haitian family in a makeshift encampment in Mexico where they have been waiting to claim asylum in the U.S. The Biden Administration has used Title 42 to turn away Haitians and other asylum seekers at the border.</div><div class="rplm-caption__credit">Photo: Getty</div></div></div></div></div></div><h2 class="section-title rpla-standalone-section-heading">What must President Joe Biden do to help asylum seekers?</h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>President Biden has already expanded pathways for the </span><a href="/press-release/irc-welcomes-expansion-resettlement-pathways-while-denouncing-further-asylum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1c7bcd9d-9c23-4848-81e3-272fa183a9c2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="IRC welcomes the expansion of resettlement pathways while denouncing further asylum restrictions"><span>resettlement of people from Latin America</span></a><span> and issued a number of executive orders impacting asylum seekers at the U.S. border, including one that creates a task force to reunite separated families. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>However, the Biden Administration should stop defending its ‘asylum ban’, which a federal court found violates U.S. law. Currently, this rule remains in effect while the government negotiates to settle the case. Additionally, the administration should rescind its </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-executive-order-asylum-harmful-counterproductive-and-illegal" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>June 4th executive order</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-harmful-and-illegal-approaches-us-border-regulations-will-return-more-people" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>September 30th amendment</span></a><span>, which continues to curb the legal right to seek asylum at the U.S. southern border.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Here are some solutions the administration can pursue to adapt the asylum system to current displacement realities while treating people with dignity.</span></p><ul class="rpla-unordered-list rpla-unordered-list--body"><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span><strong>Rescind the “Asylum Ban”,</strong></span><strong> the June 4th executive order and its September 30th amendment</strong><span><strong>.</strong> These policies bar thousands of asylum seekers and return them to danger. They runs contrary to domestic and international laws that establish the right to seek asylum and promises made by the Biden administration to overhaul inhumane asylum policies.</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span><strong>Address the asylum backlog.</strong> The current backlog has forced asylum seekers to endure five to seven-year-long waits. Improving the speed at which asylum claims are decided fairly and with due process is needed to create a more humane and orderly asylum system.</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span><strong>Expedite Work Permits. </strong>Currently, most asylum applicants have to wait at least 180 days for a work permit, which is unsustainable. When people seeking asylum come to the US, they want to work, earn a living, and support themselves and their families as they rebuild their lives and integrate into their new communities. Employers and host communities can also benefit from expedited work permits to meet the needs of an aging workforce and labor shortages, filling critical gaps in the labor market.</span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span><strong>Invest in smart and humane asylum measures.</strong> The U.S. must take a holistic approach to create a smarter, cost-effective and humane asylum system. This includes supporting humane reception that keeps asylum seekers off the streets, providing long-term case management, and improving access to information on legal rights and community resources to combat misinformation and trafficking. </span></li><li class="rpla-unordered-list__item"><span><strong>Create a comprehensive humanitarian response in Latin America. </strong>The U.S. should work with non-US donors to support humanitarian response plans and work with Latin American countries to harmonize policies that uphold the rights and safety of asylum seekers across the region.</span></li></ul><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>“This is a matter of political will and policy,” says Byrne. “If the Biden administration gets it right, the U.S. can credibly urge the international community to step up and share responsibility worldwide. If not, the consequences will be measured in lives lost and in regional and political instability."</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>Humanity must underpin the pathway to order for our immigration system. Instead of ineffective, short-sighted, dangerous deterrent measures, the United States must pursue smarter, more cost-efficient, and effective measures that uphold the right to asylum while also creating a more orderly system for host communities and forcibly displaced people. The U.S. sets an example for others with their actions on the global stage. Therefore, the goal should be to create a humane system that is sustainable, predictable and fair. To that end, we call for investments in humanitarian reception at the border, information services, case management programs and expedited work permits for asylum applicants.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><a href="/report/myths-and-facts-border-strengthening-measures-proposed-us-congress" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fb2fa71d-4774-49c1-8f9f-96c90a8b64c7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one" title="Myths and Facts: “Border Strengthening” Measures Proposed in US Congress"><span>Learn the myths and facts behind “border strengthening measures” proposed in Congress</span></a><span>.</span></p><h2 class="rpla-standalone-section-heading rpla-standalone-section-heading">How does the IRC help asylum seekers? </h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>The IRC provides critical support to asylum seekers on both sides of the U.S. southern border, including the provision of transitional shelter, humanitarian assistance, acute medical care and legal orientation. Throughout the U.S., the IRC also provides legal services, case management, medical evaluations and other services to asylum seekers in 29 offices.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>In Latin America and the Caribbean, the IRC is responding to the needs of migrants and members of the host communities in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru as well as through local partners in Venezuela; supporting people at risk of violence and displacement, and helping reintegrate those who have been returned to northern Central America; and providing aid along the main displacement corridors in Mexico. In December 2022, the IRC launched a response through emergency donations and longer-term support to Haitian partners working in Port-au-Prince and other areas impacted by violence.</span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><span>In recent years, we launched critical information services for asylum seekers and vulnerable communities: </span><a href="https://www.infopalante.org/hc/es-co" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>InfoPa’lante</strong></span></a><span> in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; </span><a href="https://www.cuentanos.org/" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>CuéntaNos</strong></span></a><span> in northern Central America and </span><a href="https://www.infodigna.org/hc/es-mx" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>InfoDigna</strong></span></a><span> in Mexico are all part of our global Signpost project with partners including Mercy Corps, Google, Microsoft, Twilio, Cisco, Tripadvisor and Box. The digital platform includes an interactive map that connects asylum seekers and migrants to shelters, health care providers and other services. An additional service, </span><a href="https://www.importami.org/locale-select?target=%2F" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span>ImportaMi</span></a><span>, serves unaccompanied children who recently arrived in the U.S</span></p><h2 class="rpla-standalone-section-heading rpla-standalone-section-heading">How can I help asylum seekers?</h2><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><a href="https://help.rescue.org/donate/help-separated-children" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>Donate</strong></span></a><span> to help the IRC provide critical aid to refugees and asylum seekers worldwide. </span></p><p class="rpla-paragraph rpla-paragraph--body"><a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/title-42-ends-how-help-asylum-seekers-us-mexico-border" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-one"><span><strong>Learn about more ways you can help support refugees and asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border.</strong></span></a></p><div id="31272" class="rplc-special"><div class="rplc-special__content" data-rpl-special-container data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><div><div id="35239" class="rplc-call-to-action-1 rplc-call-to-action-1--background-black rplc-call-to-action-1--position-middle"><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__content" data-rpl-state-target-contextual-menu><a href="https://help.rescue.org/donate" class="rplc-call-to-action-1__content-wrapper" aria-label=" <div>Support our work</div> " data-rpla-hover-target><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__text-wrapper"><h3 class="rplc-call-to-action-1__title"><div>Support our work</div></h3><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__subtitle"><div>The IRC supports asylum seekers and helps refugees resettle in new communities while providing humanitarian support in over 40 crisis-affected countries around the world. </div></div></div><div class="rplc-call-to-action-1__button-wrapper"><button class="rpla-button rpla-button--size-medium rpla-button--type-one rpla-button--with-icon 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/sites/default/files/styles/widescreen_16x9_736px_wide/public/2023-05/20230216%20Mexico%20PRatje%20migration%20_031-2000x1334-158867e.jpg?h=443c9cea&itok=KDrZBsPX 736w," sizes="(min-width: 1240px) 288px, (min-width: 641px) 352px, (min-width: 321px) calc(100vw - 3rem), 320px" /></div><div class="rplc-teaser-low-key__text-wrapper"><div class="rpla-slug"><div>Seeking asylum</div></div><div class="rplc-teaser-low-key__title">How can I help asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border?</div><div class="rpla-meta"><div>May 12, 2023</div></div></div></a></div></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="rpll-page__footer"> <div class="rpll-footer-layout-1"><div class="rpll-footer-layout-1__inner-content-wrapper"><div class="rpll-footer-layout-1__section"><div class="rplm-crisis-watch rplm-crisis-watch--type-one"><div class="rplm-crisis-watch__wrapper"><a href="/country/sudan" class="rpla-link-icon rpla-link-icon--type-four rpla-link-icon--icon-position-outside" data-rpla-hover-target 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0-.193.11c-.028.03-.056.057-.083.113l-.11.194-.278.415c-.167.276-.333.556-.5.86-.333.554-.693 1.136-1.026 1.69-.693 1.138-1.36 2.275-2.052 3.384l-1 1.663c-.166.277-.332.556-.5.805-.054.14-.082.332-.026.472 0 .028.027.083.027.083l.14.195c.083.14.167.25.25.388.083.14.167.25.25.39l.028.055.026.058c0 .027.028.027.028.057l.083.082c.057.057.11.084.194.084h11.012v-.004z"/></svg></div></span><span class="rpla-link-icon__link-wrapper"><span role="link" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-two rpla-link--subtype-alert">Crisis Watch</span></span></a></div></div><div class="rplc-footer-menu"><ul class="rplc-footer-menu__menu rplc-footer-menu__menu--main"><li class="rplc-footer-menu__menu-item"><a href="/who-we-are" role="link" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-two rpla-link--subtype-no-underline rpla-link--subtype-no-hover-effect rpla-link--subtype-inverse">Who We Are</a></li><li class="rplc-footer-menu__menu-item"><a href="/where-we-work" role="link" class="rpla-link rpla-link--type-two 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249.7h88.4c0-22.1-2.8-43.3-8.5-64.6L405.6 208c3.6 13.3 5.5 27.3 5.5 41.7z"/></svg></div></div><div class="rplc-efficiency__list-wrapper"><ul class="rplc-efficiency__list"><li class="rplc-efficiency__list-item rplc-efficiency__list-item--first"><span class="rplc-efficiency__percentage">87%</span> Program services</li><li class="rplc-efficiency__list-item rplc-efficiency__list-item--second"><span class="rplc-efficiency__percentage">7%</span> Management and general</li><li class="rplc-efficiency__list-item rplc-efficiency__list-item--third"><span class="rplc-efficiency__percentage">6%</span> Fundraising</li></ul><div class="rplc-efficiency__below"><a href="https://help.rescue.org/donate?ms=ws_resq_stat_ftr_btn_fy24_Q3_mmus_june&initialms=ws_resq_stat_ftr_btn_fy24_Q3_mmus_june" class="rpla-button rpla-button--size-medium rpla-button--type-one rpla-button--with-icon rpla-button--icon-position-after" role="button"><span class="rpla-button__text">Donate</span><div 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