For Immediate Release
Contact: bpacheco@nylag.org | c: 917.771.9845
(NEW YORK, NY) August 2, 2019: Attorney General William Barr has upended decades of precedent by declaring that immediate family members no longer constitute a “particular social group” eligible for asylum protection in the United States. The New York Legal Assistance Group’s (NYLAG) spokesperson Brian Pacheco has issued the following statement:
“We strongly disagree with Attorney General Barr’s decision in the Matter of L-E-A. This decision contradicts longstanding principles of asylum law and our country’s commitment to protect those fleeing persecution on protected grounds in their home country.”
About NYLAG
Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families that are experiencing poverty or have low-income. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, a medical-legal partnership model, and community education and partnerships.
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