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The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) is a leading voice in the movement to rebuild the U.S. asylum system and expand access to protection for women, children, LGBTQ+ people, and others seeking refuge. Our Policy & Advocacy team serves as a critical resource on asylum to policymakers, journalists, and the public. We provide rapid analysis of policy developments and offer practical recommendations for decision-makers at all levels of government, advising our leaders on how to ensure the United States lives up to its legal and moral commitments to people fleeing persecution.
U.S. Should Restore Funding to UNRWA
We joined an open letter calling for Congress to pass legislation and for President Biden to support reinstating funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the principal aid provider for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the surrounding region.
CGRS Advocates for the Protection of Climate Displaced Individuals in Inter-American Court Hearings
CGRS's Policy & Advocacy Manager, Felipe Navarro, intervened in the public hearings for the advisory opinion on the "Climate Emergency and Human Rights" of the Inter-American Council of Human Rights to address State obligations to respond to climate-related cross-border displacement.
Submission to the UN CERD and CMW: Obligations of State Parties on public policies for addressing and eradicating xenophobia and its impact on the rights of migrants, their families, and other non-citizens affected by racial discrimination
This submission details the persistent challenges and dangers encountered by Haitian and other Black women seeking refuge in the Americas and offers recommendations to address anti-Black racism in laws and policies applicable to asylum seekers and other migrants.
Policy Solutions to Safeguard and Strengthen the U.S. Asylum System
In this policy memo the #WelcomeWithDignity Campaign recommends four practical solutions to ensure meaningful access to a fair and humane asylum process.
Advocates Tell Biden Officials: Proposed Immigration Policy Changes Will Fail and Cause Great Harm to Asylum
We joined more than 150 organizations in a letter to President Biden urging him to reverse course following reports that the administration may wield its executive power to enact extreme anti-asylum policies.
Submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants: Revisiting Migrants’ Contributions from a Human Rights-Based Approach: a Discussion on Facilitating and Hindering Factors
This submission addresses inquiries related to promoting awareness and fostering accurate narratives about migration, by spotlighting initiatives led by the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.
“Manifesting” Fear At the Border: Lessons from Title 42 Expulsions
This memo explains how relying on a "manifestation of fear" process, or “shout test,” at the border results in refugees being returned to danger, in violation of international law.
Writen Statement on Climate Displacement to the International Court of Justice
Refugee and human rights advocates submitted a written statement to the International Court of Justice addressing climate-related displacement as a useful reference for participating parties in the matter of the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change.
Honduras: Climate Change, Human Rights Violations, and Forced Displacement
This report sheds light on the far-reaching effects of the climate emergency in Honduras. It includes recommendations directed at both the U.S. and Honduran governments, urging decisive action to address these challenges, protect the environment, and safeguard the human rights of those affected.
