The Protect Citizens & Residents from Unlawful Detention Act

The Ilankai Tamil Sangam has been actively involved in visiting and following the cases of Sri Lankan Tamils in immigration detention after claiming asylum in the USA. If you are interested in volunteering for this effort, please contact our President or Secretary.

On July 30th,Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the “Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Detention Act,” a bill establishing minimum standards of procedure and treatment for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and immigrants who are impacted by immigration detention, including asylum seekers. Among the many important due process protections furthered by this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to determine whether there are reasons to detain an asylum seeker based upon an individual assessment of whether the asylum seeker poses a risk of flight or danger to others. This decision would be subject to review by an immigration judge, a critical due process protection that arriving asylum seekers are currently not afforded.

Click here to read more about the “Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Detention Act.”

Click here to read more about the impact that the Act would have on asylum seekers.

Click here to read more about the U.S. detention of asylum seekers.