[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 987 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 987

   Condemning the Attorney General's decision in ``Matter of A-B-'' 
   seeking to declare domestic violence and gang violence as invalid 
                      grounds for seeking asylum.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 2018

  Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Lee, Ms. DeLauro, Mrs. 
Dingell, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, 
Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Welch, Mr. Engel, Ms. Moore, Mr. Cicilline, 
 Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Meng, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
Nadler, Ms. Norton, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Cohen, 
  Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Moulton, Mr. 
 Panetta, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of 
 New York, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Peters, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Gene 
 Green of Texas, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Takano, Mr. 
 Pallone, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Foster, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Ben Ray 
  Lujan of New Mexico, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Raskin, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. 
 Shea-Porter, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Schiff, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. 
 Rush, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Esty of Connecticut, 
 Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Soto, Mr. DeSaulnier, 
 Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Higgins of New 
   York, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McEachin, Mr. 
    Kilmer, Mr. Nolan, Mrs. Torres, Mr. Capuano, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
     Grijalva, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Larsen of 
    Washington, and Ms. Kelly of Illinois) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the Attorney General's decision in ``Matter of A-B-'' 
   seeking to declare domestic violence and gang violence as invalid 
                      grounds for seeking asylum.

Whereas violence against women, and particularly domestic violence, around the 
        world is a violation of human rights and an issue of public health;
Whereas the World Health Organization has estimated that about 1 in 3 women 
        worldwide has experienced either physical or sexual intimate partner 
        violence or non-partner sexual violence;
Whereas the World Health Organization has estimated that almost one-third, 30 
        percent, of women who have been in a relationship report that they have 
        experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their intimate 
        partner in their lifetime;
Whereas according to the World Health Organization, as many as 38 percent of 
        murders of women globally are committed by a male intimate partner;
Whereas according to a United Nations Global Study on Homicide, of all female 
        victims of homicide around the world in 2012, half were estimated to 
        have been killed by intimate partners or family members;
Whereas the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
        issued a report in July of 2014 titled, ``Children on the Run,'' 
        detailing the violence faced in home countries by children who flee to 
        the United States;
Whereas the UNHCR report includes many testimonials of those impacted by gang 
        violence in Central America, including Kevin, a 17-year-old boy from 
        Honduras, who recounted ``My grandmother . . . told me: `If you don't 
        join, the gang will shoot you. If you do join, the rival gang will shoot 
        you--or the cops will shoot you. But if you leave, no one will shoot 
        you.''';
Whereas Attorney General Sessions, on June 11, 2018, issued a decision in 
        ``Matter of A-B-'' overturning the Board of Immigration Appeals decision 
        in ``Matter of A-R-C-G-'';
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision seeks to declare domestic violence 
        and gang violence as invalid grounds for seeking asylum;
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision will condemn thousands of domestic 
        violence victims to removal to dangerous situations where they are at 
        significant risk of losing their lives;
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision goes against the decisions of 
        previous Attorneys Generals serving Administrations of both parties;
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision is one part of a larger, 
        intentional, and cruel scheme by the Trump Administration to dismantle 
        the United States asylum system;
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision does not reflect the values or 
        spirit of the United States; and
Whereas Attorney General Sessions' decision must be reversed at the earliest 
        possible opportunity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns Attorney General Sessions' decision in 
        ``Matter of A-B-'' seeking to declare domestic violence and 
        gang violence as invalid grounds for seeking asylum;
            (2) identifies Attorney General Sessions' decision as the 
        next cruel step in the Trump Administration's intentional and 
        cruel scheme to dismantle the United States asylum system;
            (3) recognizes Attorney General Sessions' decision will 
        condemn thousands of domestic violence victims to removal to 
        dangerous situations where they are at significant risk of 
        losing their lives; and
            (4) remains actively committed to reconstituting, 
        preserving, and defending asylum laws that allows victims of 
        domestic violence to seek life-saving refuge and protection in 
        the United States.
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