UNHCR welcomes U.S. continued efforts to implement measures that protect refugees and asylum-seekers

The following statement may be attributed to Matthew Reynolds, UNHCR representative to the United States and the Caribbean.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the continued efforts of the United States government towards implementing measures that protect refugees and asylum-seekers as part of its Blueprint for a Fair, Orderly, and Humane Immigration System. Guaranteed access to safe territory and prohibition of push-backs of asylum-seekers in need of refugee protection are core precepts of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

We encourage and applaud efforts, such as those in the Blueprint and its subsequent components, including the Root Causes Strategy and the Collaborative Migration Management Strategy, that provide this protection to asylum-seekers, address the root causes of forced displacement in the region, and are consistent with the UN-backed Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS).

UNHCR urges the U.S. to continue ensuring that decisions which affect asylum-seekers and forcibly displaced persons are in line with international protection obligations. We remain ready to offer continued expertise and support to the U.S. government as it implements additional policy measures that will strengthen its asylum system.

For more information, please contact:

In Washington, Chris McGrath, mcgrath@unhcr.org 

Originally reported by UNHCR.