In US President Joe Biden’s latest move to create what he says is a more humane immigration system, the attorney general has reversed a Trump-era decision that had made it difficult for victims of domestic and gang violence to obtain asylum.
In a three-page legal opinion, Attorney General Merrick Garland wrote that the Trump administration’s vague wording “may create confusion and discourage the careful determination of asylum claims on a case-by-case basis.”
Biden, a Democrat, has rescinded many of his Republican predecessor’s immigration policies and pushed ahead with his own agenda.
US immigration officials said Monday they would expand work permits and exemption from deportation for some immigrant crime victims while their visas are still pending.
Immigration advocates welcomed Garland’s decision, saying it would help restore protection to asylum seekers.
Many immigrants from Central America and Mexico seek asylum because of their exposure to domestic and gang violence.