Planned Parenthood: Closing Border to Asylum Seekers is Immoral & Un-American
For Immediate Release: June 13, 2018 (Updated: June 13, 2018, 4 p.m.)
New York, NY — On Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced his decision to overturn precedent that allowed people fleeing domestic violence to qualify for asylum in the United States.
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
Since day one, the Trump-Pence administration has attacked immigrant women and families. Closing our borders to victims of domestic violence seeking asylum is a new low in a long line of reprehensible lows.
“Domestic violence, including sexual violence, is not an ‘incentive’ to immigrate; it poses dangerous threats to people’s health and can, in some cases, be life-threatening. For asylum seekers, being forced to stay in their home countries could be a death sentence. People seeking asylum are willing to risk everything to flee danger, often separating from their families and doing everything they can to establish a new life here in hopes of survival.
“This level of cruelty and xenophobia is immoral and un-American. Planned Parenthood will not sit by silently while this administration continues to strip immigrants of their basic health, rights, and freedoms.
###
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.