United States
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This Week’s Spotlight on Human Rights
Tags Share Trump Administration Directs Judges to Deny Asylum Without Hearings A new Trump administration policy urges immigration judges to swiftly deny asylum to migrants whose applications they deem unlikely to succeed. The expedited dismissals would circumvent the normal hearing process, which typically takes years to wind through the backlogged courts. Trump Measures Make Life…
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Washington Post: Khalil ruling tests Trump deportation tactic of sending detainees to Louisiana
Tags Share Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil was deemed eligible for deportation just three days after his first court hearing, prompting due process concerns from his attorneys. The Trump administration alleges Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, poses a national security threat due to his role in pro-Palestinian protests. Advocates say the case reflects a broader strategy…
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VT Digger: Nikhil Goyal and Kerry Kennedy: Vermont can show that we can be smart on crime by treating youth like youth
Tags Share In a recent VTDigger commentary, Founder of RFK Human rights Kerry Kennedy and sociologist Nikhil Goyal highlight Vermont’s progressive juvenile justice reforms, particularly the “Raise the Age” law. This legislation allows individuals under age 20 to be tried in juvenile court for certain offenses, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment. The authors argue that such…
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WBUR: Poor conditions at Louisiana ICE detention center holding Tufts student, advocates say
Tags Share WBUR has reported, former detainees have described punitive and unsanitary conditions at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, where a Turkish Tufts University student, Öztürk, is being held. In an August 2024 report, Anthony Enriquez—vice president of U.S. advocacy and litigation at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights—warned that Öztürk faces the…
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CNN: Why ICE is really moving detainees over a thousand miles from where they were arrested
Tags Share According to CNN, Georgetown fellow Badar Khan Suri was arrested outside his Virginia home on March 17, launching a week-long ICE detention across multiple states and over 1,000 miles. An Indian national on a visa, Suri faced isolation and harsh conditions emblematic of a system that, according to a 2024 Robert F. Kennedy…
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The Guardian: Was the Supreme Court’s deportation ruling a win for Trump or immigrants?
Tags Share The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can use the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to deport certain Venezuelan immigrants—but emphasized that due process must be upheld. Trump called it a win, though critics dubbed it a pyrrhic victory. Immigration advocates, including the ACLU, claimed success, noting the court affirmed individuals’ right…
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US violates human rights of non-citizens: joint submission of immigrant rights organizations to the United Nations for the 2025 Universal Periodic Review of the United States
Receiving Body United Nations, Human Rights Council Report Type Submission for the Universal Periodic Review Tags Submission Partners
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Advocacy groups urge the United Nations to address United States’ escalating abuse of immigrants, asylum seekers
Tags Share Washington, D.C., April 8 – Yesterday, a group of 23 nonprofit organizations published a report urging the United Nations to address the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation of non-citizens in the United States. The report was submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, which is scheduled to formally review U.S. policies and practices…
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University of Dayton human rights award to honor Kerry Kennedy
Tags Share The University of Dayton’s Human Rights Center will honor Kerry Kennedy with the Oscar Romero Human Rights Award for her 40-year commitment to global human rights advocacy. Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, has worked extensively to support human rights defenders worldwide. The award ceremony is scheduled for April 20 at…
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Statement by Kerry Kennedy on the Passing of RFK Human Rights Board Member Phil Johnston
Tags Share I am stunned and deeply saddened by the passing of our Board member and dear friend, Phil Johnston. A politically savvy, enthusiastic raconteur and a generous helping hand to anyone in need, Phil will be remembered for his quick wit, problem-solving genius, and huge, loving heart. He first joined RFK Human Rights as…
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This Week’s Spotlight on Human Rights
Tags Share Trump’s Attacks On Press Freedom Are Paving The Way For Authoritarianism A leading global democracy research institute says democratic “backsliding” must be turned around quickly—warning that after 10 years, recovery is “close to impossible.” In 2024, the Democrats ran on the catchphrase “We are not going back.” Even after the party’s resounding defeat,…
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Al Jazeera: Mahmoud Khalil case—Judge rules activist’s case can remain in New Jersey
Tags Share Speaking with Al Jazeera, our client Daniel Cortes De La Valle recounts his experience in a notorious Louisiana ICE facility – the same facility where student protest leader Mahmoud Khalil is currently detained. While detained in the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center, Daniel was subjected to horrific abuse, including severe medical neglect, denial…
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