Dead Ends: No Path to Protection for Asylum Seekers Claire McMullen

In recognition of Refugee Day, Justine Tixhon shares the story of an asylum seeker from Honduras who was subject to the United States Asylum Cooperative Agreement with Guatemala, and comments on the failure of European countries to protect the rights of asylum seekers. 

The asylum seekers were interviewed in Guatemala City in January 2020 as part of a Georgetown Law, Human Rights Institute, fact-finding mission to investigate the legality of the US-Guatemala Agreement and its impact on the human rights of asylum seekers.

The Human Rights Institute  published a report on their investigation last week: Dead Ends: No Path to Protection for Asylum Seekers Under the Guatemala Asylum Cooperative Agreement.

Their new report finds that this Agreement is unlawful. The United States and Guatemala are violating their domestic and international legal obligations through the implementation of this Agreement and asylum seekers are subjected to serious violations of their human rights.

Georgetown Law’s Human Rights Institute calls on the United States and Guatemalan governments to terminate this Agreement.

*Justine Tixhon from Belgium, is a recent Master of Laws graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and co-author fo the report, "Dead Ends."

In recognition of Refugee Week, Claire McMullen shares the story of an asylum seeker from El Salvador who was subject to the United States Asylum Cooperative Agreement with Guatemala, and comments on the failure of US and Australian policy approaches to provide asylum.



The asylum seekers were interviewed in Guatemala City in January 2020 as part of a Georgetown Law, Human Rights Institute, fact-finding mission to investigate the legality of the US-Guatemala Agreement and its impact on the human rights of asylum seekers. 



The Human Rights Institute  published a report on their investigation last week: Dead Ends: No Path to Protection for Asylum Seekers Under the Guatemala Asylum Cooperative Agreement.



Their new report finds that this Agreement is unlawful. The United States and Guatemala are violating their domestic and international legal obligations through the implementation of this Agreement and asylum seekers are subjected to serious violations of their human rights.



Georgetown Law’s Human Rights Institute calls on the United States and Guatemalan governments to terminate this Agreement.



*Claire McMullen is a recent Australian Master of Laws graduate from Georgetown University Law Center and co-author fo the report, "Dead Ends."