Gillibrand, Baldwin Send Letter to Clinton: Help LGBT Refugees

Today Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin took a first step to help LGBT individuals fleeing violence or persecution in Iraq, Iran, and other countries. In a letter to Secretary Clinton, signed by 42 of their colleagues, they urged that a number of measures be implemented to ensure that LGBT refugees are able to seek asylum safely and that when needed their resettlement is expedited.

The press release quotes Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer, director of our Refugee Protection program:

Today, these Members of Congress have presented a comprehensive set of recommendations that will help ensure the protection of individuals who flee persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity only to face further persecution and violence in the countries they have fled to in search of safe refuge. We praise their leadership on this issue, and urge the administration to implement these measures including a fast-track resettlement process for individuals facing serious protection risks.

Read a recent analysis of the plight of LGBT refugees by Human Rights First’s Jesse Bernstein, in the Huffington Post.

Senator Gillibrand stated, “it is time for us in Congress to take a strong stand against all hate crimes and persecution – wherever they occur.” Human Rights First tracks trends in hate crimes and is working to strengthen and enforce hate crime laws throughout North America, Europe, and Russia, where violent hate crime is on the rise. Join us and see how you can help.