Bilateral deals would essentially slam the door on most asylum-seekers

[Global Nation] 'For asylum-seekers, these deals would be devastating.' A series of bilateral agreements between the US and Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, is further undermining legal pathways to the US, by cutting off access to the asylum system long before asylum-seekers ever reach the southern border. The three deals would allow the US to return asylum-seekers to countries they traversed en route to the US. They would shift the burden of stopping asylum-seekers from reaching the US onto the very region from which most of them are fleeing. For the US, the deals are like a fortification, shielding the country from taking responsibility for people seeking international protection. They add yet another line of defense to other, drastic measures the US has recently taken — namely, its Migrant Protection Protocols, better known as “remain in Mexico,” which came into force in January, along with a new asylum rule that essentially blocks Central Americans from claiming asylum at the southern border. [How Trump’s bilateral deals with Central America undermine the US asylum system]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Plus, here are a few more stories you might have missed: [Harvard affirmative action case far from over as plans for appeal begin]( In the wake of a ruling Tuesday that Harvard University's race-conscious admissions policy does not violate the rights of Asian Americans, both opponents and supporters of the lawsuit say the conversation around affirmative action and its role at American universities is just beginning. [After years of racial discrimination in Russia, this Korean Uzbek community finds peace in New York City]( Under the Trump administration, new immigration policy restrictions may impact the 1,000-strong community of Korean Uzbeks in New York City, some of whom came to the US seeking reprieve from harassment and assault in Russia. [IRC ‘shocked again’ as Trump slashes refugee resettlement numbers]( The Trump administration has announced that the US will accept only up to 18,000 refugees in fiscal year 2020. [US refugee agencies wither as Trump administration cuts numbers to historic lows]( Resettlement agencies are being forced to close as the Trump administration cuts refugee admissions. Experts say the damage will long outlast this president. [Florida teen girls step up to translate Indigenous Mayan languages]( At least one afternoon a week, a group of high school girls carve out some space in the quietest area they can find to huddle around a laptop. They call themselves the Mayan Girls. Thanks for joining us! — Marnette Federis, education editor [GlobalNation FB]( [Global Nation Twitter]( [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( Global Nation is a part of PRI - Public Radio International.