The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over the restriction of asylum cases in which immigrants are seeking refuge from “domestic and gang violence in their home countries.” ABC News reports that the group is seeking to invalidate Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ June decision to limit certain asylum claims. The lawsuit was filed in Washington on behalf of 12 parents and children who were “wrongly found not to have a credible fear of return,” the group said. Asylum is typically granted to those who are fleeing persecution or who will likely face persecution upon return to their home country. Thousands seek asylum every month at the southern border, with many migrants from Central American countries saying they face “violence, gangs, and corruption” in their home countries. The government says immigrants have “exploited” the system, aiming to get past the “initial credible fear screening” and to be released into the country. In June, border officers rejected 13 percent of asylum claims—higher than May’s 8 percent rejection rate and the average rate of 10 percent during fiscal year 2017.
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