Washington, DC—The uncertainties of the incoming Trump Administration loom especially large for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the United States. Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump’s rhetoric was characterized by exclusion, deportation, and an uptick in “law and order,” striking fear in the hearts of women and families that have fled to the US from unlivable circumstances. The Women’s Refugee Commission believes that prior to Trump’s transition, President Obama has a chance to ensure that American values are upheld and innocent asylum seekers are protected.

In a new Medium piece entitled “A Call to President Obama: Ensure the Protection of Asylum Seekers Before the Trump Administration Takes Over,” Katharina Obser, Senior Program Officer at the Women’s Refugee Commission, calls upon the Obama Administration to seize this opportunity promptly and take steps to safeguard the rights of women and children seeking safety at our borders.

Obser writes, “President Obama still has one final opportunity to ensure that American values to protect those seeking safety at our borders are upheld not only in the next two months, but throughout the transition to a new administration.”

Read Obser's piece here.