This report, “Denied a Day in Court: The Government’s Use of In Absentia Removal Orders Against Families Seeking Asylum,” discusses the obstacles families face in attending their immigration court hearings and explains how the immigration system fails families seeking asylum. Grounded in the experiences of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) and Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), who have successfully challenged the in absentia orders of over 40 asylum seekers, the report features both client stories and analysis of data obtained from the government. The report also provides policy recommendations for the Executive Branch and Congress to address the shortcomings in the current system. The report was published in 2018 and updated in 2019 to reflect a 100% success rate for the cases included.
