Reproductive Ability as a Sixth Ground of Persecution under the Domestic and International Definitions of Refugee

This article outlines how victims of reproductive rights violations are generally unable to mount successful refugee or asylum claims because their claims do not fit into any current statutory ground for asylum. The author argues that both the international definition of refugee and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act should be amended to recognize an additional ground of persecution on account of reproductive ability. The article notes that such a modification is supported by international treaties, domestic case law and policies of prior administrations, but may be difficult to introduce given the anti-immigrant sentiments in the U.S. [Descriptors: Migration - Refugees and Immigration, International]