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A REAL travesty

Janice Kephart's article "Getting political asylum right" (Commentary, Tuesday) is another example of how terror is used to scare the public into supporting legislation that does nothing to protect us from terrorism and harms the world's most vulnerable.

The true targets of the REAL ID Act are not terrorists but refugees who have come to the United States seeking asylum — particularly women and children.

Among its many outrageous provisions, the REAL ID Act expands immigration judges' ability to deny asylum by permitting them broad discretion to deny protection to asylum-seekers based on their unsworn but inconsistent statements. If passed, a woman who was raped by soldiers for her religious beliefs could be denied protection if upon arrival in the United States she is unable to tell a male airport inspector about the rape, but later tells the immigration judge. The bill would also allow her to be deported while her asylum appeal is pending in federal court.

The REAL ID Act will not protect us from terrorists. Instead, it threatens legitimate refugees, wastes money better spent on effective security programs and undermines our nation's values.

JOANNE KELSEY
Senior Coordinator, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children