Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ discusses, “Barriers to Protection: The Treatment of Asylum Seekers in Expedited Removal,” a report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Appointed to USCIRF in 2014, Fr. Reese now serves as chair of this independent, bipartisan US federal government commission that reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. Among his professional accomplishments, Fr. Reese served as editor-in-chief of America magazine, where he wrote on politics, economics and the Catholic Church. He is currently a senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter.

In this podcast, Fr. Reese and Donald Kerwin, CMS’ executive director, discuss violations of law and legal procedures by border officials, CBP and USCIS’ reliance on virtual interviews, the importance of legal representation in asylum cases, and the detention of mothers and children. Fr. Reese also discusses the global crisis in refugee protection and the proposals to deny the admission of refugees based on religion and nationality.