News & Resources

Practice Guide: Climate Change, Environmental Disasters, and U.S. Refugee Protection

IRAP’s new practice guide provides an overview of ways in which U.S. asylum and refugee resettlement can provide protection for individuals who, in whole or in part, are displaced due to environmental and climate-related factors. Though climate and environmental impacts alone do not usually qualify an applicant for refugee protection, they often intersect with and exacerbate other forms of persecution. This practice guide presents examples IRAP has collected involving applicants seeking asylum and resettlement who have been impacted by climate change and/or environmental disasters. It also discusses recent updates to Department of Homeland Security refugee and asylum officer training materials that specifically address climate impacts.

You can view IRAP’s Practice Guide on U.S. Refugee Protection Claims Related to Climate Change and Environmental Disasters here or below.

This resource is intended for a legal practitioner and legal advocacy audience. If you would like more general legal information about refugee resettlement in English, Spanish, and other languages, or to request help from IRAP, please use IRAP’s Legal Information website

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