Genital Mutilation Victim Denied Asylum Has a Small Win

If you find the image too graphic, imagine how the girl feels.

In a stinging order overriding federal immigration courts, Mukasey blasted a decision that said a 28-year-old citizen and native of Mali should be expelled "because her genitalia already had been mutilated [so] she had no basis to fear future persecution if returned to her home country."
Calling the rationale "flawed," Mukasey sent the case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals with orders to reconsider. The woman, a native of Mali, begged the court not to send her back to her Bambara tribe.


It's no surprise Alima Traore was denied. At least not to anyone familiar with how the immigration system works. I'm often frustrated at how easy people think it is to obtain Asylum in the United States. On this blog someone once told me Ayaan Hirsi Ali should have legally applied for asylum because she was being forced into a marriage. When I told them that was not enough to obtain asylum, they didn't believe me.

This woman had her genitals mutilated and was being forced into marriage with her first cousin. I'm not surprised she was denied. Her story is tame compared to many refugees and asylum seekers. But luckily for her, some very compassionate people urged Attorney General Mukasey to step in and buckling under political pressure he did.

Next time you see a refugee or asylee remember that they were the ones who were approved......