Does the Prospect of Arranged Marriage and Abuse Warrant Asylum in the US?

The world has many policies on marriage: Some nations allow multiple spouses, some permit marriages among teenagers or same-sex partners, and others assign more power to one gender or the other. The Bush administration has asked the US Supreme Court to examine the case of a woman who left China and convinced a federal appeals court that deportation would mean she would face her husband’s wrath. Including problem marriages as a reason for refugee status could invite unmanageable numbers of immigrants, warn government officials. “Under US immigration law, anyone deemed a ‘refugee’ may be granted asylum,” writes journalist Warren Richey. “To qualify, an individual must show a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” Analysts debate about which branch of government – legislative, executive or judicial – is most appropriate for establishing policy that judges the marriage traditions of other nations. Likewise, social scientists must decide whether cultural traditions such as marriage are best changed with internal or external pressure. – YaleGlobal