What is the “material support bar”?

The "material support bar" is a restriction in U.S. immigration law that prevents individuals seeking asylum from entering the country if they have provided "material support" to a terrorist organization or other group that the U.S. government considers to be a threat. This restriction is based on the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212(a)(3)(B)(iv), which states that noncitizens are “inadmissible” if they have “engaged in a terrorist activity” or have “provided material support or resources” to a terrorist organization. The material support bar is heavily enforced in New York State, where individuals must meet a very high standard of proof in order to be granted asylum. Under the material support bar, individuals must prove that any “support” they have provided was against their will, did not involve weapons or other items of war, and was not intended to harm civilians. Under the material support bar, individuals can be barred from receiving asylum in the United States even if their support is limited to providing food, clothing, or medical supplies, or offering shelter. Even if the individual’s motive for providing support was humanitarian, this can still be seen as support for a terrorist organization and could be grounds for denial of asylum. To be granted asylum in the United States, individuals must be able to prove that they did not knowingly and willingly provide support to a terrorist group, and that any support they provided was in the form of basic necessities and did not further a terrorist agenda. If an individual is able to do so, they may be granted asylum in the United States despite the material support bar.

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La barra de apoyo material es un requisito de la ley de inmigración de los Estados Unidos que establece que una persona que solicita asilo no puede recibir asistencia legal de los Estados Unidos si ha proporcionado cierto tipo de apoyo material a un grupo o entidad designados como terroristas. El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos incluye una lista de grupos y entidades designados como terroristas en la que se basa la barra de apoyo material. La barra de apoyo material se aplica a todas las solicitudes de asilo de inmigrantes en Nueva York y en todo el país. Esta ley se aplica a aquellas personas que hayan proporcionado financiación, armas, entrenamiento, apoyo logístico o cualquier otro tipo de apoyo material a un grupo o entidad designados como terroristas. La ley también se aplica a aquellas personas que hayan proporcionado apoyo material a los beneficiarios de asilo que hayan regresado voluntariamente a su país de origen. Sin embargo, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional también incluye una lista de exclusiones a la barra de apoyo material. Estas exclusiones incluyen el apoyo material hecho bajo coacción, a la defensa de los derechos humanos, el envío de ayuda humanitaria, el auxilio para escapar de la persecución, entre otros. Esto significa que, incluso si una persona ha proporcionado apoyo material a cualquiera de los grupos o entidades designados como terroristas, podría aún calificar para recibir asistencia legal si cumple con cualquiera de las exclusiones.

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What is the “material support bar”?

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