Attorney General Barr restricts asylum claims based on family connections

July 29 (UPI) -- Attorney General William Barr on Monday restricted migrants from seeking asylum based on their familial connection to people under threat in their home countries.

His decision overturned an earlier precedent-setting decision made by the Board of Immigration Appeals. Previously, a migrant could ask for protection in the United States if a family member faced threats in their home country and being related to that person also put the asylum-seeker at risk.

U.S. law says the government can grant asylum if a person is unable to return to their native country because they have or expect to face persecution because of "race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion." Barr said family connections don't constitute "membership in a particular social group."

Barr's decision stemmed from a case in which a Mexican national who illegally crossed the border in 2011 asked for asylum because his father "owned a store targeted by a local drug cartel," CNN reported.

The case, the Matter of L-E-A, now goes back to immigration court for further review.

The asylum-seeker was represented by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, which said it intends to press its client's case.

"We will continue to fight for Mr. L-E-A in his quest to live a life free from fear of harm," the organization said. "We are confident that the federal courts of appeal will overturn the attorney general's misguided and legally erroneous decision."