Asylum Denied

Book excerpt: This book, told by Kenney and his lawyer Philip G. Schrag from Kenney's own perspective, tells of his near-murder, imprisonment, and torture in Kenya; his remarkable escape to the United States; and the obstacle course of ordeals and proceedings he faced as U.S. government agencies sought to deport him to Kenya. As we travel with Kenney through the bureaucracies that regulate immigration, we learn that despite this country's claim to welcome political refugees, our system is too often one of arbitrary justice highly dependent on individual public officials. A story of courage, love, perseverance, and legal strategy, Asylum Denied brings to life the human costs associated with our immigration laws and suggests policy reforms that are desperately needed to help other victims of human rights violations.