Velshi: Seeking asylum in the U.S. is not a crime. It’s the way of the world.

Seeking asylum in the United States is not a crime. In fact, the American government is bound by international law to provide protection to refugees. The U.S. is a signatory of the 1967 Protocol which defines the term ‘refugee’, establishes the rights of refugees and outlines the legal obligations of the countries that grant asylum. The treaty says that America is legally obligated to provide asylum to those who qualify as refugees. So, simply asking for protection in a nation that is obligated to provide it, is not against the law. It’s the way of the world.