INTERPOL Blog

Turkish Announcement on the Return of Internationally Wanted Suspects Raises Questions About Abuse of INTERPOL

One of the central unknowns about the INTERPOL system is how often its member nations successfully use it to secure the return of wanted individuals from foreign countries.

Red Notices in Immigration Court: Dealing with “Underlying Documentation”

The Directive instructs ICE personnel who intend to rely on a Red Notice to obtain documentation underlying the notice, such as an arrest warrant, and to provide that documentation to the noncitizen with a meaningful opportunity to respond.

GYH Authors Cited by Congressional Research Service in Publication on Transnational Repression

Two GYH authors – Sandra Grossman Esq. and Dr. Ted R. Bromund – with co-author Bradley Jardine of the Oxus Society, have been cited by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in its recent report by Foreign Affairs Specialist Michael A. Weber on “ ‘Transnational Repression’ and U.S. Policy: In Brief.”

Red Notices in Immigration Court: ICE Directive

ICE Directive 15006.1, effective September 30, 2023, outlines how ICE officials should evaluate INTERPOL Red Notices and Wanted Person Diffusions in immigration enforcement decisions.

Red Notices in Immigration Court: Countering the Serious Nonpolitical Crime Bar to Asylum

The serious nonpolitical crime bar is what it sounds like. It is a mandatory bar in U.S. immigration law that renders a noncitizen ineligible for asylum and withholding of removal when they are believed to have committed a serious nonpolitical crime prior to arriving in the United States. The evidentiary standard for triggering the bar — “serious reasons” — is universally interpreted by courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) as equivalent to probable cause.

Red Notices in Immigration Court: Countering DHS Arguments

INTERPOL’s Refugee Policy applies to more than just refugees. As reflected in INTERPOL’s Refugee Resolution, the policy protects individuals who have been granted refugee status, asylum, or another form of protection that prevents their return to the country that requested the Red Notice. Once that protection is confirmed, INTERPOL generally deletes the Red Notice or diffusion originating from that country because it can no longer serve its intended purpose of facilitating arrest or extradition there. 

Red Notices in Immigration Court: Using Red Notices as Evidence of Political Persecution 

The misuse of INTERPOL is a recognized form of transnational repression. Authoritarian governments increasingly request an INTERPOL Red Notice as a means to internationally persecute individuals by impeding their freedom of movement. By causing a Red Notice to be issued, governments can also effectively “manufacture” an immigration violation in the U.S., leading to visa revocation, lengthy detentions, and the denial of benefits like permanent residency.

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Condemns Transnational Repression and INTERPOL Abuse

The Council of Europe is not part of the European Union. Founded in 1949, it contains 46 European states – Russia was expelled after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Parliamentary Assembly is made up of 306 members drawn from the national parliaments of the Council of Europe’s member states. It is, in other words, a parliament of parliamentarians.

Candidates Announced for Election to Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF)

The CCF is charged with three primary duties and is divided into two chambers. Its overall job is to ensure “all personal data processed through INTERPOL’s channels conforms to the rules of the Organization.” The Supervisory and Advisory Chamber, which has three members, is inward-facing: it reviews and advises on INTERPOL’s data processing. The Requests Chamber, which has five members, is outward-facing: it examines requests from individuals who seek to access, correct, or delete information held by INTERPOL. While both Chambers play an important role, the Requests Chamber examines and potentially deletes abusive Red Notices, making it the Chamber of the widest interest.