Yes. After all the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol to it are the supreme laws of the land in the US.
What rights do refugees have under the 1951 Convention?
The cornerstone of the 1951 Convention is the principle of non-refoulement contained in Article 33. According to this principle, a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
Other rights contained in the 1951 Convention include:
- The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions (Article 32)
- The right not to be punished for irregular entry into the territory of a contracting State (Article 31)
- The right to non-discrimination (Articles 3 and 5)
- The right to decent work (Articles 17 to 19 and 24)
- The right to housing, land and property, including intellectual property (Articles 13, 14 and 21)
- The right to education (Article 22)
- The right to freedom of religion (Article 4)
- The right to access to justice (Article 16)
- The right to freedom of movement within the territory (Article 26 and Article 31 (2))
- The right to be issued civil, identity and travel documents (Articles 12, 27 and 28)
- The right to social protection (Articles 23 and 24 (2-4)).
