A new report by Tahirih, Time to Lead: The Federal Government’s Role in Ending Child Marriage in the United States highlights the critical role that the federal government must play in our fight to end child marriage here at home. It demonstrates how our current immigration laws put minors across the globe at risk of experiencing child marriage in this country. The glaring gap in our immigration laws that set no minimum age for a foreign beneficiary to a spouse or fiancée visa has allowed shocking cases to proceed, including those in which U.S. men in their 40s and 50s successfully petitioned for girls as young as 14 years old. This report outlines concrete steps that the federal government should take to address child marriage through the immigration system and incentivize states to strengthen their marriage age laws.
See AllTime to Lead: The Federal Government’s Role in Ending Child Marriage in the United States
Latest News
-
Tahirih’s Newest Additions to the Board of Directors
Falls Church, VA — The Tahirih Justice Center is proud to welcome two new members to our now 20-person Board of Directors as of March 2024: Susanna Samet and Sarah Iqbal. […]
April 9, 2024 -
Virginia Makes History as 12th State and First in the South to End Child Marriage
HB 994 becomes law ending child marriage in Virginia by establishing a minimum marriage age of 18 without exceptions.
April 9, 2024
-
Survivor Voices
-
Anastasia
I came to the U.S. in the winter of 2006. Life back home in Mexico was tough for me and my family. I dreamt of going to college and graduating but with my family’s economic status, that dream was too costly and impossible.
At least I was able to graduate high school and that is something I am proud of since I was also working at the time to help my family. I was always looking for an opportunity to have a better life as a young woman.June 23, 2023 -
Camila
“I hope my story is helpful to someone else…and can inspire many women to be stronger. We need to help young women identify toxic relationships, so that there are fewer Camilas that go through such difficult things, let alone have our children suffer.”
November 21, 2022
-