Law Commons^™

The New Nexus, Anjum Gupta

University of Colorado Law Review

United States asylum law provides protection to individuals fleeing their home countries due to "persecution or a well founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion." While significant scholarly and judicial attention has been paid to the interpretations of the five grounds-in particular to the 'olitical opinion" and 'particular social group" categories as they pertain to gender based claims and claims involving private harms-relatively little debate has focused on the proper formulation of the "on account of," or "nexus," requirement. Yet, scant guidance exists (whether by statute, regulation, or …