Peter Blanck, University Professor and chairman of the
Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at
Syracuse University, will argue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in
New Orleans on Aug. 3. The case, Kornennkova v. Holder, involves the extent to which
this country's asylum laws protect persons with disabilities. Blanck is representing
amici organizations that include national entities who advocate on behalf of people
with intellectual disabilities that are concerned this decision may affect asylum
applications by persons with intellectual disabilities.
The Kornennkovas, a married couple, are individuals with intellectual disabilities
seeking asylum in the United States. To qualify for asylum, the Korennkovas must
show they are in a protected class, Russians with intellectual disabilities, and have a
well-founded fear of persecution. Blanck will argue that in Russia the Korennkovas
experienced maltreatment-including assaults, unjust institutionalization and
exclusion from public education and the workforce-that parallels the historical
experience of Russians with intellectual disabilities and equates with persecution as
defined in the asylum laws.
BBI at Syracuse University takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927-85), a pioneer in
humanizing services for people with disabilities, staunch advocate of
deinstitutionalization and national leader in special education. With its partners and
multiple satellite offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Tel Aviv, BBI
works nationally and internationally to advance the civic, economic and social
participation of persons with disabilities in a global society. For more information, visit
http://bbi.syr.edu.
