Matter of Kasinga
Board of Immigration Appeals
21 I & N Dec. 357 (1996)
Relevant factsFree
Kasinga (petitioner), raised in Togo where female members of her tribe traditionally underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) around age 15, avoided the practice due to her father's influence, but after his death her aunt took charge of the family and forced her into a polygamous marriage with a 45-year-old man; Kasinga testified her aunt and husband intended to force her to undergo FGM, prompting her to flee first to Ghana, then Germany, and finally the United States, where she sought asylum.
IssueFree
Whether imminent female genital mutilation based on tribal custom is considered persecution on account of a social group for asylum purposes.
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