O.C.V. v. Bondi: Tenth Circuit Vacates Matter of M-R-M-S-
On August 26, 2025, the Tenth Circuit issued a published decision, O.C.V. v. Bondi , vacating the Board of Immigration Appeals presidential decision Matter of M-R-M-S- , which had wrongfully held that if a persecutor had any motivation other than animus toward the family group, an asylum seeker could not prevail on a family-based asylum claim. The Tenth Circuit rejected this narrowed definition of nexus. The case was litigated in federal court by the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies and the
Why it matters
Useful as a practitioner-oriented overview from National Immigration Project on Asylum; review the source material for the most current authority and procedure.
Topics
Asylum
Detention / bond
Family-based practice
BIA appeals
Federal court
Workflows
Asylum merits package
Bond, detention, and habeas
BIA, PFR, and federal court
Consular, visa, and 9 FAM
Naturalization and adjustment
Forums
BIA
Court of appeals
Jurisdictions
10th Circuit