To the editor: I was heartened to see coverage of the Trump administration’s decision to block victims of domestic abuse from receiving asylum in the United States.

This decision by the administration is a step backward for domestic     violence survivors and families. It sends a message — to immigrants and   to U.S. residents — that you won’t be taken seriously, or that you can   inflict harm, because domestic violence is a “private crime.” This attitude   encourages people to turn a blind eye to violence and suffering and only serves to perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence.