Nov. 2, 2017 – Americans value diversity and family. That is why our immigration system generally reflects those values. The U.S. diversity visa lottery, which was enshrined into law in 1990, was created to encourage legal immigration to the U.S. from countries other than those where immigrants usually migrate from, thus creating a greater diversity in […]
Immigration Impact
CBP Is Refusing to Be Transparent About Its Role in Domestic Law Enforcement
Oct. 18, 2017 – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a long track record of operating in the dark, with little transparency and accountability. The most recent examples come from the agency’s failure to reveal information about its practice of sending agents to serve as translators in routine law enforcement and local emergency services […]
Government Says Border Security Is Tougher Than Ever
Sept. 19, 2017 – The Trump administration has repeatedly called for increased security along the United States southern border with Mexico, but a new report released earlier this month from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disputes the need for such measures. The agency’s report details how the U.S.-Mexico border is more secure than ever before, […]
Supreme Court Restores a Portion of Trump’s Travel Ban, In Continuous Chess Match
Sept. 11, 2017 – In a unanimous decision, the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court’s decision on Friday in Hawaii v. Trump, allowing extended family members as well as certain refugees to enter the United States. In doing so, the court rejected the Trump administration’s interpretation of the Supreme Court’s June decision and rebuffed the administration’s ongoing effort to […]
House commits $1.6 Billion to fund 74 miles of border wall, amounting to nearly $22 million per mile.
July 31, 2017 – The House of Representatives passed a spending bill last week which included $1.6 billion for expansion of a southern border wall. The bill, which passed largely along party lines, will now move to the Senate where Democrats have emphatically said they oppose any border wall funding. In May, the administration submitted a […]
Parents Risk Prosecution for Helping Children Seek Safety in the United States
July 6, 2017 – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials recently confirmed their plans to initiate criminal prosecutions and deportation proceedings against immigrant parents and guardians who help bring their children to the United States through the use of smugglers or traffickers. Reports indicate that these enforcement actions are already underway. The ostensible goal is […]
How California Is Helping Protect Immigrants From Trump’s Aggressive Immigration Enforcement
May 19, 2017 – California is once again taking a lead on protecting and integrating its immigrant communities and standing up to the enforcement policies of the Trump administration. The state’s governor and legislators have set an example for other states by making support of its immigrant population of more than 10.6 million foreign-born residents, […]
ICE Wants to Deport Immigrants Congress is Trying to Protect Through Private Bills
May 10, 2017 – Democratic and Republican Members of Congress alike introduce private immigration bills designed as a last-minute effort to protect some immigrants facing deportation. These bills are only introduced for the most critical immigration cases. These bills seldom pass. However, while they are pending, immigration enforcement agencies typically do not deport those individuals. […]
Former Leader of Anti-Immigrant Group Now Leads USCIS Oversight Office
May 9, 2017 – The Trump administration continues to stack its deck with key players in the anti-immigrant movement, most recently naming Julie Kirchner as the new Ombudsman for the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department. Kirchner, the former executive director of one of the nation’s most prominent anti-immigrant groups, will be tasked with improving […]
Sessions Reveals Plan to Ramp up Prosecutions of Low Level Immigration Offenses
April 13, 2017 – Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a shift in policy for the Department of Justice on Tuesday, directing U.S. Attorneys to prioritize criminal immigration enforcement and drastically expand federal court prosecutions of immigration violators across the nation. Operation Streamline and other border enforcement programs—where some border crossers are referred by Customs and […]
Fear Is Causing Immigrants to Withdraw From Federal Food Benefit Programs
March 24, 2017 – A culture of fear fostered by the Trump administration’s immigration plan has begun to affect whether immigrants utilize their federal food benefits, leaving many families hungry and with limited alternatives for nutrition. Though the Department of Agriculture’s formal guidance on noncitizens and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has not changed, […]
This Immigration Enforcement Program Has a Troubled History, and Trump Wants to Restart It
March 16, 2017 – Buried inside the interior enforcement Executive Order issued by President Trump in January are the Administration’s plans to revive the 287(g) program. This is concerning because the program has experienced intense criticism over the years, and efforts to ramp up this program should be viewed with extreme caution and skepticism. The […]
These Changes May Keep Asylum Seekers From Getting Their Day in Court
March 1, 2017 – Effective February 27, 2017, new changes to the asylum screening process could lead to an increased number of deportations of asylum-seekers who fear persecution upon return to their home country. On February 13, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revised its Asylum Division Officer Training Course (ADOTC) lesson plans on […]
Evangelical Groups Urge Trump, Pence to Reconsider Refugee Order
January 30, 2017 – Today executives from eight evangelical Christian organizations sent a letter to the president and vice president urging them to reconsider Friday’s executive order restricting entry of refugees. The letter is signed by leaders from Accord Network, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Korean Churches for Community Development, the National Association […]
Who Will Pay for Donald Trump’s Border Wall?
Jan. 12, 2017 – President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S-Mexico border took a step forward last week as Congressional Republicans discussed ways to get funding for the structure through the budget process. Republican leadership believes that current law already allows them to construct additional barriers along the border, if they […]
The Ongoing Mishandling of Migrants’ Possessions by CBP and ICE
Dec. 21, 2016 – Each year, tens of thousands of individuals are deported from the United States to Mexico without their personal belongings—including their identifications, money, and cell phones, among other possessions. Both U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have a serious and longstanding problem with handling the personal […]
Michele Waslin: Robots, Not Immigrants, Are Replacing U.S. Manufacturing Workers
Dec. 16, 2016 – There is significant evidence that immigrants boost the economy, create jobs, and bolster innovation. However, President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly stated he wants to “put American workers first” by restricting immigration. Some Americans who are justifiably concerned about the economy, unemployment, and offshoring mistakenly believe that immigrants are responsible for the […]
Judge Orders Border Patrol to Immediately Provide Short Term Detainees with Basic Necessities
Nov. 29, 2016 – A federal judge ordered the Border Patrol to immediately cease its practice of refusing to provide basic amenities to people detained in Border Patrol holding cells in Tucson, Arizona. The judge cited evidence that shows that detainees are kept in freezing holding cells—often called “hieleras” or “iceboxes” —for days without any […]