Humanitarian Protection
FOIA Documents Reveal Government Always Knew Flores Settlement Applies to All Children
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the 1997 settlement in Flores v. Reno—which governs the detention, treatment and release of immigrant children—covers both unaccompanied and accompanied minors. This was a direct repudiation of the position the government took while defending its family detention policies in… Read More
Cases Show U.S. Policies Failing Central American Refugee Families
Last month, the Obama Administration doubled down on their Central American refugee deterrence policy by beginning a new round of raids targeting mothers and young people for deportation back to some of the most dangerous and violent places in the world. However, similar to the first time… Read More
Six Facts You Should Know About Refugees
Refugees and asylees are a relatively small share of U.S. immigrants – just eight percent of all immigrants living in the U.S. These are individuals who are fleeing persecution, war, conflict, oppression, and human rights violations in their home countries and who have been granted the ability to reside permanently… Read More
Public Radio Report Mischaracterizes U.S. Asylum Process
Media outlets are reporting on the uptick in the number of individuals crossing the southern border into the U.S. This trend is not surprising given the ongoing violence in Central America. The conditions in the region are not significantly improving by any measure, and as a result people continue to flee while the Administration’s refugee “deterrence policy” fails to deter many. Read More
How the Asylum and Immigration Court Backlogs Reached an All-Time High
The current backlogs in the immigration court and asylum systems have long been a problem and the government offices tasked with bringing the backlog down still have much to do. As detailed in the Human Rights First report In the Balance: Backlogs Delay Protection in the U.S. Asylum… Read More
Deterrence Strategy Targeting Central American Asylum Seekers Comes at a High Human Cost
The Obama Administration has recently announced plans to double down on its strategy of rounding up and deporting Central American asylum seekers to some of the most dangerous countries in the world. This is part of the Administration’s deterrence strategy, which is specifically designed to curtail the flow of… Read More
Mothers Held in Family Detention Centers Ask for Support from White House Mothers
Mothers who risked everything to flee horrific violence in their home countries, only to be held in immigration detention, gathered alongside advocates in front of the White House earlier this week in honor of Mother’s Day. The event, “Let Hope Bloom,” called on mothers in the administration to immediately visit… Read More
Religious Leaders, Formerly Detained Families, and Advocates Protest Family Detention at White House
Protesters gathered in Lafayette Square just across from the White House on Monday. The protest coincided with the 138th annual White House Easter Egg roll. As families inside enjoyed the annual White House festivities, protesters outside the gates highlighted the plight of detained immigrant families. On a day filled… Read More
Amicus Arguments at the Ninth Circuit: The Flores Settlement Applies to All Children
Since the summer of 2014, the government has detained thousands of mothers and children fleeing violence in Central America. Although the longstanding Flores settlement guarantees minimum standards for the detention, release, and treatment of children in immigration detention, the Government’s family detention practices have failed to comply with the settlement. Plaintiffs brought suit to enforce the Flores settlement, and a District Court Judge ruled in July and August of 2015 that the settlement applied to all minors, including those detained with family members. The Department of Homeland Security then filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that the settlement only applies to unaccompanied minors, and not those children arriving with one or more parent. This week, a broad array of organizations filed amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs and arguing against the Government’s position. Read More
Flawed U.S. Response to Central American Refugees Reiterated by DHS Officials
Top officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continue to believe that deporting families and children quickly deters others who are considering coming to the United States. This view was reiterated during a Senate Judiciary hearing about unaccompanied children this week, in statements made by DHS officials… Read More
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No one should face the immigration system alone
