Border Patrol
New Data Shows Border Patrol Agents Reject More Asylum Seekers
The Trump administration has used the coronavirus pandemic to justify shutting down the southern border—and much of our asylum system along with it. But long before the pandemic, the administration set up obstacles to asylum. Newly released data shows that one of those obstacles, which made U.S. Border… Read More
ICE Must Release People From Detention to Slow the Spread of the Coronavirus
Social distancing has been mandated in many places throughout the United States to slow the spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus. Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to detain approximately 38,000 people in close quarters. This conflicts with medical experts’ repeated advice to decrease the detention population. Read More
How Coronavirus is Changing US Asylum Policy at the Border
The Trump administration detailed its plans to begin rapidly deporting to Mexico people encountered at or near the southern border—without any due process—as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the globe. The plans were released in a new order issued by… Read More
What Will It Take for USCIS to Reduce Its FOIA Backlog?
March 15 marks the beginning of Sunshine Week – a week devoted to celebrating the importance of government transparency and access to public records. It is a time to point out the lack of openness and accountability among immigration agencies and to assess what must be done to fight for… Read More
Supreme Court Rules Parents of Slain Teenager Can’t Sue Border Patrol Agent Responsible for His Death
The Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking damages from a U.S. Border Patrol agent who shot and killed a teenager across the U.S.-Mexico border. With this latest decision in the Hernandez v. Mesa case, the Court removed an important check on an agency… Read More
Greyhound Has a Long History of Racially Profiling Latino Passengers
The Greyhound bus company announced it will no longer allow Border Patrol agents to conduct warrantless checks for people in the country without authorization. This reverses the company’s policy of allowing agents to board its buses in search of undocumented passengers. The practice has been long… Read More
How Will Conditions in Border Patrol Facilities Change Now That a Judge Has Ruled Them Unconstitutional?
A federal court found on Wednesday that U.S. Border Patrol may not detain migrants held in its facilities in Arizona’s Tucson Sector longer than 48 hours without providing for their “basic human needs.” This includes providing beds, blankets, food, water, personal hygiene, and medical care. Federal Judge Bury determined the… Read More
Trump’s Immigration Restrictions Extend to Nearly 7% of the Entire World
President Trump issued the fourth travel ban of his presidency on Friday. This ban comes almost three years to the day after the first one brought thousands of protesters to airports around the country. People from Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, and Kyrgyzstan are… Read More
On Trial: Inhumane Conditions in Customs and Border Protection Facilities in Arizona
After more than four years of gathering evidence of the substandard conditions in the government’s short-term detention facilities in Arizona’s Tucson Sector, a case challenging these conditions called Doe v. Wolf went to trial on Monday. Over the course of the trial, plaintiffs will show how… Read More
Defense Spending Act Allows Thousands of Liberians to Apply for Permanent Residency
The defense spending package for the fiscal year 2020 will allow thousands of Liberians living in the United States to gain green cards. The $738-billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law by President Trump in December. About 4,000 Liberians may now have a path to citizenship under this new law. Read More
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