Department of Homeland Security
Trump’s Latest Asylum Ban Goes Into Effect in Texas and New Mexico
The Trump administration’s latest asylum ban went into effect in New Mexico and Texas—but not California and Arizona—on Friday after a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling amounts to a partial victory for President Trump. While the ban covers the border states outside of the Ninth… Read More
Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union
Immigration judges around the country are denouncing the Trump administration’s latest move to “disband and destroy” their union. The judges’ union has been openly critical of the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a petition to the Federal Labor Relations Authority on… Read More
Appeals Court Decision Means Hundreds of Migrants Were Unlawfully Convicted
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision clarifying limits on when federal prosecutors can charge immigrants with illegal entry and reentry into the United States this week. Under this decision, it will be more difficult for the government to criminally charge immigrants who attempt to enter the United States outside a port of entry in order seek asylum. Hundreds of prior convictions are also now potentially invalid. Read More
The House Votes on TPS for Venezuela as ‘Humanitarian Disaster’ in the Country Escalates
UPDATE: On Thursday night, the House brought the bill back to a floor vote and passed TPS designation for Venezuela. Although this vote only required a simply majority, bipartisan support for the effort picked up between Tuesday and Thursday as the bill gained 4 votes in favor, including 2 from… Read More
Trump Implements Nationwide ‘Send Them Back’ Immigration Policy
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday morning that it would vastly expand “expedited removal,” a provision of the law that permits the agency to rapidly deport certain individuals without an opportunity to see an immigration judge. Under the expansion, DHS can rapidly deport undocumented immigrants in… Read More
ICE Quietly Expands Immigration Detention in the Deep South
While members of Congress were struggling to reach a bipartisan deal in February in order to end the government shutdown, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quietly expanded its complicated network of immigration jails—this time in the Deep South. In late June, ICE started using three… Read More
ICE Raids: What to Expect This Week
After word got out about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) plans to conduct widespread raids across the country on Sunday, ICE agents appeared to scale back their plans. The enforcement agency is instead attempting a quieter—but just as damaging—approach to targeting immigrant families. ICE is reportedly targeting approximately… Read More
86 Conversations Across US Show Public Opinion on Immigration Is Complex Yet Changeable
The American public can still deliberate civilly with one another about issues of national importance. The most recent example comes from The Kettering Foundation who hosted 86 conversations across America on the topic of immigration through their National Issues Forums (NIF). The resulting report from these… Read More
A New EOIR Rule Expands Powers of the Board of Immigration Appeals and Attorney General
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) issued a final rule last week that expands the authority of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Attorney General William Barr when reviewing an immigration judge’s decision following a removal proceeding. The BIA reviews an immigration judge’s decision if ether the individual… Read More
Supreme Court Rules Against Citizenship Question on 2020 Census
In a rebuke to the Trump administration, the Supreme Court ruled against adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 U.S. Census form—for now. Critics feared the question may discourage immigrant, mixed-status, and minority households from participating in the Census, resulting in widespread undercounting and dramatic shifts in political representation. Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
