Department of Homeland Security
New Report Shows Disproportionate Abuse of Black Immigrants in Detention
Black immigrants in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disproportionately face abuse while in detention, a report released last week finds. Published by several organizations including the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) and Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), the report argues that this discriminatory treatment of… Read More
Hiring Foreign Seasonal Workers Doesn’t Hurt American Workers, New Study Finds
Do fewer U.S. workers get hired when employers also hire temporary seasonal labor from abroad? A new study of firms applying for H-2B visas suggests that the answer is no. The H-2B visa allows workers from abroad to enter the United States to fill temporary, non-agricultural jobs that… Read More
71% of Immigrants Win Their Cases Thanks to Pro Bono Volunteers with the Immigration Justice Campaign
Every year at the end of October, legal service providers come together to celebrate Pro Bono Week. It is a dedicated opportunity to acknowledge the amazing work that our volunteers do—work that is the foundation of the American Immigration Council’s Immigration Justice Campaign. In an immigration system that is… Read More
Public Records Requests Uncover Details About Flights of Migrants to Martha’s Vineyard
The flights of migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in September refocused attention on a phenomenon that had been unfolding for many months—the relocation of migrants by Republican governors to Democratic-led cities. The sheer callousness of the flights to Martha’s Vineyard caught the attention of a public weary of… Read More
Legal Service Providers Sue to Remove Barriers to Access to Counsel in Immigration Detention
Legal service organizations have sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for preventing people jailed at four immigration detention centers from having meaningful access to their lawyers. The barriers to attorney access at these facilities illustrate ICE’s failure to protect the fundamental rights of detained immigrants nationwide. At any… Read More
Unpacking the Migrant Shooting in Texas
Late last week, detention center warden Michael Sheppard and his twin brother Mark Sheppard were arrested after allegedly shooting into a group of 13 migrants, killing one and seriously injuring another. This incident is yet another example of a tragic outcome for migrants at the border. It was followed the… Read More
Want to Hire an Immigrant or Refugee? Chambers of Commerce Aim to Make That Easier
With job openings at nearly twice as high as the pre-pandemic norm, employers across the country are continuing to struggle to fill open positions and meet workforce needs. But they’re finding a natural ally in an unusual place: chambers of commerce. Chambers are refocusing the conversation around immigration by… Read More
Biden Administration’s New Public Charge Rule Should End Fear of Trump Wealth Test
Three years ago, the Trump administration sent fear throughout immigrant communities across the nation with its Public Charge rule, which functioned as a wealth test for green card applicants. This fear had been amplified by a leaked draft of the rule in 2018, which would have punished intending… Read More
Fact Check: Migrants Aren’t the Ones Smuggling Fentanyl Into the United States
There is no doubt that fentanyl is a major problem inside the United States. Over the last decade, rising availability of fentanyl has caused a spike in overdose deaths across the nation. In 2021, almost 90% of opioid overdose deaths were linked to fentanyl. The criminal networks that produce… Read More
What Does Legal Representation Look Like in Immigration Courts Across the Country?
Written by Emily Creighton of the American Immigration Council and Jennifer Whitlock of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. It might seem like a straightforward statistic: 44% of individuals who appear in deportation proceedings have an immigration attorney. But it’s not so simple. Instead, it is a number that must factor… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.