USCIS
Federal Judge Blocks the Expansion of Fast-Track Deportation Program, Expedited Removal
A federal judge blocked the expansion of a fast-track deportation program, known as “expedited removal,” minutes before the government said it would begin implementing its expansion on September 28, 2019. Expedited removal allows the government to deport certain people without basic legal protections. Those who are… Read More
State Governments Should Step In to Provide Oversight of Detention Facilities
Immigration enforcement may be a federal responsibility, but state governments have a great deal of power over the conditions under which immigrants are detained. At a time when over-crowded detention facilities are failing to meet even the minimum standards of humane treatment, states must step up and exercise their authority to improve a situation that has become truly dire. Read More
Deporting Immigrants Does Not Lower Crime, According to Study
The mass deportation of immigrants from the United States under the Secure Communities program has had no appreciable impact on local crime rates. Why? Because most of the immigrants being deported do not have serious criminal records. That is the simple yet powerful conclusion of a recent study… Read More
Welcoming Week 2019 Showcases America’s Inclusive Spirit
Welcoming Week 2019 has arrived. Communities around the nation are spending the week of September 13 – 22 bringing together immigrants, refugees, and longtime residents in a spirit of unity and celebration. Despite the daily news on immigration, Americans are far more welcoming than one might think. In fact, average… Read More
USCIS Wants to Make it Harder for Asylum Seekers to Get Work Permits
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently proposed a rule that will further delay asylum seekers’ ability to receive work authorization. Under current law, USCIS must grant or deny an initial asylum applicant’s employment authorization application within 30 days. Under the proposed rule, USCIS would have… Read More
Chaos and Dysfunction at the Border: The Remain in Mexico Program Firsthand
The first thing many people forcibly returned to Mexico tell you is that they’re afraid. Afraid of the cartels, afraid of Mexican immigration officials, and afraid of the months of uncertainty. This is what they’ve faced since the Trump administration sent them back to Mexico as part of the “Remain… Read More
Iraqi Interpreters Who Risked Their Lives Working With US Military Shut Out by Trump Administration
Iraqi interpreters who risked their lives to work with the American military have been effectively shut out from obtaining the special U.S. visa they were promised. The Trump administration issued only two visas to former Iraqi interpreters last year, according to Department of State data provided… Read More
ICE Continues to Manipulate the Appropriations Process to Increase the Mass Incarceration of Immigrants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently notified Congress of its intent to pull $271 million dollars from FEMA, the Coast Guard, and TSA for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). DHS will use this money to increase immigration detention capacity and construct tent courthouses along the Texas border. Read More
Immigrant Children With Cancer, HIV, Cerebral Palsy Threatened With Deportation
Without so much as a formal announcement, the Trump administration sent letters to families of sick children containing a dire warning: leave the country in 33 days or face deportation and a years-long ban on returning. Many of those who received a letter last week are Boston-based immigrants whose children… Read More
DOJ Moves to Further Politicize Immigration Court System
The Trump administration implemented more drastic changes to the U.S. immigration court system on Monday. A new rule gives the director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)—a Trump political appointee—the power to adjudicate cases and appeals. Described as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” the rule turns the immigration… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
