USCIS
Trump Bows to Threats by Attorneys General and Ends DACA Initiative
The Trump administration brought the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative (DACA) to an end on Tuesday, striking one of the largest blows to America’s immigrant community since taking office. Despite promising to show recipients of the Obama-era initiative “great heart,” the administration announced that it will officially rescind… Read More
Trump Administration Ends DACA: Places 800K Young Immigrants at Risk for Deportation
The Trump administration announced the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) today. This means no new applications will be accepted and only those individuals with current DACA that expires before March 5, 2018 may renew, a final time, for two years. Young people who currently have DACA will… Read More
USCIS Adds Extra Hurdles for Legally Residing Immigrants
The Trump administration continued its attack on legal immigration this month, announcing that it will start requiring additional in-person interviews for tens of thousands of individuals who have already undergone extensive screening and have been successfully living and working in the United States for years. These unnecessary interviews are likely… Read More
Court Decision Ensures Many TPS Holders in Ninth Circuit May Become Permanent Residents
Hundreds, if not thousands, of noncitizens with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) now are eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence because of a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision. In Ramirez v. Brown, the Court ruled that a grant of TPS to a noncitizen qualifies as an “inspection… Read More
House Committee Funds Administration’s Super-Sized Immigration Enforcement
In the first week of his presidency, through executive orders, the president laid out harsh proposals for immigration enforcement and border security. However, much of what the president proposes to do requires generous amounts of taxpayer dollars allocated by Congress. In May, the president submitted a proposed budget which provides… Read More
Leaks Reveal Administration’s Plans to Expand Expedited Removal
The Trump administration has threatened to expand its use of a fast-track removal process, which could lead to the deportation of thousands of immigrants with valid claims for humanitarian relief or who have family members in the United States. The Washington Post recently reported obtaining a 13-page draft memorandum from… Read More
Hawaii Judge Rules That Grandparents and Other Close Relatives Are Excluded from the Travel Ban
U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson ruled last week that “grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins of persons in the United States,” as well as refugees connected to resettlement agencies should be exempt from the Trump administration’s travel ban. This ruling came as a result of a… Read More
This Independence Day America Welcomes 15,000 New Citizens
Along with the annual fireworks and family gatherings to mark the Fourth of July, 15,000 new citizens will be sworn in around the country and take the oath of citizenship. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will naturalize 15,000 new citizens on Independence Day. USCIS will… Read More
The Dire State of Immigration Detention in Georgia
Recent deaths at immigration detention centers in Georgia have made one fact disturbingly clear: detainees’ rights are being violated, with life and death consequences. These tragedies are not isolated incidents, but rather part of an ongoing trend in Georgia’s immigration system that consistently violates basic human rights, disregards detention… Read More
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Continues to Inhibit Asylum Seekers’ Legal Access and Invite Litigation
Since the reintroduction of family detention under the Obama administration, abuse of the mothers and children held in these facilities has run rampant. The family detention scheme has grown increasingly controversial not only because it has failed to provide safe and humane conditions for mothers and children, but also… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.