USCIS
Senate Rejects Harmful Immigration Amendments to Inflation Reduction Act
On Sunday after nearly 24 hours of deliberation, the Senate passed a historic budget reconciliation package, known as the “Inflation Reduction Act,” that rejected a series of harsh immigration enforcement provisions and approved a myriad of federal programs climate change, tax enforcement, and healthcare. The version of the bill… Read More
Debunking Major Myths About Immigrants’ Socioeconomic Status in the US
Opponents of immigration often claim that European immigrants who came to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are radically different than the Latin Americans and Asians who immigrate here today. A new book by two economic historians disproves that by… Read More
Welcoming and Inclusive State Policies: A Midyear Review of State Legislative Sessions in 2022
As immigration bills languish in Congress, state legislatures continue to pave the way in welcoming immigrants and refugees in 2022. With the majority of the 46 state legislatures that convened this year having adjourned, many states—once again—used the legislative process to pass bills that make their communities more inclusive for… Read More
Immigration Agencies Get Hit with Record-High Lawsuits as Delays Worsen
Lawsuits asking courts to order government employees to decide long-pending immigration filings have increased sharply in the past year. According to a recent report by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), in May 2022 the federal courts recorded 647 immigration-related lawsuits for agency delay. This is “the highest number… Read More
CBP Concludes Investigation Into Del Rio Incident Without Interviewing Any Migrants
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has concluded in a new report that Border Patrol agents on horseback did engage in the “unnecessary use of force” against Haitian migrants entering the United States near Del Rio, Texas, on September 19, 2021. However, CBP denied allegations that some of… Read More
USCIS Restores Pathway to a Green Card for TPS Holders
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new policy memorandum on July 1 that eliminated a barrier for many Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and restored a pathway many have used to obtain a green card. It also provides beneficiaries with a process for traveling outside of the… Read More
New Report Reveals Why USCIS Is Plagued by Enormous Backlogs and Wait Times
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) operates under a flawed funding model. This virtually guarantees that the agency will always be under-funded and under-staffed. As a result, USCIS has been plagued for years by enormous backlogs of applications for immigration benefits. The people applying for immigration benefits must endure… Read More
State Department Denies Substantial Percentage of Employer-Sponsored Immigrant Visas
Surprising data recently revealed that consular officers denied applicants for employer-sponsored immigrant visas at a far higher rate than U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers denied green cards to employer-sponsored applicants. Data analyzed by the Cato Institute shows that since Fiscal Year 2008, USCIS denied about 8% of employer-sponsored… Read More
Lawsuit Challenges Delays in U.S. Citizenship Application Processing Due to Cave-Stored Files
Thirteen U.S. lawful permanent residents filed a lawsuit to end the delay by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in processing their applications to become U.S. citizens. The excessive delays are now threatening their ability to vote in the November 2022 elections. The plaintiffs each filed their applications in… Read More
Biden’s New Asylum Rules Go Into Effect On A Limited Basis
The Biden administration’s overhaul of the asylum system went into effect for the first time on May 31, but only a limited basis. According to guidance published by the Department of Homeland Security, the rule will initially be applied to several hundred asylum seekers per month. The rule… Read More
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