Immigration News Resources

U.S. Border Patrol agents expelled or apprehended 15,862 migrants at the southwest border in April, down 47% from March.

The post After surging in 2019, migrant apprehensions at U.S.-Mexico border fell sharply in fiscal 2020 appeared first on Pew Research Center.

In this post, adapted from a message to the AILA Board of Governors on November 3, 2020, AILA President Jennifer Minear reflects on what today's election means, and noted, "Together, we will get through this day and all the days to come, and I firmly believe that we will emerge stronger than ever."

In the final run up to the presidential election, the Trump administration has reinvigorated its attacks on undocumented immigrants in the United States by targeting so-called “sanctuary” policies and jurisdictions. These attacks have come in two forms. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials started to issue fines against undocumented immigrants who have sought “sanctuary” […]

The post ICE Is Targeting ‘Sanctuary’ Cities With Increased Enforcement and Massive Fines appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The Trump administration’s public charge rule has been blocked nationwide for a third time by a federal judge in Illinois who granted summary judgment against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on November 2. The rule, first proposed in 2018, imposed a wealth test on people seeking green cards in the United States. This latest […]

The post Trump’s Public Charge Rule Blocked Yet Again in Court appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Congress released the “first complete narrative” on the Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance” policy on October 30. This hallmark of President Trump’s immigration legacy led to the forcible separation of thousands of children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018. The House Judiciary Committee report provides an in-depth look into a policy marked by […]

The post ‘We Had a Shortage Last Night of Beds for Babies.’ Congressional Report Reveals Cruelty, Chaos of Family Separation appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The events of 2020 were not in my vision board nor on my list of conceivable scenarios, but here we are. Seven months into the pandemic and an economic recession, if you are running a business/law firm like I am, what should we be doing during this time to stay alive, thrive, and prepare for […]

Over 60,000 people at the southern border have been forced to return to Mexico under the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. As they get sent back, U.S. government officials give them insufficient information about how to attend their immigration court hearings in the United States. Then […]

The post The Government Wants Immigrants to Show Up for Court—But Neglects to Tell Them How to Attend Their Hearings appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Once a year, National Pro Bono Week celebrates the pro bono work of lawyers, paralegals, and law students. Pro bono legal services—which come at no cost—are integral for many people otherwise left with little to no resources in immigration detention. Access to counsel in immigration detention is paramount to successfully navigating the complex immigration system. […]

The post The Value of Pro Bono Legal Services in Immigration Detention appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to mismanage the spread of the coronavirus in its facilities nationwide—and the consequences might be far more deadly than the agency wants to admit. As of October 22, ICE confirmed a total of 6,743 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed across 99 facilities since the pandemic began in March. 661 […]

The post ICE’s COVID-19 Death Toll Might Be Higher Than It Claims appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Three new lawsuits have been filed challenging the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new rules impacting the H-1B visa category, with one also challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new H-1B rule. The complaints argue that the new H-1B rules will make it near impossible for many U.S. businesses to hire foreign workers—particularly those in […]

The post Three New Lawsuits Challenge Trump’s H-1B Worker Restrictions appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Jacqueline Shi, AILA member and member of the AILA National Pro Bono Committee, shares how attorneys continue to provide pro bono services to vulnerable immigrant communities during the pandemic by using technology and innovation.

The application fee to apply for U.S. citizenship rose from $640 to $1170 on October 2. This is not the first time U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has raised the naturalization application fee. But the increase has never been this high—a staggering 82%. The Center for American Progress found in a 2014 study that […]

The post Naturalization Fees: A Poll Tax Hidden in Plain Sight appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a proposed rule that will make it more difficult for individuals applying for admission in a J-1 exchange visitor or F-1 student visa category to complete their programs, apply for extensions, and even secure these opportunities in the first place. Exchange visitors are approved non-immigrants that participate […]

The post How Proposed Changes to ‘Duration of Status’ Rules Will Impact Students and Exchange Visitors appeared first on Immigration Impact.

As the Trump administration cracked down on migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, it has often invoked the concept of “national sovereignty” to justify drastic policy changes. But a new Senate report reveals that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) itself violated the sovereignty of another nation. Agents deployed to Guatemala in January in partnership with […]

The post The Senate Reveals CBP Violated the Law by Rounding Up Migrants — In Guatemala appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched another military-style raid on a humanitarian aid station in the Arizona desert, close to the U.S.-Mexico border. On October 5, Border Patrol agents and CBP’s para-military arm Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) descended on the aid camp. They charged in with assault rifles, an armored vehicle, ATVs, a […]

The post Border Patrol is Going After Humanitarian Aid in the Arizona Desert—Again appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported a flight of approximately 100 African asylum seekers to their home countries, where they could face immediate arrest and death. Many of the Cameroonian and Congolese immigrants had protested their detention and spoken out about abuses in U.S. custody. ICE went forward with the deportations on October 13 […]

The post ICE Deported Cameroonian Immigrants Despite Protests and Congressional Intervention appeared first on Immigration Impact.

At a time when tensions over race in the United States are high, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in an October 8 memo that it will cancel all diversity and inclusion trainings for its staff of over 115,000 people. The decision could have a particularly devastating impact on the U.S. immigration court system. […]

The post Department of Justice Eliminates Diversity and Inclusion Training for All Immigration Judges appeared first on Immigration Impact.

AILA Board of Governors member Ally Bolour shares his personal story of naturalization and why he feels the obligation to vote and encourage others to vote as well, including his 98-year-old father who will vote for the first time ever!

The effort to permanently replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day signifies a growing movement to honor the resilience and history of indigenous communities. The day presents an opportunity to learn more about the native communities who were here long before the violent arrival of Christopher Columbus. It is also a chance to reflect on […]

The post Indigenous People Face Persistent Language Access Challenges in Immigration Detention appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The Trump administration issued two rules October 8 that, if not overturned, will further restrict legal immigration. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the first rule, which only applies to H-1B workers. This rule further limits an employer’s ability to demonstrate that its job is in a “specialty occupation.” The other rule—issued by the […]

The post Restrictions on Foreign Workers Will Hurt America’s Recovery From COVID-19 appeared first on Immigration Impact.