Immigration at the Border
Trump Is Using the Coronavirus Pandemic as an Excuse to Permanently Close the Borders
The Trump administration has indefinitely extended its ban on immigration at U.S. land borders. The order was also expanded to include immigrants arriving at coastal ports. The ban is based on an order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allowing Customs and… Read More
The Impact of COVID-19 on Noncitizens and Across the U.S. Immigration System
This report identifies disruptions throughout the immigration system because of the COVID-19 pandemic and makes recommendations for improvements to the federal government’s response. Read More
FOIA Request Seeks Information About CBP’s Response to COVID-19
The information will enhance the public’s understanding of steps U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken to protect detained individuals from an outbreak of COVID-19. Read More
ICE Tells Parents to Separate From Their Children or Risk Indefinite Detention Together
When the Trump administration implemented mass family separation in 2018, the American public was outraged. Two years later, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is using a different strategy with the risk of a similar result. The agency is now forcing parents at its family detention centers to choose between… Read More
Council Sues Government to Compel Release of Records about ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program
This Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeks to uncover information about the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP)—also known as the "Remain in Mexico" program. Read More
US: Lawsuit Over ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program Secrecy
The American Immigration Council, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Human Rights Watch, and the law firm Winston & Strawn LLP filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Northern District of California today to compel the release of records about the US Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. Read More
Council Files Amicus Brief Supporting the Release of Individuals from Immigration Detention During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The American Immigration Council filed this amicus curiae brief in support of individuals who sought release from detention due to their significant risk of infection from COVID-19. Read More
Complaint Details ICE’s Failure to Protect Those in its Custody Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association , through their joint initiative the Immigration Justice Campaign, filed an oversight complaint with the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of the Inspector General highlighting the experiences of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
What ICE Must Do Following the First Coronavirus Death in Its Custody
The prognosis for people in immigration detention facilities during this global pandemic is grim. On Wednesday, news broke of the first person to die while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after testing positive for the coronavirus. Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia was a long-time… Read More
Council Files Civil Rights Complaint Over Dangerous ICE Detention Policies During Coronavirus Pandemic
The complaint calls on oversight agencies to demand immediate action by ICE to help stop the spread of the coronavirus where social distancing is not possible, including: Read More
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