Immigration Reform
The last time Congress updated our legal immigration system was November 1990, one month before the World Wide Web went online. We are long overdue for comprehensive immigration reform.
Through immigration reform, we can provide noncitizens with a system of justice that provides due process of law and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Because it can be a contentious and wide-ranging issue, we aim to provide advocates with facts and work to move bipartisan solutions forward. Read more about topics like legalization for undocumented immigrants and border security below.
Diverse Coalitions Urge Supreme Court to Hear Case on Executive Action
Seven groups have filed amicus briefs in support of a petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court in United States v. Texas, requesting that the Court overturn the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to enjoin, or halt, the President’s 2014 deferred action initiatives. The briefs were… Read More
House Passes Visa Waiver Program Bill that Excludes Nationals of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Sudan
While Congress may be backing away from targeting the refugee resettlement program in reaction to recent terrorist attacks, lawmakers appear to have found a new target: the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The VWP allows travelers from certain countries to enter the United States without obtaining a visa in advance. Currently, 38 countries, including France, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, are part of this program, with over 20 million visitors utilizing it each year. It was created to facilitate more efficient inbound travel to the U.S. and requires pre-screening of travelers who are pre-approved through the program. In designating a country to participate, the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, considers only those the U.S. holds "the best law-enforcement and security relationships with." Read More
Efforts to Pass Anti-Refugee Legislation Slows
In the days after the Paris attacks, fear took hold of many across the United States, and some politicians proposed shutting our doors to refugees, particularly those from Syria and Iraq. This knee jerk reaction resulted in the House of Representatives hastily passing a misguided bill, which, if signed… Read More
Will the Immigration Court Backlog Finally Go Down?
Although our nation’s immigration courts currently have record backlogs, there may be some help on the way. That was the message from Juan Osuna, Director of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR)—a division within the Department of Justice (DOJ) department which houses the immigration courts—at an oversight hearing… Read More
Due Process, Enforcement Reform and Family Unification Top Sanders’ Platform
Senator Bernie Sanders, a contender for the Democratic nomination for President, recently released his updated and vastly expanded immigration platform. His initial plan was short on detail; however, this newly-released document takes a deeper dive and presents a set of solutions to some of the worst problems plaguing our outdated immigration system. Read More
Groups Urge Supreme Court to Hear Executive Action Case This Term
Today, a coalition of 224 immigration, civil rights, labor, and social service groups filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief, urging the Supreme Court to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Texas v. United States, which has delayed implementation of President Obama’s 2014 deferred action initiatives The… Read More
Are Immigrants Better Off Now Than They Were One Year Ago?
One year ago, President Obama announced executive actions his Administration would take on immigration. These actions were meant as common-sense reforms to an immigration system that has not been upgraded in more than 20 years. The series of reforms range from temporary protections for an expanded group of unauthorized… Read More
Obama Administration Goes to the Supreme Court in DACA and DAPA Lawsuit
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice formally asked the Supreme Court to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision in the Texas lawsuit that blocks implementation of President Obama’s 2014 deferred action initiatives. The formal request, called a petition for certiorari, is the first step in the Supreme Court review… Read More
Congress Continues its Knee-Jerk Reaction to Paris Attacks
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4038, the “American Safe Act of 2015” by a vote of 289 to 137, with 47 Democrats and all but two Republicans supporting the bill. This comes less than one week after the horrific attacks in Paris, which have left many feeling… Read More
Recognizing the Vital Contributions Foreign Born Veterans Make to the U.S. Military
Immigrants bring tremendous skills, talents, and energy to our country – including to our military forces. It’s important to recognize the essential impact immigrant veterans, standing shoulder to shoulder with native-born soldiers, have made and will continue to make within the ranks of the U.S. military. Here’s how the U.S. military is… Read More
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