Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The United States has a longstanding tradition of welcoming individuals from around the world who are seeking protection and refuge. But recent U.S. policy has grown increasingly hostile toward asylum seekers and refugees. Instead of turning vulnerable individuals away, the United States should maintain its global reputation as a leader in refugee resettlement and humanitarian protection. Doing so not only upholds American values but sustains and strengthens our communities. Data from the Council shows that refugees and asylees make tremendous contributions to our economy as earners, taxpayers, and consumers. Learn more about the contributions and challenges of asylum seekers and refugees below.
The Condition of the Refugee Resettlement Program in 2023
The Biden administration announced on September 27 that the cap on refugee admissions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 would be 125,000—the same as the cap for FY 2022. However, given the current state of the U.S. refugee admissions program, the administration will probably not come close to admitting… Read More
Asylum Seekers Become Political Pawns in Governors’ Transportation Stunts
The Republican governors of Texas, Arizona, and now Florida are playing a cynical political game with the lives of migrants—including many asylum seekers fleeing persecution. Officials in these states are using taxpayer money to ship thousands of migrants to other, Democratic-leaning states and dumping them there. In recent weeks, these… Read More
Recent Supreme Court Ruling Limits Advocates’ Relief on Asylum Seekers’ Case
A federal court decision this month confirmed what advocates feared: that a recent move by the Supreme Court would undermine the fight against illegal government practices, like turning back asylum seekers at the border. On August 5, a… Read More
Biden Administration in the Clear to End MPP
The American Immigration Council urges the Biden administration to move as quickly as possible to readmit all those who were sent to Mexico under both the reinstated Remain in Mexico program and the original program. Read More
Coalition Urges House Appropriators to Reject Title 42 Poison Pill Amendment
The American Immigration Council opposed the inclusion of a legislative provision that would codify into law an indefinite extension of the controversial and harmful Title 42 policy. Read More
Letter to Secretary Mayorkas Urging Protections for Victims of San Antonio Tragedy
The American Immigration Council and 102 other organizations urge the Department of Homeland Security paroled into the United States and give assistance in applying for protection to survivors of the tragedy in San Antonio. Read More
Supreme Court Permits Biden to Terminate ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program
Almost a year after the Supreme Court allowed a federal judge in Texas to order the Biden administration to restart the so-called “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), the Supreme Court ruled in the Biden administration’s favor on June 30. The decision will not only permit President Biden to finally end… Read More
U.S. Supreme Court Allows Biden Administration to End MPP
The U.S. Supreme Court allows the Biden administration’s efforts to terminate the Migrant Protection Protocols—an illegal Trump-era policy that sent thousands of people seeking humanitarian protection to dangerous areas of Mexico to await their asylum hearings. Read More
Tragic Loss of Life Is a Stark Reminder of the Need for a Humane Immigration System
At least 50 people were found dead yesterday in a tractor-trailer near Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. This tragedy appears to be the deadliest migrant-smuggling operation in U.S. history, following the deadliest year on record for the border. Read More
Council Sues USCIS To Obtain Records About Humanitarian Parole Applications of Afghan Nationals
This Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit seeks to compel U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to disclose information about the massive delays in processing of applications for humanitarian parole filed for Afghan nationals who have not been able to travel to the United States. Read More
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