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.
Vietnamese Immigrant Wants to Help Her Community for Future Generations
Like so many Vietnamese people, Joanne Nguyen has lived a life shaped by American foreign policy. When she was born, in 1966, U.S. troops were already engaged in the ground war and her father, an English professor in Saigon, had been drafted into the South Vietnamese Army to assist U.S. Read More
Immigrants Are Dying in ICE Custody, So We’re Demanding an Investigation
The government has a longstanding history of failing to provide adequate medical and mental health care to immigrants detained in the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, CO. This systemic failure has led to widespread insufficiencies within the facility—as well as the tragic death of two immigrants entrusted in its… Read More
Bosnian Refugee Helps Start National Trucking Company from Scratch
Amira Zukic came to America with close to nothing, but after learning English and working hard, she and her husband now run one of Kentucky’s largest trucking companies, with $17 million in annual revenues. The secret to their success? “A lot of work, a lot of work, a lot… Read More
United States Seeks to Reject Asylum Seekers by Designating Mexico a Safe Third Country
For generations, the United States has opened its doors to individuals from around the world seeking safety and protection. The process of seeking asylum in the United States is rigorous and well-established under U.S. law. But in a cynical attempt to reject asylum seekers who present… Read More
Trump’s Nominee for Refugee Bureau Has an Anti-Immigrant History
When it comes to U.S. refugee policy, the Trump administration is asking Congress to let the fox guard the hen house. The administration has nominated Ronald Mortensen to be assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), housed within the U.S. State Department. Mortensen… Read More
DHS Prosecutes Over 600 Parents in Two-Week Span and Seizes their Children
Following implementation of a "zero tolerance" policy by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ), where migrants who enter without inspection are referred for criminal prosecution, a DHS official announced that 638 parents who crossed with children had been prosecuted in just a 13-day span this month. The admission raises a variety of questions and concerns about what happened to the children while those prosecutions occurred and where those children are today. Read More
Increase in Border Prosecutions Will Separate More Families
Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting Director Thomas Homan announced today that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security will be stepping up prosecutions of individuals along the southern border—likely resulting in the criminalization of asylum seekers and more family separation. Read More
Government’s Detention of Pregnant Women Questioned by Immigration Groups
The government continues the appalling practice of detaining pregnant women, most of whom are seeking safety and protection in the United States. Following an official policy change by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), immigrant rights organizations filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request this week demanding the agency… Read More
Advocates File FOIA Request for ICE Documents on Detention of Pregnant Women
Through this request, the organizations seek more information regarding the treatment of pregnant individuals held in Immigration and Custom Enforcement custody and any system used to track and monitor pregnant detainees. Read More
The Government Is Filing Charges Against More Migrants Than Ever Before
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it filed criminal charges on Tuesday to prosecute some migrants who recently crossed the border and were reportedly once a part of the caravan. The vast majority of the migrants from the caravan are asylum seekers fleeing persecution, grave violence,… Read More
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