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.
New American Economy and Off Ramp Films Debut Mahira Patkovich: A Refugee Rises
UTICA, NY – Today the bipartisan immigration reform group New American Economy and the documentary filmmakers Off Ramp Films debuted a new short film, Mahira Patkovich: A Refugee Rises. At a time when the United States is taking in fewer and fewer refugees, this film explores how crucial… Read More
Trailer for Mahira Patkovich: A Refugee Rises
Meet Mahira Patkovich. Mahira’s family fled Bosnia and resettled in Utica, NY. She’s helping to revitalize downtown as a successful business owner, an MBA candidate and a mother to be. Watch her journey as she comes to call Utica home.
Mahira Patkovich: A Refugee Rises
Meet Mahira Patkovich. Mahira’s family fled Bosnia and resettled in Utica, NY, which experienced a major slump in the 80s and 90s. Today Mahira is helping to revitalize downtown as a successful business owner. She’s also working towards her MBA and expecting her first child to be born in Utica,… Read More
Comments Opposing Proposed Regulation Barring Asylum to Those Entering Between US Ports of Entry
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) submitted a joint comment opposing the “Interim Final Rule: Aliens Subject to a Bar on Entry Under Certain Presidential Proclamations; Procedures for Protection.” The Rule, which was published in the Federal Register on November 9, 2018 and which has… Read More
Regulatory Comments Opposing the Indefinite Detention of Children
The Trump administration proposed new regulations undermining the 1997 Flores settlement agreement. If the proposed regulations are finalized, they would weaken protections for children and place them at greater risk of trauma and mistreatment. Read More
Trump Administration Plan to Keep Asylum Seekers in Mexico is the Invisible Wall that Puts Lives at Risk
The new policy would require many individuals seeking protection in the United States, including children and other vulnerable individuals, to remain in Mexico until their asylum claim is decided by an overwhelmingly backlogged U.S. immigration court system, potentially spending months or even years in life-threatening conditions. Read More
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