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.
Border Patrol Custody Is Already Dangerous and This Florida Lawsuit Is Making It Worse
One of the biggest concerns after the end of the Title 42 policy of mass expulsion at the U.S.-Mexico border was that large numbers of people would cross in the hours and days afterward. When the switch happened last Friday at midnight, people feared that bottlenecks throughout the processing system… Read More
Finding a Pro Bono Immigration Attorney Is Harder Than Ever
If you are an asylum seeker in the United States who cannot afford an attorney, your chance of finding pro bono assistance is now slimmer than ever. As the number of cases in immigration court has increased, the amount of free representation for immigrants has not. At the Immigration… Read More
How To Seek Asylum (Under Biden’s Asylum Transit Ban), In 15 Not-At-All-Easy Steps
Back in February, when the Biden administration proposed a new regulation that would essentially restrict the vast majority of border crossers from qualifying for asylum, we broke it down with a guide to qualifying for asylum in the United States in 12 not-so-easy steps. The final regulation, published Wednesday,… Read More
Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security Release Details of Dangerous New Asylum Transit Ban
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will implement a new asylum transit ban—one of the most restrictive border control measures to date under any president. Read More
New Asylum Transit Ban Is Dangerous and Shortsighted
The Biden administration announced the implementation of an asylum transit ban that will penalize asylum seekers who don’t apply for protection in other nations they transit through on their way to the United States. Read More
Coalition Letter Urges Vote Against Border Bill That Dismantles Asylum and Harms Asylum Seekers and Border Communities
The American Immigration Council joined a coalition of 129 organizations calling for members of the House of Representatives to vote against an anti-immigrant border bill that would dismantle the U.S. asylum system. Read More
American Immigration Council Unveils Blueprint for a Modern and Functional Border and Asylum System
The American Immigration Council released a new vision and blueprint for the border that highlights the need for a modern and functional system of humanitarian protection and border management in the United States. Read More
Beyond A Border Solution
America needs durable solutions. These concrete measures can bring orderliness to our border and modernize our overwhelmed asylum system. Read More
State Department and DHS Show Welcome Commitment to Addressing Hemisphere-Wide Refugee Crisis
The Biden administration announced the establishment of refugee processing centers in Latin America. The announcement is a welcome development that acknowledges the expansion of access to humanitarian protections as an essential solution to a hemisphere-wide refugee crisis that has displaced over 20 million people. Read More
GOP’s Extreme Border Bill Rejects Solutions and Embraces Ending Asylum
On Monday, April 17, the House GOP introduced its first comprehensive border bill of the 118th Congress. The bill comes after months of disagreement within the caucus surrounding legislative responses to the border, with moderate Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) having branded a proposal by Rep. Chip Roy… Read More
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