Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The Failings of Family Detention at Artesia
The inhumanity of family detention and the danger of short-changing basic due process protections are on full display in the detention center in Artesia, New Mexico, where hundreds of women and children are being held by the U.S. government. The Washington Post reports this week on a tour they took… Read More
Landmark Decision on Asylum Claims Recognizes Domestic Violence Victims
Last week, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) issued a landmark decision that recognizes that women who have experienced domestic violence may be deemed a “member of a particular social group” which would help support a potential asylum case. The case, Matter of A-R-C-G-, arrives at a… Read More
HUMANE Act Fails to Address Humanitarian Challenges
Texans Rep. Henry Cuellar (D) and Sen. John Cornyn (R) will soon introduce a bill that expedites the removal of unaccompanied children from Central America. Their measure, the Helping Unaccompanied Minors and Alleviating National Emergency (HUMANE) Act, is a legislative attempt to change U.S. policies so that… Read More
America’s Past Treatment of Central Americans Serves as Cautionary Tale
The Obama administration has put forth a plan on how to respond to the thousands of Central American families and unaccompanied children who are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the administration plans to take a hard-line approach that is focused on… Read More
Congress Needs Reminding of Unaccompanied Migrant Children’s Plight
The House Judiciary Committee’s June 25 hearing was supposed to be about the recent surge in the numbers of unaccompanied child migrants from Central America who are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Had this really been the subject of the hearing, the topic of escalating gang violence… Read More
Not All Members of Congress Recognize the Nation’s Role in Protecting Unaccompanied Minors
The House Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing today entitled, “Dangerous Passage: The Growing Problem of Unaccompanied Children Crossing the Border.” Committee members questioned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson on the growing humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Thousands of children from Central America… Read More
Child Refugees from Central America Need Protection, Not Deportation
The reasons why so many unaccompanied children from Central American nations are trying to make their way to the United States are not simple. There are the abysmally high murder rates, escalating gang violence, and grinding poverty which prevail in some Central American countries. There are the… Read More
On World Refugee Day, Consider Today’s Migrants Fleeing Violence
Governments and organizations around the world mark June 20 by honoring refugees for their struggle and their contribution to their new country with World Refugee Day. As we tackle a humanitarian crisis at the southern border of the United States, this day is an important reminder of why we… Read More
American Boston Marathon Winner Came to U.S. as Refugee
For the first time in more than 30 years, an American man won the Boston marathon yesterday. Meb Keflezighi, a naturalized American citizen who came to the United States at age 12, finished the 26-mile race with a time of 2:08:37, his personal best. The 38-year-old Keflezighi is a… Read More
Class Action Settlement Removes Obstacles Preventing Asylum Applicants from Working
A recent settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of thousands of asylum seekers is removing obstacles they faced in obtaining work documents while they pursue their asylum claims. The inability to work for lengthy periods of time has had crippling effects on asylum applicants. Without proper work authorization, they have been vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers, have been unable to pay for the legal assistance they need, have had to rely on family members and community organizations for financial help, and generally have felt unwelcome in a country that claims to offer them protection. Read More
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