Humanitarian Protection

Trump’s Latest Asylum Ban Goes Into Effect in Texas and New Mexico
The Trump administration’s latest asylum ban went into effect in New Mexico and Texas—but not California and Arizona—on Friday after a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling amounts to a partial victory for President Trump. While the ban covers the border states outside of the Ninth… Read More

Syria Is Not Redesignated for TPS, Despite Ongoing Armed Conflict
After months of uncertainty, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday that it will extend—but not redesignate—Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria. This life-saving humanitarian program protects foreign nationals from being deported back to a country that is facing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other temporarily dangerous… Read More

Attorney General Barr Rolls Back Asylum Protections for Families
Attorney General William Barr issued a decision that significantly restricts the ability of many current asylum seekers to win their cases on Monday. In Matter of L-E-A-, Barr issued a new immigration court decision that says people should generally not be granted asylum if they face persecution because of… Read More

Why a Safe Third Country Agreement with Guatemala is Unsafe and Unworkable
The Trump administration signed an agreement with Guatemala last Friday that appears to allow the U.S. government to send certain asylum applicants to Guatemala, forcing them to seek asylum there. Framed by the president as a “Safe Third Country” agreement, this move will place thousands of asylum seekers at risk in a country ill-prepared to process a high volume of applications for protection and with safety problems of its own. Read More

California Judge Blocks Implementation of Trump’s New Asylum Rule
A federal judge in California blocked the implementation of a new rule yesterday that would have prevented most immigrants who arrive at the U.S. southern land border from qualifying for asylum in the United States. This decision came just hours after a D.C. court ruled in the opposite direction. The… Read More

The House Votes on TPS for Venezuela as ‘Humanitarian Disaster’ in the Country Escalates
UPDATE: On Thursday night, the House brought the bill back to a floor vote and passed TPS designation for Venezuela. Although this vote only required a simply majority, bipartisan support for the effort picked up between Tuesday and Thursday as the bill gained 4 votes in favor, including 2 from… Read More

Certain Detained Asylum Seekers Must Receive a Bond Hearing Within 7 Days, Despite Trump Administration’s Efforts
Attorney General William Barr announced in April 2019 plans to eliminate bond hearings for immigrants who pass an asylum screening interview after entering the United States. This would have forced many people to remain incarcerated for months or years during their asylum proceedings. However, on Tuesday, a federal court recognized… Read More

Up to 5 Migrant Children Are Still Separated From Their Family Every Day, New Government Data Shows
New government documents show that family separations continue—despite the Trump administration’s claims to the contrary. Documents uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request show that children continue to be separated from their parents at the border in high numbers. This cruel practice continues despite a June 2018… Read More

The Government Ended an Effective and Less Costly Alternative to Immigration Detention
Case management isn’t necessarily something you would think of in relation to the U.S. immigration system, but a few years ago—for the first time in more than a decade—officials chose to invest in a model of individualized case management to support families seeking protection in the United States – and… Read More

World Refugee Day Reminders Us That We Must Do Better
World Refugee Day serves as a reminder that as a nation we must do better to protect those who are fleeing harm. Read More
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