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Welcoming Week 2020 Encourages Everyone in America to Create Home Together
Welcoming Week—an annual celebration in communities across the nation that brings neighbors together to build connections across lines of difference—begins Saturday, September 12. Despite the challenges of coming together during a pandemic, a string of events will take place in virtual spaces. Events include dance parties, watch parties, and even civic dinners via Zoom. There […]
Read MoreCitizenship Backlogs at USCIS Will Block Hundreds of Thousands from Voting in the 2020 Election
Hundreds of thousands of immigrants might be prevented from voting in the 2020 election—even though they are just one step away from becoming new Americans. Years of fiscal mismanagement at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—coupled with a series of policy changes under the Trump administration—have led to an enormous backlog of citizenship applications at […]
Read MoreThe Role of Immigrant School Nurses During Covid-19
As many schools reopen across the country, data shows that immigrant school nurses are working on the front lines to help protect students and staff members during the Covid-19 pandemic, assessing potential coronavirus cases, developing immunization plans, and communicating with families about students’ healthcare needs. However, at a time when they are needed the most, […]
Read MoreUSCIS Wants To Increase the Amount of Biometric Data It Collects by Over 60%
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to dramatically expand the personal information that it collects in support of immigration petitions and applications. This new rule will increase the total number of people who are required to submit biometric data from 3.9 million currently to 6.07 million—an increase of more than 60%. The proposed […]
Read MoreDiversity Visa Ban Struck Down by Judge
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to resume issuing diversity visas on September 5. Each year, the State Department uses a lottery system to select visa recipients from a broad array of countries. In April, President Trump banned diversity visa recipients from entering the country. What is the diversity visa? Congress established the Diversity […]
Read MoreHurricane Laura Devastated ICE Facilities, Leaving People Detained in Horrific Conditions
Days after Hurricane Laura tore through Louisiana, the situation for people held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities remains critical. ICE reportedly evacuated at least two immigration facilities in southern Louisiana before the hurricane hit. But the storm led to catastrophic conditions at ICE facilities further inland. Major damage occurred at LaSalle ICE […]
Read MoreBuilding America: Immigrants in Construction and Infrastructure-Related Industries
During the Covid-19 pandemic, immigrants are playing critical roles in construction, infrastructure, and related industries that are essential to keeping America running, including in specific fields like utilities, transportation, and affordable housing. Immigrant workers in these industries will also be essential to the economic recovery and rebuilding process in the months and years ahead. Our […]
Read MoreInstitutional Racism Is Rampant in Immigration Enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico Border
A Black former U.S. diplomat recently shared her experience of months of racial profiling by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials while she was stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. She was tasked with enforcing U.S. immigration law, but nevertheless found herself racially profiled and discriminated against by U.S. immigration authorities. […]
Read MoreImmigrant Workers are Essential to the United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS) will play an outsized role in the 2020 presidential election, as more states focus on mail-in voting to help curb the spread of the coronavirus at polling places. Central to USPS’ work are the staff members who sort, process, and deliver our mail—through “snow, rain, heat, and gloom of […]
Read MoreUSCIS Cancelled Planned Staff Furloughs, But Budgetary Challenges Remain
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told Congress in May that it was running out of money and would need a $1.2 billion bailout to maintain its operations without major disruptions. The agency threatened to furlough over 13,000 of its staff in the process—a step that would bring the U.S. immigration system to a near […]
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