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Attorney General Garland Brings Back Administrative Closure for Immigration Judges
Attorney General Merrick Garland vacated Matter of Castro-Tum on July 15, reviving a key tool to help judges prioritize cases in the overburdened immigration court system and allow people facing deportation to pursue all available paths to legal status. In Matter of Cruz-Valdez, the attorney general reversed a decision by prior Attorney General Jeff Sessions. […]
Read MoreWho Is Ed Gonzalez? Biden’s ICE Nominee Signals Few Changes for the Agency
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may soon have its first Senate-confirmed leader in nearly five years. On July 15, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the nomination for the head of ICE, Ed Gonzalez, who is currently the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas. Gonzalez’s nomination presents a unique […]
Read MoreThis Special Program Gives Refugee Athletes a Chance to Compete in the Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to expand a unique venture for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo: The Refugee Olympic Team. The expansion is part of the IOC’s long-term effort to empower displaced athletes both before and after the Olympics. The Refugee Olympic Team will feature athletes from 13 countries around the world, including Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela. The success of the original refugee team—which featured just 10 people during the […]
Read MoreICE Will Stop Arresting and Detaining Most Pregnant and Nursing People
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will no longer detain most people who are pregnant, postpartum, or nursing, according to a new policy released on July 9. However, ICE did not commit to a total ban, saying that there will still be “very limited circumstances” that will allow the agency to detain pregnant people. The […]
Read MoreBiden Administration Commits to Returning Deported Veterans
Since the founding of the United States, immigrants have served in the U.S. military. In recognition of the sacrifices involved in military service, the federal government has provided an expedited path to citizenship for immigrant servicemembers for years—but it isn’t automatic and not all who serve qualify. Given how easy it is for the federal […]
Read More2021 Mid-Year Report
Dear Friends and Supporters, In the past six months, we have witnessed a sea change on immigration: The American Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed the House with bipartisan support; the Muslim ban, Public Charge rule, and major cuts to refugee resettlement have been reversed; and proposals to create a path […]
Read MoreThe COVID-19 Pandemic Made USCIS Backlogs Go from Bad to Worse
Backlogs, processing delays, and revenue shortfalls are nothing new at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The agency has long suffered from severe structural problems that hurt people who depend on it for work authorization, adjustment of status, naturalization, and many other immigration benefits. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agency operations has […]
Read MoreCosta Rican Immigrant Community Organizer Supports Vulnerable Communities in Mercer County
Laura MoraCommunity Organizer, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund Laura Mora grew up in a poor Costa Rican farming community, where her father worked in the tobacco fields to support his 10 children. Today, she is a Community Organizer and Client Advocate who supports the vulnerable population and has provided Mercer County community vital […]
Read MoreNew Americans in Mercer County
New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants in Mercer County paid over $1.3 billion in taxes and held $2.8 billion in spending power in 2019. The new report, New Americans in Mercer County, was prepared in partnership with the New Jersey Business Immigration Coalition, the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Mercer […]
Read MoreImmigrant Entrepreneur Employs Dozens of Workers in Mercer County
Barry ZhangCEO, Princetel Born in China, Barry Zhang came to New Jersey in 1988 to study at Princeton University, where he gained a PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Zhang was able to remain in the United States because of his wife, who gained a green card through her employer. After graduating, he launched a […]
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