Enforcement

The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

Statement for Senate Hearing “Strengthening and Reforming America’s Immigration Court System”

The American Immigration Council submitted a written statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration for an April 18, 2018 hearing on “Strengthening and Reforming America’s Immigration Court System.” The statement covers the new immigration judge quotas and performance metrics, the suspension of the Legal Orientation Program for detainees, and the four cases the Attorney General has certified to himself that will impact a judge’s control over the docket and the accessibility of asylum protections. 

High Profile Cases Highlight Border Patrol Abuses and Need for Systemic Change

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—the Border Patrol in particular—has a reputation for repeatedly and systematically violating the rights of immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. Border Patrol agents are known for regularly using excessive force during apprehensions, detaining people under inhumane conditions, and resorting to coercion and misinformation in order to remove people from the […]

Largest Worksite Raid in a Decade Signals a Dark Turn in Immigration Enforcement

The largest employment crackdown in a decade was launched on April 5 at a meat-processing plant in Bean Station, a rural community outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. Nearly 100 immigrants were detained during the raid, most believed to be from Mexico. According to reports: “[Immigration and Customs Enforcement] summarily closed off roads, surrounding the plant, and […]

New Border Policies Could Have a Big Impact on Families, Children, and Asylum Seekers

Undocumented immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border increasingly consist of asylum seekers fleeing record levels of violence in Central America. But the Trump administration’s response to this humanitarian crisis has been unforgiving. In fact, the administration has recently made two policy announcements with the goal of further criminalizing immigrants apprehended crossing the border, as well as […]

This Controversial Immigration Enforcement Program Threatens U.S. Communities

In an era of increased immigration enforcement, it is even more important to understand the ways in which some states and localities collaborate with the federal government. Recent research also highlights the benefits that immigrants bring to these communities across the country—contributions that could be jeopardized by aggressive enforcement efforts and local-federal entanglement. One of […]

Trumps Calls in the Troops to the Border—But No One Knows What For

President Trump first announced via tweet—and later a signed proclamation—that he plans to send the National Guard to the nation’s southern border. And yet, at the same time, he acknowledged that border apprehensions (which are used to gauge how many people are attempting to cross the border) are at a 46-year low. Some have questioned […]

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Immigration Groups Demand Records Related to Family Separation at the Border

To shed light on the cruel and unlawful practice of family separation, a group of immigrant rights organizations filed a series of Freedom of Information Act requests to multiple government agencies this week. The groups seek agency records underlying an unconscionable practice where immigration officials at the border purposefully divide families–taking children from their parents […]

Migrant Caravan Making Its Way North to Be Greeted By a Complex Web of Immigration Laws

Slowing making their way north through Mexico is a large caravan of migrants searching for safe haven, an opportunity to work, or the chance to reunite with family. Some will remain in Mexico, while others hope to reach the U.S.-Mexico border. But what will they face when they arrive? The caravan caught the attention of […]

A New Official ICE Policy Calls for the Detention of Pregnant Women

Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Thursday that it was ending its general practice of releasing pregnant women from immigration jail. Under its new policy, pregnant women will only be released from detention on a case-by-case basis, ending the presumption of release. Now, ICE will detain “only those whose detention is necessary to effectuate removal, […]