Border Enforcement

The State of Texas is Arresting and Detaining Border Crossers for Trespassing

The state of Texas has started a concentrated effort to arrest immigrants who have recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. The immigrants are charged with criminal state offenses of trespassing and criminal mischief. The arrests are the latest in a series of attempts by Texas officials to increase the consequences of entering or being present in […]

Coalition Letter Urges Immediate End to Title 42 Expulsions and Other Deterrence Strategies Against Asylum Seekers

The American Immigration Council joined a coalition of 105 organizations in expressing alarm over reports that the Biden administration may continue the harmful and unnecessary Title 42 expulsion policy for an additional two months. The letter also urged an end to other punitive measures against asylum seekers, including electronic ankle monitors, expedited removal, and expansive detention. The coalition instead proposes community-based case management services to support asylum seekers.

Biden Will Admit Asylum Seekers Ordered Deported Under Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols

Asylum seekers who were ordered deported for missing their U.S. court hearings under the Trump administration’s so-called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)—informally known as the “Remain in Mexico” program—will be allowed to restart their proceedings in the United States. Thousands of others whose cases were terminated because of procedural errors before they had a chance to […]

Biden Will Use Border Wall Funding for Safety and Environmental Protections

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on June 11 its plan for funds the Trump administration had planned to use to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Unspent funds will address safety and environmental issues, while funds diverted from the Department of Defense will be returned for their original purposes. President Trump centered […]

Lawsuit Seeks to Advance Public Understanding of ICE and CBP Enforcement Operations and Practices

The American Immigration Council filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against DHS and its two primary immigration enforcement agencies requesting information about the obscure network of databases, information systems, and data sharing methods that are largely shielded from public view.

Collecting DNA From Asylum Seekers at the Border Raises Privacy Concerns

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is collecting DNA from asylum seekers at the border, recent media reports confirm. This is the latest expansion of DNA collection as part of a program initiated under the Trump administration that targets nearly all immigrants in government custody. A growing number of noncitizens are being subjected to this invasive […]