Asylum
Asylum grants legal protection to foreign nationals already in the U.S. or arriving at the border who can’t go back to their home country because of persecution. Learn more about the asylum system in the United States, including how asylum is defined, eligibility requirements, and the difficult and complex application process.
Biden Proposes Rule to Quickly Remove Certain Migrants During Initial Screening Process at the Border
On May 9, the Biden administration proposed a rule that would allow asylum officers to consider and impose certain restrictions or “bars” to the initial asylum screening process at the border. Currently, these bars are considered later in the asylum process at a full hearing before an immigration judge. Read More
The Biden Administration’s Proposed Regulation On Asylum Bars: An Analysis
On May 9, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published here, that would allow asylum officers to reject a subset of asylum seekers earlier in the process based on several factors that are currently considered only once an asylum seeker has a full hearing before an immigration judge. Read More
Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit to Block Iowa’s Unconstitutional SF 2340
Civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit today to block SF 2340, one of the worst, most far-reaching immigration laws ever passed in the state of Iowa. Read More
The State of Texas Isn’t Just Creating Chaos and Cruelty at the Border—It’s Trying to Break the Things That Work
For decades, the Catholic nonprofit Annunciation House has worked to support migrants in El Paso, Texas. It’s provided shelter, food and services to countless people who have just arrived in the United States—many of whom have been released directly from government custody after being apprehended and processed by… Read More
Refugees and Asylum Seekers Generate Billions of Dollars More Than They Cost the U.S. Government
A report released this month by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that refugees and asylees have generated tens of billions of dollars more in local, state, and federal tax revenues over the last 15 years than they have cost in direct government services—ultimately representing… Read More
Senate Border Bill a Step in Right Direction, but Falls Short in Guaranteeing Due Process for Asylum Seekers
On Sunday night, a bipartisan group of senators released the “Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024." Jeremy Robbins, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, responds to this controversial legislation that faces an uncertain future. Read More
Understanding the Importance of Humanitarian Parole in the U.S. Immigration System
Parole is an essential component of U.S. immigration law. It can be an important tool to manage the processing of migrants at U.S. borders; a powerful response to humanitarian crisis; and a way to allow people in the United States to work legally and become self-sufficient. As Congress considers… Read More
Practice Alert: Padilla v. ICE and Delays in Credible Fear Interviews
The practice alert explains the scope of a class settlement agreement in Padilla v. ICE that provides protections for detained asylum seekers who face prolonged delays before receiving their credible fear interviews. Read More
White House Leans Into Trump-Era Immigration Policy Changes to Get Ukraine Aid
The Biden administration signaled on December 12 that it is willing to make disastrous—and permanent—changes to asylum and immigration policy to obtain temporary military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Top White House officials reportedly met with some of the key Senate negotiators, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), Sen. Chris… Read More
What We Know About the Senate Negotiations That Could Wreck Asylum in the US
Members of the U.S. Senate are currently negotiating a deal to continue funding the federal government next year, as well as providing military aid to Ukraine But the cost could be the federal government’s ability to provide humanitarian protection to migrants in need. According to public reporting, Senate negotiators are… Read More
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