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.
Stays in CBP Custody Are Getting Longer Due to ‘Phone Booth Asylum’ Policy
“I never thought I’d say there’s anything worse than ICE custody, but this is it.” That’s an immigration attorney in San Diego talking to CNN about the shelter facilities run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). These shelters near the border are not designed to house people for… Read More
Council Seeks Records on CBP’s Treatment of Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border
This FOIA request seeks information on CBP’s treatment of asylum seekers and their access to inspection appointments scheduled via CBP One, revealing potential violations of their rights. Read More
Biden’s Asylum Transit Ban – Where Are We Now?
The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency back in May meant an end to Title 42. That policy, grounded in an obscure public health law, was put in place by the Trump administration in March 2020 to stifle asylum rights at the U.S. southern border. To prevent a post-Title… Read More
Congress Introduces Sweeping Immigration Reform Bill ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ to Address Systematic Challenges
On May 23, members of Congress introduced what has sadly become an increasingly rare bit of legislation; a comprehensive immigration reform bill aimed at addressing large-scale systematic problems with large-scale systematic action. The “DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act” represents one of the most sweeping attempts to modify the immigration system that has… Read More
Border Patrol Custody Is Already Dangerous and This Florida Lawsuit Is Making It Worse
One of the biggest concerns after the end of the Title 42 policy of mass expulsion at the U.S.-Mexico border was that large numbers of people would cross in the hours and days afterward. When the switch happened last Friday at midnight, people feared that bottlenecks throughout the processing system… Read More
Finding a Pro Bono Immigration Attorney Is Harder Than Ever
If you are an asylum seeker in the United States who cannot afford an attorney, your chance of finding pro bono assistance is now slimmer than ever. As the number of cases in immigration court has increased, the amount of free representation for immigrants has not. At the Immigration… Read More
How To Seek Asylum (Under Biden’s Asylum Transit Ban), In 15 Not-At-All-Easy Steps
Back in February, when the Biden administration proposed a new regulation that would essentially restrict the vast majority of border crossers from qualifying for asylum, we broke it down with a guide to qualifying for asylum in the United States in 12 not-so-easy steps. The final regulation, published Wednesday,… Read More
Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security Release Details of Dangerous New Asylum Transit Ban
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will implement a new asylum transit ban—one of the most restrictive border control measures to date under any president. Read More
New Asylum Transit Ban Is Dangerous and Shortsighted
The Biden administration announced the implementation of an asylum transit ban that will penalize asylum seekers who don’t apply for protection in other nations they transit through on their way to the United States. Read More
Coalition Letter Urges Vote Against Border Bill That Dismantles Asylum and Harms Asylum Seekers and Border Communities
The American Immigration Council joined a coalition of 129 organizations calling for members of the House of Representatives to vote against an anti-immigrant border bill that would dismantle the U.S. asylum system. Read More
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