International Institute of New England’s Post

Growing Challenge of Managing Immigration Flows The immigration policies of the current administration have led to unprecedented challenges at the southern U.S. border, marking both a dangerous travesty for national policy and a human tragedy for those involved. Over six million illegal immigrants have been taken into custody, highlighting the strain on resources and the escalating humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the plight of 365,000 unaccompanied minors, who upon entry are placed into federal shelters and later released to claimed guardians, raises serious questions about the safety and future of these young individuals. As sanctuary cities voice their distress over the influx, it's clear that the situation requires urgent reassessment and action. How can policies be adjusted to better manage these challenges while ensuring humane treatment for all involved? #ImmigrationCrisis #BorderPolicy #HumanitarianResponse #SanctuaryCities #UnaccompaniedMinors

For most Haitians, the on-going political and economic crisis in their country is cause for despair. Yet there is much that the U.S. government and citizens can do to support Haitians and Haitian-Americans at this time. Take a look at this recent opinion piece by Jennie Murray of the National Immigration Forum for concrete ideas of what we can do to “welcome those in need” while also strengthening the U.S. and our immigration system. #Haiti #TemporaryProtectedStatus #Solidarity #ImmigrationReform #WeareEMM

If you are curious about the topic of illegal immigration that is a core theme in the US election (and elsewhere) this is worth a read. It’s lengthy but provides context, background… and refreshed status than campaigns (and constituents) rarely allow time for. The lessons learned & efforts taken to understand evolving influences, motivations and the structure of mobilizing for pressure points are instructive. As are the multi-faceted aspects of responding to root causes that created systemic responses to exploit weakness rather than brutally & bluntly hammering all without differentiation in needs. Poor solutions react, they peddle fear, oppression, and cruelty (family separation, blanket rejection and deportation, etc) rather than seeking to understand and recognize there is value in some and compassion for others and constructive objection for others. As a nation virtually exclusively comprised of immigrants (intentional, forced or transitional) it is shortsighted and illogical to avoid thoughtful, bipartasan, constructive solutions for addressing immigration (!?). https://lnkd.in/eda7zhkG

We’ve moved beyond the narrative of “undocumented criminals.” Now, people who are simply trying to live are being targeted. 📅 1/24/25 Update: The Trump administration has authorized federal immigration authorities to revoke the legal status of hundreds of thousands of migrants who were legally admitted under Biden-era programs—and begin deportation proceedings. Here’s what this means: 1.5 Million People at Risk: ICE officers now have the power to arrest, detain, and deport at least 1.5 million migrants who entered legally under programs like Parole Authority and CBP One. No Criminal Record Required: Even migrants with no criminal record—those who followed the rules and have been working legally under government-issued permits—are at risk. Expedited Removal: Anyone unable to prove they’ve been in the U.S. for over two years can face immediate deportation without ever seeing an immigration judge. Who’s Affected?: This includes migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered under Parole Authority programs, often with U.S.-based sponsors and valid government-issued work permits. Even if they came here legally. Even if they have done nothing wrong. These are human beings simply seeking safety and a better life. 👀 Why is it so quiet out here? We are witnessing a humanitarian crisis. Families are being torn apart. People who followed the rules are being forced back into unsafe conditions. These policies will devastate communities and disrupt countless lives. Now is not the time for silence. It’s time to advocate, to raise awareness, and to demand fairness and dignity for all. Please, let’s not ignore what’s happening.

In addressing the intricate and multifaceted issues at the border, Stephen Reeves, Executive Director of Fellowship Southwest, offers a sobering perspective on the limitations of executive actions and the urgent need for legislative intervention. Reeves underscores the human cost of political inaction, highlighting the ongoing loss of migrant lives and the continued empowerment of criminal cartels. He states: “No executive action by any president can solve the complex problems on the border. The response must come from Congress. Until Congress passes a comprehensive set of reforms including changes to legal immigration, increased resources for the asylum process, and security enhancements, there will be no solution. While dysfunction and politics prevail in Washington, more migrants will die, and cartels will benefit. “ For a deeper understanding of these critical issues, read the full Texas Tribune article linked with this post. https://lnkd.in/gaiAJNPQ

Our nation has always been built on the strength of legal immigration, but when reckless policy opens the door to unchecked mass migration, our security, economy, and national integrity are all put at severe risk. #ImmigrationCrisis #BorderSecurity #ProtectAmerica #NationalSovereignty #SecureTheBorder https://lnkd.in/gqQ7PD-u

In a significant move, immigration officials conducted the first deportation flight from the United States to Haiti in months, sending back dozens of Haitians on Thursday. The decision comes as the US government aims to deter unauthorized migration, particularly from Haiti, which has been grappling with widespread violence and a recent gang takeover in its capital, Port-au-Prince. The deportation flight, the first since January, reflects the Biden administration's shift towards tougher measures at the southern border to address immigration concerns. Despite lower rates of border crossings in recent months, the move caught many immigrant advocacy groups off guard. The US government itself advises against travel to Haiti due to concerns over kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and a fragile healthcare system. The Department of Homeland Security emphasized that individuals were only removed if they were found to lack a legal basis to stay in the United States. However, critics argue that the deportation is morally wrong, in violation of US and international law, and could exacerbate the dire situation in Haiti, which the United Nations human rights office has described as ‘cataclysmic’. #Deportation #HaitianMigrants #USImmigration #WidespreadViolence #BidenAdministration #Thesocialtalks

President Biden signed today an executive order that prevents people from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border when certain conditions are met. Specifically, the order states that when the 7-day average for the number of asylum seekers at the border reaches 2,500 per day, the border will be closed to anyone who is not already authorized to cross. And it would not reopen until daily numbers have dropped significantly for another 7-day stretch. Although the new rule does not apply to unaccompanied minors or people who have an appointment with a border official, it means a drastic restriction on the human right to seek asylum as defined under international law and conventions to which the U.S. is a signatory. https://wapo.st/3x0AaFK #Asylum #BorderClosure #ExecutiveOrder #HumanRights

🗞️ What we’re reading from The New York Times: Trump Vowed Mass Deportations. Mexico and Central America Brace for Impact. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRRTHyAD #immigrant #immigration #migration #border #immigrationreform

The most frustrating, and heartbreaking, part of this announcement is how far apart it is from realities outside the Beltway and how meaningless its impact will be on actionable change. It fails to address the real drivers of migration, puts more people in even greater danger, and gets us further away than ever from any possible dialogue on impactful and long-term systemic solutions. To be fair, a lot of the blame lies on Congress. And on both parties equally. Imagine being at a packed game at Madison Square Garden (so back in the 90s, but I digress…) that goes to the final buzzer. Anyone who’s ever been there remembers how long it would take to leave the arena once the game was over. Why? Because all the people inside, trying to get to the other side of the walls, only have a handful of small doors to go through. That’s an illustration of what is happening at the border right now. On one side, we have more people than ever being displaced by political instability, climate change, poverty, corruption, and other factors. On the other side, we have one of the world’s richest countries looking for innovators, entrepreneurs, doctors and nurses, military personnel, not to mention workers in all number of agricultural, industrial, and service industries. But the only option they have is to ask for asylum. So one tiny little door. if we created new, more expansive legal pathways for all these individuals to meet the labor market needs that we have, to ensure we continue to attract the most innovative entrepreneurs, to fill the positions that support the growth of a healthy, thriving population, there wouldn’t be a bottleneck in the first place. All of these individuals and their families would go through a process ahead of arriving at the border that would include proving their identities and bypassing the use of smugglers and cartels. For the most part, it would take border officials two minutes to inspect them and let them in, versus the 72 hours or more they currently have to spend working out the paperwork and putting each in the asylum pipeline. And crucially, it would return the asylum system to what it was intended to be: a lifeline for those who need it the most. Decisions like today - that feed into the fear-based narrative that there is an invasion at the border - only set us further back and make it that much more difficult to heal the rifts and get us to meaningful change. #immigration #border #refugees