Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project’s Post

On June 4th, President Biden issued an executive order and accompanying federal rules. These actions significantly impact #asylum eligibility and the consequences at the border for individuals crossing into the #UnitedStates to seek asylum. Through the executive order and new federal rules, the Biden administration introduces four changes to current asylum processing: 1. Imposes an arbitrary numerical restriction on the number of asylum seekers who can enter the United States at the southern border in a given period; 2. Severely restricts asylum eligibility for people who enter without pre-approval or inspection; 3. While the asylum ban is in effect, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are no longer required to screen immigrants for fear of return. Instead, noncitizens are expected to proactively express their fear, even if they do not speak English, are unfamiliar with the legal system, and are victims of trauma and torture, and 4. Raises the standard for screening interviews for asylum seekers.  It is worth mentioning that each case is different and has exceptions. We encourage you to sign up for our monthly newsletter for a reliable source of current and future legal updates. By doing so, you'll receive GHIRP news directly in your inbox, ensuring you stay informed about the latest immigration developments. Rebecca Chavez #GHIRP #ImmigrantJustice #Immigration #Donate #Support #Galveston #Houston #Texas

🚨 **New Home Office Measures to Increase Removal of Failed Asylum Seekers** 🚨 The Home Office has just announced a significant new drive to boost immigration enforcement and the removal of failed asylum seekers. According to a press release dated 21 August 2024, the Government plans to reverse the decline in removals seen over recent years by implementing stronger border security and expanding enforcement efforts. 🔍 **Key Details:** - The Home Secretary has set ambitious goals for the next six months to achieve the highest rate of removals in five years. - Staff are being redeployed to focus on removing failed asylum seekers, with 300 caseworkers already reassigned to accelerate thousands of asylum and returns cases. - Enhanced digital tools will be used to maintain consistent contact and prevent those without the right to stay from disappearing into illegal work. - Immigration detention capacity will be increased by reopening detention centres at Campsfield House and Haslar. - Up to 100 new specialist intelligence officers will be deployed to the National Crime Agency (NCA) to address small boat crossings in the Channel. 💬 **Reactions:** - **Detention Action**: Criticized the move as a step away from a fairer, more humane immigration system, stressing the need for policies that respect the dignity and humanity of migrants. - **Praxis**: Accused the Home Secretary of villainizing migrants, arguing that the Government is resorting to divisive and hostile tactics. - **Refugee Action**: Condemned the focus on criminalizing and removing those seeking safety, calling instead for an anti-racist asylum system that welcomes refugees. These developments mark a significant shift in the UK’s immigration strategy, sparking debate about the balance between enforcement and human rights. What are your thoughts on these new measures? 💭 #Immigration #AsylumSeekers #HumanRights #UKPolitics

Essay: We can have secure borders without denying those fleeing persecution. JAMIE IVEY and BRI STENSRUD say, in an article first published on Religion News Service, that restricting access to asylum shouldn't be part of serious immigration reform... Sight Magazine #USMexicoborder #asylumseekers #migrants #USGovernment #GoodNeighborTeam #HR2 #OpenDoorsUS https://lnkd.in/dg7YSpJi

NEW Report by Hope Border Institute, Human Rights First, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Kino Border Initiative, RAICES, and Refugees International finds that following June’s asylum ban, immigration officers are systematically & illegally deporting ppl who express fear of return & denying others an opportunity to speak. https://lnkd.in/eNZ95Y9c The June asylum ban removed a ~30-year-old safeguard requiring officers to ask if those processed for summary deportation fear return, a crucial step for compliance with U.S. law mandating asylum screenings for those who express fear. Since the safeguard was eliminated , those deported w/out an asylum screening include survivors of gender-based violence, ppl whose family members were assassinated, LGBTQI+ ppl, individuals with visible injuries from attacks & ppl fleeing death threats & harms with children. Instead of referring people for asylum screenings as required by law, CBP is summarily deporting them to harm, telling people fleeing unimaginable horrors, many of whom are seeking safety with young children.

President Biden is considering executive action that could prevent people who cross illegally into the United States from claiming asylum. This move would suspend longtime guarantees that give anyone who steps onto U.S. soil the right to ask for safe haven. If enacted, this executive action would put into effect a key policy from the failed bipartisan border security bill proposed earlier this month. It would also echo efforts by the Trump administration to block migration in 2018, that was strongly criticized by Democrats and blocked by federal courts. This executive action would undoubtedly face legal challenges, but could allow President Biden to try to neutralize one of his biggest political vulnerabilities. Republicans have repeatedly used the border crisis to portray President Biden as weak on immigration enforcement. A legal battle would spotlight Republicans’ refusal to provide President Biden the power to crack down at the border through legislation. #usimmigration #immigrationattorney #immigrationpolicy #immigrationreform

#Judge #Orders #Timely #Housing #for #Migrant #Children #Waiting #at #Border #NYTimes #4April2024 "The #decision established that #minors #at #open-#air #sites were #in #legal #custody #of the #Department #of #Homeland #Security and thus #must #receive #safe #shelter, #even #if they had #not #yet been #formally #processed." "The decision, handed down by Judge Dolly M. Gee of the #United #States #District #Court #of #Central #California, #sided #mostly #with the #lawyers #representing #the #children #in a #class-#action #lawsuit." "The #ruling #comes #amid a #fierce #political #and #cultural #debate #over #the #rights #of #migrants — including children — who enter the United States without permission. Because of an influx in crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, immigration processing centers in southern San Diego County are strained, and migrants have waited for hours or sometimes days at makeshift camps to be taken into custody. So far the open air encampments are only in California but the language in the order was not limited to the state, so if similar camps arise in other border states, the ruling would likely apply."

This investigation by the The New York Times confirms what KBI has been witnessing: the rights of people on the move are getting trampled by increased enforcement by the Mexican Government. Rates of abuse at the hands of officials, including extortion and assault, are soaring. Families are being separated, with some members sent to the Southern border of Mexico without any way to contact and reunite with their family members. These increasingly cruel practices are proliferating in direct response to the US’ pressure on the Mexican government to restrict the number of people who reach the US - Mexico border. It’s time to speak out against this injustice! Tell Congress to Reject Restrictions on Asylum: The Border Act of 2024 would create a new authority that closes the border to asylum-seekers should a certain number of encounters be reached on a given day, barring those seeking safety from putting forward their asylum claim. Other concerning provisions include raising the credible fear standard, increasing immigration detention, and placing asylum seekers in a rapid screening process with limited access to counsel. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dVwevagt #InTheNews #HumanRights #MigrationAdvocacy #AsylumSeekers

“There has been no abandonment,” Boynton said during a roughly hourlong argument in a packed courthouse. He added that the federal government has removed more than 400,000 migrants from the country since May, when the Biden Administration ended Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allowed officials to quickly expel migrants from the country. Click here for the full story from Texas Tribune: https://lnkd.in/gsu4yKs7 #RationalMiddleImmigration #USMexicoBorder #BorderPatrol #MigrantIssues #AsylumSeekers #StoneyCreekPublishing #ImmigrationDebate #BorderCrisis #MigrantRights #AsylumProcess #ImmigrationPolicy #BorderSecurity #ImmigrationReform #MigrantCrisis #AsylumSeeking #MigrantAdvocacy

Legal immigration is important. Agriculture labor depends on it and people who genuinely are coming to the U.S. for opportunity and safety should have the opportunity to come through legal pathways. However, illegal immigration must not be condoned. #news #bordercrisis #migrants

Biden Administration Considers Protections for Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens The Biden administration is considering a proposal to protect undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation and allow them to work legally in the U.S., according to officials familiar with the discussions. This initiative, known as "parole in place," has been used in the past for military families, providing temporary protection from deportation and access to work permits. The proposal could also simplify the process for some undocumented immigrants to obtain a green card and eventually U.S. citizenship by granting them a lawful status. This move comes as President Biden seeks to address political liabilities in his immigration policy. Recently, he faced backlash from members of his own party for implementing stricter border enforcement measures, including barring asylum for migrants crossing into the U.S. The proposed protection for undocumented spouses is seen as a way to balance these stricter measures and gain support from immigrant advocates, Latino voters, and the progressive base. Without the form and accompanying Federal Register notice, the public does not know exactly who will be eligible for the new parole program. However, the June 18 announcement specified that the new program will be available only to people who: 1. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 17, 2014 2. Were physically present in the United States on June 17, 2024 3. Have been legally married to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024