Detention

# Asylum Seekers# Detention# Immigration

No Fly Zone

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard reports about ICE detaining asylum seekers and other non-citizens at airports during domestic travel. According to one DHS official, “ICE is now making between 20 and 40 arrests per day at airports nationwide.” That’s up from “fewer than 10 airport arrests per day in May 2025.” However, since we don’t have data on the number of undocumented or otherwise vulnerable people who travel by air, it is difficult to know the likelihood that any one person will be detained. Nevertheless, given the uptick in arrests, most attorneys–including me–recommend that asylum seekers and certain other non-citizens avoid domestic air travel.

Today, we’ll talk about which travelers face a risk of detention, and whether there is anything you can do to protect yourself.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Office# Asylum Seekers# Credible Fear# Detention# Immigration Court

Affirmative Asylum Cases Dismissed and Sent to Court Without an Interview

One quiet trend that has recently come to light is a new practice at the Asylum Office to dismiss affirmative applications without processing them. The asylum seekers are then subject to “expedited removal” proceedings or otherwise served with a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court. Some are detained. A preliminary evaluation of these dismissals found that many were improper under the law.

Here, we’ll examine this new development, look at who is affected, and discuss how to prepare for the possibility that your case will be dismissed by the Asylum Office.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylees and Refugees# Detention

U.S. to Refugees: “Welcome to America! Now, Go to Jail!”

A new memo from USCIS and ICE seeks to detain all refugees who have been in the U.S. for more than a year and who have not yet received their Green Cards. This policy represents a cruel and pointless betrayal of our nation’s commitment to human rights, and will cause severe harm to many thousands of vulnerable people. In other words, it’s business as usual for the Trump Administration.

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By Jason Dzubow
# BIA# Detention# Federal Courts# Immigration# Published Decisions

The Latest Bad News (and a Few Silver Linings)

It’s not easy these days to find good news in immigration world. Families torn apart, Constitutional protections under siege, humanitarian migrants sent to random third countries, work places raided, detention centers filled beyond capacity, &tc., &tc. It’s difficult to keep up with all the negative developments, but two decisions from earlier this month stand out–one from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and another from the U.S. Supreme Court. These decisions are particularly pernicious and will potentially harm millions of people. 

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Seekers# Credible Fear# Detention# Immigration Court

Arrested in Immigration Court

Recently, there have been numerous reports about ICE appearing in Immigration Courts across the United States and detaining people at their hearings. It’s another way the Trump Administration is terrorizing non-citizens and trying to intimidate them into giving up their due process rights.

Here, we will look at what is happening, who is at risk, and what you can do to try to protect yourself.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Seekers# Detention

Are Asylum Seekers Safe from ICE?

There are probably 4+ million asylum seekers in the United States. These are people who filed an application for asylum, form I-589, with the USCIS Asylum Office or with the Immigration Court, and their dependents. Under the new Trump Administration, are such people safe from detention and deportation by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)? 

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By Jason Dzubow
# Detention# Immigration

What to Do If You Are Stopped by ICE

In order to “amplify” the President’s tough-on-immigrants campaign message and win votes, the Trump Administration is planning on conducting a series of ICE raids in “sanctuary” jurisdictions, such as California, Denver, and Philadelphia. What should you do if ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) comes looking for you? Or if you get caught up in a … Read more

By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Seekers# Credible Fear# Detention

Asylum and the New Rule on Expedited Removal

The Trump Administration has implemented a new rule to reduce due process protections and make it easier to deport certain aliens who are in the United States unlawfully. Given its questionable legality, clumsy roll-out, and lack of notice, we can expect the new rule–which expands the use of “expedited removal”–to be challenged in court, and … Read more

By Jason Dzubow