Donald Trump will take the oath of office on January 20, 2025. Once he assumes power, he has promised wide-ranging changes to our country’s immigration system. These include mass detention and deportation, a return to the “Remain in Mexico” policy, ending parole programs and Temporary Protected Status, and a renewed travel ban (a/k/a the “Muslim ban”).
In the weeks before Mr. Trump takes charge, what should asylum seekers and immigrants be doing to get ready? (more…)
Today is a sad day. It is sad that hate, division, and lies have carried the day in our election. It is sad for our country, which has put its trust in one who is not worthy of that trust. It is sad for the free world, which has traditionally looked to us for leadership. It is sad for our government workers, who strive to serve their country faithfully, but whose efforts have been scorned by the electorate. It is a sad day for those of us who know and admire asylum seekers as some of the bravest, most hard working, and most patriotic people we know. And it is sad for asylum seekers themselves, who have fled persecution and honored our country by choosing to come to the United States, only to be met with falsehoods and hate.
As I write these words, Mr. Trump’s victory has just been called. I have not had much time to absorb the news (though as a confirmed pessimist, I can’t say I was particularly surprised), but here I thought I’d share a few initial thoughts. (more…)
With the election a week away, I wanted to share a few thoughts with my asylum-seeker clients.
While we do not know how the election will turn out, it’s difficult to feel optimistic for our country or for the asylum system. If Donald Trump wins, he plans to use the full force of government to harm immigrants, to implement mass deportations, and to block foreigners–and in particular Muslims–from coming to the United States. If Kamala Harris wins, we can expect much more reasonable policies, though given public concern about migration, her ability to make significant improvements will likely be limited.
Whatever happens, and whatever hardships are to come, it is important for asylum seekers and immigrants to know that you are not alone. There are many, many Americans who are glad you are here and who will do whatever we can to help you remain in the United States. (more…)
In a Fox News interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, host Bret Baier played a clip of Alexis Nungaray, whose 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was murdered this past June. Charged with the crime are two Venezuelan migrants who illegally entered the United States shortly before the murder. Both men were apprehended near the border and released with notices to appear in Immigration Court.
In the clip, Ms. Nungaray blames the “Biden-Harris Administration’s open border policies” for the death of her child. This same idea has long been promoted by Donald Trump, who accuses migrants of bringing crime and drugs into our country.
In reality, crime is down in the United States and migrants consistently commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans. Of course, statistics are cold comfort to anyone who has been victimized by “migrant crime.” But using Jocelyn’s death to justify further restrictions on asylum seekers would only compound the tragedy. That’s because our asylum system saves many lives each year. It also serves our national interests. (more…)
I have been a member of the Green Party for more than 20 years. Our presidential candidate is Dr. Jill Stein, who is polling at between 1% and 2% in most swing states. That doesn’t sound like much, but in this year’s very tight contest for president, it could determine the outcome of the election.
A portion of Dr. Stein’s support comes from those who oppose Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their policy towards Israel and Palestine. These voters, led by the Abandon Harris movement, have thrown their support behind the Green Party candidate, who is leading Harris among likely Muslim voters in several states.
The philosophy behind refusing to choose “the lesser evil,” is nothing new, and I have long disagreed with the approach. This year, the danger is particularly acute, as a Trump win will be especially harmful to Muslims, immigrants, and minorities in the United States (i.e., my clients), as well as people in Palestine. It will also set back the third party movement and cause great harm to our democracy. (more…)
In his 1995 book The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, astrophysicist Carl Sagan explains the scientific method and encourages non-scientists to think skeptically and critically about science and pseudo-science (in Dr. Sagan’s telling, pseudo-science includes topics such as ghosts, psychic abilities, and witchcraft). He laments the failure of our institutions to educate the populace to distinguish fact from fiction, and explains how the scientific method is not a belief system, but rather a tool for discovering the truth.
I can’t say that I am 100% onboard with Dr. Sagan’s theses, as I feel he leaves too little room for subjective human experiences, whether those are religious revelations or more esoteric phenomena, such as alien abductions and bigfoot sightings. However, as a basis for policy-making in the real world, unverifiable subjective experiences–or claiming one’s own “truth” regardless of the facts–can be downright dangerous.
Exhibit A in that regard is the Trump campaign, which is largely untethered from anything close to reality. The “demons” that haunt Mr. Trump’s world are not abstract pseudo-scientific concepts. Rather, they are flesh and blood human beings, who are routinely lied about and scapegoated, and who are suffering real harm as a result. (more…)
With Joe Biden out and Kamala Harris in, the election map has become more favorable for Democrats. However, the upcoming election is far from a done deal. At best, it’s a toss up, since the Electoral College system favors Republicans by giving a disproportionate number of votes to less populated–and generally more conservative–states. That means that despite all the positive momentum, the possibility of a Donald Trump win is still very real.
Last time Mr. Trump was in office, his Administration did everything possible to block asylum seekers and immigrants, and to undermine the fair implementation of our nation’s immigration laws. Given what we’ve seen during this election cycle, a second Trump term would likely be far worse.
Few people have more at stake in this election than asylum seekers and other non-citizens. However, non-citizens are not permitted to vote or donate money to Ms. Harris or the Democrats. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do to help. Here, we’ll talk about what you, as a non-U.S. citizen, can and cannot do to assist Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and the Democrats. (more…)
In contrast to the Republican Platform, the Democratic Party Platform specifically discusses asylum, though mostly in the context of securing the border. While the Platform is fairly general and was created when Joe Biden was still the presumptive nominee, I would not expect major changes if Kamala Harris is elected president. Aside from future aspirations, the Platform discusses the Biden Administration’s accomplishments, though again, mostly related to border security. Here, we will look at the Biden Administration’s claimed accomplishments, as well as the party’s future plans. (more…)
The late 1800s and early 1900s was a period of expanding and diversifying immigration to the United States. Prior to that time, the majority of immigrants to the U.S. came from Northwestern Europe, but between 1890 and 1920, most immigrants originated in Southern and Eastern Europe. Predictably, this shift caused a negative political reaction, which ultimately led to the very restrictive and racist Immigration Act of 1924 (also called the Johnson-Reed Act after the Congressmen who sponsored it).
It may be a fool’s errand to look for parallels between 1924 and 2024, but we’re going to try it anyway. And perhaps there are lessons to be learned from the Immigration Act one hundred years later. (more…)
Let’s play a game. Below are a series of quotations. The speaker is either Donald Trump or Adolph Hitler. Your goal is to guess which leader made each statement. (more…)
The murder of Laken Riley–a promising young nursing student–has spurred renewed calls for a crackdown against illegal migration into our country. Ms. Riley was allegedly killed by a Venezuelan man who entered the United States at the Southern border in September 2022.
In response to the killing, Republicans hammered the Biden Administration’s border policy: “Innocent Americans from Laken Riley in Georgia to the 14-year-old rape victim of an illegal immigrant in our home state of Louisiana…. They’ve all been victimized by those whom the Biden administration has released into our country,” says Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
While there are instances of people crossing the border and then committing crimes, blaming all migrants for the bad acts of a very few is unfair and intellectually dishonest. That’s because immigrants–including “illegal” immigrants–improve our country in many ways and actually save the lives of many Americans each year. (more…)
Last week, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) wrote a letter urging the Biden Administration to “take action to manage migration at the U.S. southern border in an orderly and effective manner while also ensuring a fair and humane process for people arriving at our borders.” That’s an excellent idea. The problem comes with the implementation, and here, AILA’s solutions fall short. (more…)
In an announcement earlier this month, USCIS claims to have “reduced overall backlogs by 15%.” This sounds like good news, and it would be–if it were actually true.
The reality, as discussed in the same announcement, is that “USCIS received 10.9 million filings and completed more than 10 million pending cases” in FY 2023 (October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023). While completing 10 million cases is no small accomplishment, by my math, if the Agency received 10.9 million cases and completed 10 million cases, their backlog has actually increased by 900,000 cases.
So why does USCIS claim that the backlog has been reduced by 15%? The answer hinges on the definition of the term “backlog.” (more…)
There is a serious shortage of immigration attorneys. The dearth of lawyers makes it more difficult for non-citizens to obtain legal help. It also makes the immigration system less efficient.
A recent report from TRAC Immigration shows that representation rates in Immigration Court have fallen significantly in recent years. In 2019, 65% of non-citizens in court had a lawyer. In 2023, only 30% were represented by counsel.
What’s the reason for this shortfall? How is it affecting immigrants, lawyers, and “the system,” and what can be done to raise representation rates? (more…)
The long-awaited bipartisan border security bill has finally been released. The bill was negotiated by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and James Lankford (R-OK).
Before details of the bill were even released publicly, Donald Trump came out against it. His main objection seems to be a fear that the bill might improve conditions at the Southern border, which would potentially harm his chances for re-election. As a result of his opposition, many House Republicans–including Speaker Mike Johnson–have labeled the bill “dead on arrival.” It is even questionable whether the bill can pass the Senate. While the chances for passage seem low, the bill could still have an effect. If Republicans are seen as opposing reasonable border reform, it might just come back to haunt them in the upcoming election.
Politics aside, let’s discuss the provisions of the bill, and how it might affect asylum if it happens to become law. (more…)