Immigration

# Asylum Seekers# Get Involved# Immigration

Third-Country Deportees Are in Danger and Need Our Help

Since the advent of the second Trump Administration, our government has been deporting asylum seekers and others to third countries, often without warning or anything resembling due process of law. To date, more than 25,000 people have been removed in this manner. The large majority were sent to Mexico or Guatemala, but hundreds have been shipped to other countries where they are subject to arbitrary detention, torture, and rendition to their home country where they face persecution.

The battle over the legality of these removals is ongoing, though the Supreme Court has allowed the practice to continue for the time being. For those who have already been deported–or who will be deported while the Supreme Court dithers–the situation is dire. Amnesty International has issued Urgent Action Notices on behalf of some of the deportees, who have disappeared or been subject to torture. These UANs are a quick and easy way for anyone to assist people who are in grave danger. In the cases of third country removals, the UANs are also a way to stand up to the Trump Administration’s lawlessness.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Detention# Immigration

Planning for Detention and Deportation

As the situation for immigrants continues to deteriorate, it is important to be prepared in the event that you are detained or deported. What do you do about your children and other vulnerable family members? What about pets? Property? Vehicles? Bank accounts?

While it is important to remain hopeful, even in difficult times, it is also important to have a safety plan so you are ready in the event of an immigration emergency.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Get Involved# Immigration

Pro Bono: Doing Good for Others – and for Yourself

Immigrants in America need more help now than ever. The Trump Administration has launched a broad-based assault against them, targeting the most vulnerable through arbitrary detention, procedural barriers, and the destruction of due process. Aside from harming non-citizens and their loved ones, these efforts have eroded the rule of law and have helped the President and his allies accrue unprecedented power.

It’s difficult to know how to respond to the Administration’s attacks, but one powerful approach for lawyers is to represent non-citizens pro bono (without charge). This is a way to help an individual and also stand up for the rule of law. What’s more, representing non-citizens pro bono has concrete benefits for the lawyer, in terms of learning new skills, expanding your network, and building or growing your legal practice. I know this because my own pro bono work helped me build and maintain my law practice for more than two decades.

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By Jason Dzubow
# 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 Seekers# Immigration

On Top of Everything Else, Immigrants Are Being Targeted by Scammers

During the past year, immigration lawyers and non-profits have reported a sharp increase in scams targeting non-citizens. From the scammers’ perspective, there is a sad logic to this: It is easier to take advantage of vulnerable and desperate people, and these days, non-citizens are more vulnerable and desperate than ever.

The harm caused by these scams is not only financial. Immigrants can lose their opportunity to remain in the United States and face deportation as a result of the fraudulent schemes. Lawyers and non-profits are also harmed, as scammers are essentially stealing their identity in order to defraud non-citizens.

Fortunately, there are precautions people can take to protect themselves, and here, we will discuss some ideas about how to stay safe.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Office# Asylum Seekers# Immigration

New Tool to Monitor USCIS’s Progress (or Lack Thereof)

The American Immigration Council (AIC) has a new web page that collects and organizes statistical information from USCIS. The data spans the period from FY2016 through FY2025 (October 2015 through September 2025), and covers most areas of immigration: humanitarian, family-based, employment, and work permits, among others. Organizing USCIS data this way reveals some interesting patterns, and may help set expectations for people with pending cases.

To fully appreciate the data, it’s worth spending some time on the AIC web page. Here, we’ll examine a few of the trends revealed by AIC, with an emphasis on asylum and asylum-adjacent applications.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylees and Refugees# Immigration

Green Card Processing for Asylees Is Down 95% Since President Trump Took Office

A new report from the Cato Institute found that USCIS under the Trump Administration has slashed overall Green Card processing by about 50%. Certain categories of Green Card applicants–including asylees and refugees–have been hit much harder.

The reason for the slowdown is not entirely clear, as USCIS has been reticent to share much information about its operations. Today, we’ll talk about what we do know and how asylees and other Green Card applicants are being affected.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Asylum Office# Asylum Seekers# Immigration# National Security

USCIS Ends Some “Holds,” Including on Certain Asylum Seekers

Last December, USCIS announced that it had “halted all asylum decisions” until it could “ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” Various other applications were also halted in the name of national security for individuals from the 39 “banned” countries.

Now, in a rare bit of good news from the Trump Administration, USCIS has issued an update indicating that some holds have been lifted for asylum seekers and others. The Agency has not provide much detail, but here, we’ll see what we can glean from this most recent announcement.

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By Jason Dzubow
# Human Rights# Immigration

Stateless in Paradise

This post is by Mikhail Sebastian Okunuga, a coffee connoisseur, world traveler, writer, and memoirist whose work explores statelessness, exile, and the quiet resilience of survival. Drawing from years of displacement and travels across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific—including prolonged immigration detention—his award-winning memoir Stateless in Paradise has received both the International Impact Book Award and The Prestigious International Hope Book Award, honoring its powerful testimony to endurance, dignity, and the human search for belonging.

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By Jason Dzubow