Featured Issue: Asylum Under Trump 2.0
On the first day of his second term, President Trump suspended all entries at the U.S. Southern Border for asylum seekers. Since then, the Administration has implemented sweeping restrictions that shut America’s doors to people fleeing persecution. These policies violate federal law, erode constitutionally protected due process, exacerbate the asylum backlog, and give those seeking safety an increasingly narrow path to protection.
Left unchecked by Congress, these policies will have dire consequences for both asylum seekers and the integrity of our legal system. Asylum seekers—especially those without access to counsel—are at grave risk of being returned to harm.
It doesn’t have to be this way. The Administration can maintain order at U.S. borders and effectively manage migration without sacrificing fairness and adherence to the law. With more trained asylum officers, a streamlined legal process, legal representation for asylum seekers, and more effective coordination between relevant agencies, the U.S. can establish a safe, orderly, and humane asylum system.
Browse the Featured Issue: Asylum Under Trump 2.0 collection
Sign-on Letter to the President on Syrian Refugees Crisis
On 9/18/15, AILA joined national and local refugee, human rights and faith based organization in urging President Obama to go beyond his commitment to aid Syrian and other Middle Eastern refugees.
CA6 Says Personal Service upon Counsel May Constitute Service to Noncitizen
The court held that INA §240 requires that personal service of an order of removal in absentia be made upon a noncitizen whenever practicable, and found that personal service upon counsel may, in certain cases, constitute personal service to a noncitizen. (Cruz-Gomez v. Lynch, 9/17/15)
BIA Grants Family-Based Asylum Claim Based on Gang Threats
Unpublished BIA decision finds respondent threatened for helping daughter pursue criminal case against gang member established nexus to persecution on account of membership in particular social group (family). Special thanks to IRAC. (Matter of M-R-G-, 9/16/15)
The Alternate World of Family Detention
I returned to the alternate world of family detention at the end of June. It was both the most heartbreaking and most empowering thing I have ever done during my career as an immigration attorney. Trying my best to help these mothers and their children is wrenching. The family detention facility is
IJ Grants Asylum to Mexican Journalist
The IJ granted the asylum application of a Mexican journalist who fled Mexico amid threats and the murder of family members as a result of his reporting on and criticism of police misconduct. Courtesy of Carlos Spector.
CA1 Upholds Finding That Petitioner Failed to Establish Changed Country Conditions
The court held that the BIA and IJ acted within their discretion in finding that the petitioner had failed to establish changed country conditions for Christians in China since the issuance of his in absentia removal order. (Liu v. Lynch, 9/11/15)
AILA: America Must Respond More Generously to Refugee Crisis
AILA urges President Obama to go beyond the commitment he made to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees and to extend more meaningful protection to all refugees and asylum seekers whether they are resettled from abroad or have crossed U.S. borders fleeing violence, persecution, and other horrors.
Five Incarcerated Refugee Families Finally Released After Being Held for Months on End
The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project responded to Friday’s release of five families who had been subjected to many months of incarceration despite repeated efforts to advocate for their release pending the adjudication of their claims for protection in the United States.
NSC Liaison Q&As on Student/School Issues (9/10/15)
The NSC liaison Committee provides official Q&As from the 9/10/15 NSC stakeholder call on students, schools, and “other” issues. Topics include OPT, I-130s, humanitarian reinstatement, EAD and green card production backlogs, F-1s, and TPS.
CBP Releases Memo with Carrier Liaison Update
CBP released a memo with a carrier liaison update regarding processing of first time refugees.
BIA Says Inter-Proceeding Similarities Can Be Considered in Credibility Determinations
The BIA held that, in making an adverse credibility determination, an IJ can consider significant similarities between statements submitted by applicants in different proceedings, if certain procedural steps are undertaken to preserve fairness. Matter of R-K-K-, 26 I&N Dec. 658 (BIA 2015)
A Special Place in Hell
“Don't mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself.“ Leviticus 19.33-34 “There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women.“ Madeleine Albright I met Carmen, a 36-year-old i
CBP Releases Memo and Muster on I-94 Automation for Refugee Processing
CBP released a memo and muster noting that effective September 7, 2015, CBP officers are no longer required to complete a paper I-94 as part of the initial refugee admission process.
CA9 Reverses BIA’s Denial of CAT Deferral for Transgender Woman from Mexico
The court granted in part the petition for review, holding that the BIA erred in denying CAT relief for the petitioner, a Mexican transgender woman, because it failed to recognize the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation. (Avendano-Hernandez v. Lynch, 9/3/15)
Compilation of Family Detention Case Examples
Compilation of case examples of mothers and children from the Artesia family detention center who have been granted asylum.
BIA Grants FGM Asylum Claim for Woman From Mali
Unpublished BIA decision reverses denial of FGM-based asylum application for respondent from Mali upon finding the IJ’s adverse credibility determination was clearly erroneous. Special thanks to IRAC. (Matter of R-D-D-K-, 9/1/15)
DOJ OIL September 2015 Litigation Bulletin
The DOJ OIL Immigration Litigation Bulletin for September 2015, with articles on Avendano-Hernandez v. Lynch, Morales-Santana v. Lynch, and TPS for Yemeni nationals, as well as summaries of circuit court decisions for September 2015.
BIA Grants Motion to Reconsider Denial of Asylum Application
Unpublished BIA decision reconsiders prior denial of asylum application upon finding IJ erred in finding respondents’ witnesses not credible and in requiring respondent to provide corroborating evidence from former supervisor in China. Special thanks to IRAC. (Matter of S-L-, 8/31/15)
CA9 Upholds CAT Denial of Petitioner with Non-Gang Tattoos
The court upheld the BIAs’ denial of petitioner's CAT application, holding that the evidence did not compel the conclusion that petitioner established it was more likely than not that he would be tortured in El Salvador due to his decorative, non-gang tattoos. (Andrade v. Lynch, 8/27/15)
SSA Releases Updated POM on Alien Evidence for an SSN
SSA released RM 10211 TN 26 on alien evidence for an SSN, stating that beginning 9/1/15 the CBP I-94 website printout and the DOS transportation boarding letter with the refugee admission stamp is acceptable evidence of refugee status for a Social Security number card.
BIA Remands for Consideration of Administrative Closure Motion
Unpublished BIA decision finds that IJ's failure to consider a Motion to Administratively Close proceedings was error, and that IJ’s decision to allow DHS's sizable exhibit to be presented at the merits hearing without giving counsel sufficient time to review was unfair. Courtesy of Carlos Spector.
BIA Rules on Controlling Filing Date for INA §208(b)(1)(B)(iii) Purposes
The BIA held that where an applicant’s initial asylum application was filed before May 11, 2005, and a subsequent one was submitted on or after that date, the filing date of the later application controls if it is properly viewed as a new one. Matter of M-A-F-, 26 I&N Dec. 651 (BIA 2015)
CA7 Upholds Adverse Credibility Determination of Cameroonian Petitioner
The court upheld BIA's denial of petitioner's asylum application, finding that petitioner neither demonstrated that IJ’s adverse credibility determination was erroneous nor produced any evidence sufficient to corroborate his account of mistreatment in Cameroon. (Tawou v. Lynch, 8/20/15)
Witness to Inhumanity
Paralegal Laura Tovar recently volunteered in Dilley and Karnes with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project. The experience changed her life and she wanted to share what she learned: What did you see and how did it make you feel? They all had the same look, eyes sunken with dark rings, hungry, a
IJ Grants Asylum to Bangladeshi Member of BNP
The IJ granted the asylum application of a Bangladeshi national who was a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and who suffered persecution by the current ruling party, the Awami League. The IJ specifically found that the BNP is not a terrorist organization. Courtesy of Paul Scott.