- ACLU Calls for Investigation of DHS Border AbuseOn May 27, 2016 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, calling for an investigation into “unchecked abuse” at the southwest U.S.-Mexico border. The complaint outlines thirteen specific instances of abuse. Among the most striking are those concerning an eleven year old boy who allegedly had […]
- Former Informants Are Not Protected GroupIn Hernandez-De La Cruz v Lynch, 819 F.3d 784 (5th Cir. April 26, 2016), the Fifth Circuit affirmed in part the denial of Hernandez-De La Cruz’s applications for withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows for withholding of removal if, “the applicant would face other serious harm in […]
- Ninth Circuit to Arizona Legislature: Dreamers Can DriveOn Tuesday April 5, 2016 the Ninth Circuit held that Arizona must continue to issue driver’s licenses to young undocumented individuals applying for relief under the Dream Act or DACA. See opinion issued on April 5, 2016 In January 2015, District Judge David G. Campbell issued a permanent injunction, blocking an executive order by former Gov. Jan Brewer that barred […]
- Federal Judge Denies Bid by Texas to Block Syrian RefugeesOn December 9, 2015 United States District Judge David Godbey denied a request for a second temporary restraining order to halt the settlement of Syrian refugees in Texas.
- Ninth Circuit: ICE Agent’s Advice Made Removal UnfairOn December 23, 2015 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals authored a decision in United States v. Xochitl Cisneros-Rodriguez holding that if an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent erroneously advises an uncounseled alien in an administrative removal proceeding that an attorney will “not be able to help you,” any waiver of the right to counsel based on that advice is invalid.
- New Shelters for Surge of Migrant Youths Crossing BorderThe Secretary of Health and Human Services has asked the Pentagon to add 5,000 more beds for young people. During last year’s surge of undocumented persons, the military opened emergency shelters to house the migrants at bases in Oxnard, San Antonio and Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
- Asylum Seeking Persons Forced to Wear Monitoring Ankle BraceletsThis year alone, the government will pay GEO $56 million to manage ankle monitors for 10,000 immigrants, and to run telephone check-ins for 20,000 immigrants.
- Senator John McCain Proposes Social Media VettingSenator John McCain, R-Ariz., introduced legislation on Tuesday that would require federal officials to scrutinize social media websites and other public data as part of the new standard procedure for reviewing applications by foreign nationals seeking visas within the United States.
- Department of Justice Sued by Judge for Discrimination, Pays $200,000Recently, the Department of Justice settled in a lawsuit brought against the agency last year by Immigration Judge Ashley Tabaddor. Of Iranian descent, Judge Tabaddor said her superiors at the DOJ ordered her not to hear any cases that involved Iranian nationals.
- BIA: Transportation of Narcotics is Not an Aggravated FelonyIn a surprising unpublished decision the Board of Immigration Appeals, which handles administrative appeals from deportation orders, held that transportation of cocaine under California law is not an aggravated felony.