Weekly Briefing
This briefing is designed as a quick-reference aggregation of developments in immigration law, practice, and policy that you can scan for anything you missed over the last week. The contents of the news, links, and events do not necessarily reflect the position of the National Immigrant Justice Center. If you have items that you would like considered for inclusion, please email them to egibson@heartlandalliance.org.
CONTENTS (jump to section)
NEWS
GEO Group Wins Legal Challenge to California Ban on Private Immigrant Prisons
Reuters: The 9th Circuit, in an 8-3 decision, said the government has come to rely almost exclusively on detention centers operated by GEO Group and other companies. California, the largest U.S. state, does not have the authority to second-guess that decision, the court said.
Florida’s DeSantis Sued for Flying Migrants to Martha’s Vineyard
Bloomberg: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was sued for sending plane loads of immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, with the migrants claiming they were duped into making the trip with vouchers for free fast food and promises of employment and housing. See also Ron Desantis Chartered Planes From GOP-Allied Donor To Fly Migrants To Martha’s Vineyard; Far-Right Sites Exploded With Violent Threats Against Migrants After Flight Stunt; Washington, DC, approves creation of new agency to provide services for migrants arriving from other states; Why New York Is Resorting to Tents to House Surge of Migrants; West Ridge’s Shuttered YMCA Being Used To House Migrants Bused In From Texas;Delaware braces for migrant flight in U.S. political standoff.
A dramatic shift at the border as migrants converge on a remote corner of South Texas
NPR: In August alone, the Border Patrol recorded more than 50,000 apprehensions in the Del Rio sector, which includes Eagle Pass — tens of thousands more than in traditional migration corridors like the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso. The number of migrants arriving from Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua was nearly equal to the number from Mexico and northern Central America.
Arrests at Southwestern Border Exceed 2 Million in a Year for the First Time
NYT: In an unusual step, Biden administration officials gave some reporters a background briefing on Monday before Customs and Border Protection’s routine monthly release of data. Officials noted that the number of removals over the past year — more than 1.3 million — was more than any previous year. See also How to understand the latest immigration numbers.
Buzzfeed: For months, Border Patrol and ICE have been releasing immigrants with documents incorrectly listing their future residences as addresses to nonprofits or churches. These immigrants and asylum-seekers, most of them from Venezuela, then show up to random buildings confused and unsure of what to do next.
Immigration is a divisive issue, but most Americans agree on certain points
NPR: A majority of Americans support a pathway to citizenship for certain groups of immigrants, including farmworkers, those deemed as essential workers and for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. That’s according to an NPR/Ipsos poll conducted in 2021. And yet action in Washington has stalled.
DHS Watchdog Says CBP Skipped Migrant Screening Process
Law360: The Border Patrol along the southwest U.S. border skipped assigning some noncitizens entering the country “alien registration numbers” used to create a profile of their immigration history, according to a report by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security watchdog.
LITIGATION & AGENCY UPDATES
CA9 On FFOA, CIMT: Lara-Garcia V. Garland
LexisNexis: The BIA held that, in order to qualify for relief under Lujan-Armendariz, a state conviction must have resulted in a sentence of no more than one year of probation. … In sum, the BIA legally erred by holding that, because he received a sentence of three years of probation, Petitioner’s expungement did not qualify under Lujan-Armendariz.
Feds drop case against judge charged in immigrant’s escape
AP: Prosecutors moved to drop the case against Newton District Judge Shelley Joseph after she agreed to refer herself to a state agency that investigates allegations of misconduct by members of the bench.
DHS, ICE Sued For Sitting On Docs That Could Expose Abuse
Law360: The University of Washington’s human rights center sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle federal court for failing to provide documents that could shed light on reports that detained immigrants are enduring medical neglect, sexual assault, beatings and long periods without food.
Colo. Panel Finds No Immunity For Sheriff In ‘ICE Hold’ Suit
Law360: Colorado’s Court of Appeals, which initially sided with a sheriff accused of detaining a man for four months after his daughter posted bond, has ruled that the sheriff’s refusal to release the man put him beyond the shield of immunity.
Work Permit Suit Tossed After USCIS Adjudicates Applications
Law360: A D.C. federal judge tossed a proposed class action Friday by 95 visa holders who allege the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ lengthy processing times for work permit applications violate the Administrative Procedure Act, finding the agency has since issued decisions on each application and the claims are moot.
USCIS Stopped Applying June 2020 Rules Pursuant to Court Order in Asylumworks v. Mayorkas
USCIS: he final rule removes certain regulatory text governing asylum applications, interviews, and eligibility for employment authorization based on a pending asylum application. Relevant regulatory text is restored to appear as it did before the effective dates of the vacated rules. The final rule is effective on Feb. 7, 2022.
USCIS: On Sept. 22, 2022, USCIS was notified of a settlement agreement between the U.S. Army and class members of the civil action captioned Calixto v. Department of the Army, Civ. A. No. 18-1551 (PLF) (D.D.C.). The Calixto settlement agreement affects USCIS’ military naturalization policies, and USCIS is reviewing policy changes based on the terms of this settlement agreement.
US Embassy in Cuba to process full immigrant visas in 2023
AP: The Biden administration said Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy in Cuba will begin processing full immigrant visas in early 2023, making it easier for Cubans to reunite with family members in the United States.
Advance Copy: DHS Notice of Extension and Redesignation of Burma for TPS
AILA: Advance copy: DHS notice extending the designation of Burma for TPS for 18 months, from 11/26/22 through 5/25/24, and redesignating Burma for TPS. The notice will be published in the Federal Register on 9/27/22.
RESOURCES
- AILA: Practice Alert: Reminder to Use New I-485 Form Edition
- AILA: Practice Alert: Updates on Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) under Category (c)(8)
- AILA: Practice Alert: Updates to the ICE Attorney Information and Resources Page
- AILA: Remain in Mexico Is Alive and Well: Current Disenrollment Process Harms Vulnerable Asylum Seekers
- Amnesty: USA: “They do not treat us like people”: Race and migration-related torture and other ill-treatment of Haitians seeking safety in the USA
- CLINIC: Updates to the Immigration Court and BIA Practice Manuals
- CLINIC: DOJ Issues Final Rule Allowing EOIR Practitioners to Enter Limited Scope Appearances for Document Assistance
- DHS OIG: U.S. Border Patrol Screened Migrants at the Southwest Border but Could Strengthen Processes
- NYU: Legal Empowerment Learning Lab: A Hand And Heart Workbook For Community Members, Activists, And Researchers
- TRAC: ICE’s Sloppy Public Data Releases Undermine Congress’s Transparency Mandate
- USCIS Response to Recommendation on Improving the Current USCIS Fee-Setting Structure
EVENTS
- 9/27/22-9/29/22 EOIR to Hold Regional Stakeholder Meetings Regarding Internet-Based Hearings
- 9/28/22 AILA: Microsoft Word Tricks That Will Change Your Life
- 9/28/22 AILA: AOS Emerging Questions as We Approach FY2023
- 9/29/22 DACA Updates: Preparing for the Future (A Webinar for Community Members)
- 9/29/22 USCIS Public Charge National Stakeholder Engagement
- 9/29/22 Consular Processing Roundup for Families and Survivors
- 9/30/22 AILA Hot Topics: Fake Dates on NTAs, Failure to Prosecute, and Matter of Fernandes
- 10/1/22-10/8/22 Spanish for Lawyers in Allende, Mexico
- 10/3/22 AILA Changing the Bench: A New Narrative on Lozada and Bar Complaints
- 10/4/22 New Regulation Policies and Court Rulings’ Impact on State Courts Issuing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Orders
- 10/4/22 & 10/11/22 CLINIC: Webinar Series: U Visa Certification Advocacy: Creating Policies and Laws to Protect Immigrant Victims of Crime
- 10/6/22 2022 Fall Immigration Skills Conference
- 10/6/22 ASISTA: Representing LGBTQ+ Immigrant Survivors
- 10/6/22-10/19/22 CLINIC: Immigration Practice Skills Course
- 10/7/22-10/28/22 Understanding and Preparing Waivers
- 10/12/22 Prosecutorial Discretion Updates
- 10/12/22-10/13/22 NLG: Immigration Defense Strategies
- 10/13/22 Navigating Complications and Obstacles in the Affirmative Asylum Process
- 10/14/22 AILA Particular Social Groups in Limbo: What PSGs Are Working Now?
- 10/14/22 What Judges, Attorneys, and Prosecutors Need to Know About How VAWA Confidentiality Impacts Discovery in Cases Involving Immigrant Survivors
- 10/18/22 VAWA Updates – USCIS Policy Changes and Practice Tips
- 10/19/22 CLINIC: Outreach Strategies and Social Media to Connect With and Serve Immigrants
- 10/19/22 U Visa: I-929 Process & Issues
- 10/20/22 CGRS MCLE Webinar: Firm Resettlement Issues in Asylum Claims
- 10/20/22 Understanding Unlawful Presence and I-601/I-601A
- 10/27/22 2022 Convening On Advancing Universal Representation
- 10/29/22 4th Annual 5k for Immigrant Justice (includes remote option)
- 11/1/22-11/15/22 Webinar Series: Fundamentals of Asylum Law
- 11/2/22 TPS Updates
- 11/3/22 Drugs and Naturalization
- 11/4/22 Symposium: 40th Anniversary of Plyler v. Doe and Immigration Law in the United States
- 11/8/22 SIJS-based Adjustment of Status with Delinquency or Crimes
- 11/14/22 ASISTA: Navigating Systems with your Immigrant Survivor Clients
- 11/16/22 Introduction to Conditional Permanent Residence and Filing the I-751
- 11/17/22 NLG: Updates on Terrorism-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) with guest speaker, Jay Gairson
- 11/29/22 Building an Asylum Claim
- 12/6/22 Emerging Strategies for Prolonged Detention
- 12/7/22 Parole in Immigration
- 12/13/22 The Effects of Absences on Naturalization
- 12/14/22 Hot Topics in Asylum Law
- 12/15/22 NLG: Obtaining Criminal Records with guest speaker, Gabriela Kahrl
- 01/19/22 NLG: Top Ethical Issues Facing Legal Representatives in Removal Hearings with guest speaker, Retired Immigration Judge Dana Marks
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Elizabeth Gibson (Pronouns: she/her/ella)
Managing Attorney for Capacity Building and Mentorship
National Immigrant Justice Center
A HEARTLAND ALLIANCE Program
224 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60604
T: (312) 660-1688| F: (312) 660-1688| E: egibson@heartlandalliance.org
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Thanks, Elizabeth!
🇺🇸Due Process Forever!
PWS
09-29-22