Refugee and immigration activists are praising the White House for creating an expedited channel for 100,000 Ukrainian war refugees to enter the U.S., but they insist the assistance must go further and move faster. “It’s important for our political leaders…
What’s the fastest route for Ukrainian refugees to enter the U.S.? Cross the Mexico border
A small-but-determined group of Ukrainian asylum seekers has discovered the quickest route to safety in the United States, at least currently, runs through Mexico, immigrant rights advocates say. A diplomatic arrangement predating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enables Mexico to fast-track…
Are brown-skinned migrants waiting at the border less worthy of asylum than white-skinned Ukrainians?
The images from Ukraine are horrific. Our hearts are broken by such widespread destruction and indiscriminate warfare. Many folks alive today never have witnessed war at quite this scale. The fact that it seems so unprovoked and unjust makes it…
Immigration advocates praise rumored end to Title 42 but say the end should come today
It has been a busy week for U.S. immigration policy, with a flurry of announcements ranging from new federal efforts to streamline asylum cases and to launching more expansive and humane programs in response to anticipated surges in migrant encounters…
Amid the dire situations forcing asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Latin America, LGBTQ persons face even more extreme danger
While the plight of many people unable to leave the Taliban’s grip in Afghanistan has been well-reported, there’s one group of people facing even more extreme persecution with fewer exit routes: LGBTQ asylum seekers. Recent reports from organizations tracking the…
Biden administration once again assailed over perpetuation of Trump’s Title 42 expulsions
Immigration advocates and human rights groups were appalled to learn Feb. 4 that the White House has decided to continue with Title 42, the Trump-era immigration policy that uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a rationale for immediately deporting asylum seekers…
On one-year anniversary of Biden’s inauguration, immigration advocates offer both praise and frustration
President Joe Biden needn’t look far for praise, criticism and advice for his handling of the immigration issue on the one-year mark of his inauguration — a milestone immigration advocates and religious leaders are using to spur more action to…
I came to America the right way and still was imprisoned for more than five months
In 2018, I was at JFK airport about to fly internationally for the first time after the grant of my refugee status in 2017. The line was very long — the definitive punishment for people who could not afford a…
‘We may be the asylum seekers of tomorrow’
Natural disasters sparked by worsening global climate change could lead Americans who are hostile toward refugees and migrants to embrace more compassionate attitudes on immigration, an asylum advocate believes. Swapna Reddy, co-founder and co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy…
Haitians at the border represent a humanitarian crisis, not a security crisis, evangelical leaders say
Americans worried about border security should look beyond the popular-but-false portrayal of migrants as invaders and seek ways to help those in troubled nations not need to become immigrants in the first place. That’s the message of two evangelical leaders…
Faith leaders express joy as Biden finally raises ceiling for refugee admissions to 62,500
After an outcry from the faith community and immigration advocates, the Biden administration May 3 fully reversed course and returned to its earlier plan to raise the ceiling for refugee admissions this fiscal year to 62,500 people. That will be…
Biden administration skewered for keeping Trump-era cap on refugee resettlement
Immigration advocates — including numerous faith-based groups — reacted harshly to the Biden administration’s April 16 announcement that it would not, after all, raise the ceiling for admission of refugees this year. The blowback was so swift and harsh that…