Regional Focus: United States

News:

Government Announces Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) (or the "Remain in Mexico" Plan)
- From AILA: "The MPP alters screening procedures at ports of entry for Central American asylum applicants by having USCIS officers conduct an 'assessment' that determines whether applicants can pursue their claims from within the United States or whether they will be forced to do so from Mexico. Notwithstanding the fact that the assessment involves complex questions regarding persecution and torture on legally protected grounds, access to counsel during screening is prohibited."

AILA also provides links to official documents relating to the MPP, including:
- an FAQ and policy guidance from the Dept. of Homeland Security;
- a memo and guiding principles from Customs and Border Protection;
- guidance from USCIS for implementation of the MPP.

More info and background materials are available on AILA's "Featured Issue" page.

Publications:

Asylum and Related Protections for Aliens Who Fear Gang and Domestic Violence, Legal Sidebar (Congressional Research Service, updated Jan. 2019) [text]

"Beyond Walls: Why the Forces of Global Migration Can't Be Stopped," Time Magazine, 24 Jan. 2019 [text]

Central Americans Were Increasingly Winning Asylum Before President Trump Took Office (Human Rights First, Jan. 2019) [text]

*"Court Backlog May Prove Bigger Barrier for Migrants Than Any Wall," New York Times, 24 Jan. 2019 [text]

Fact Check: Asylum Seekers Regularly Attend Immigration Court Hearings (Human Rights First, Jan. 2019) [text]

"How Trump Changed Asylum Rules in 2018," VOA News, 1 Jan. 2019 [text]

How Trump Era Immigration Enforcement Violates the Law (Yale Journal of Regulation's Notice & Comment Blog, Jan. 2019) [text]

"Immigrant and Refugee Rights Should be Protected, ABA House Urges," ABA Journal, 28 Jan. 2019 [text]

Immigration and Civil Rights in an Era of Trump (ImmigrationProf Blog, Jan. 2019) [text]

More People Overstay Their Visas Than Cross the Border Illegally – Our Immigration Laws Need to Address That (Immigration Impact Blog, Jan. 2019) [text]

"Movement or Moment? Lessons from the Pro-immigrant Movement in the United States and Contemporary Challenges," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 28 Jan. 2019 [free full-text]
- Introduction to a special issue on "The Pro-Immigrant Movement in the United States: Political Mobilization from the 2006 Immigration Protests to Trump."

"Poll: Voters Oppose Another Shutdown, Emergency Declaration," Politico, 30 Jan. 2019 [text]

There is a Crisis at the Border. It’s Just Not What Trump Says It is (Vox, Jan. 2019) [text]

U.S. Immigration Laws for Aliens Arriving at the Border, CRS in Focus (Congressional Research Service, Jan. 2019) [text]

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Women - Pt. 2 (U.S.) (28 Jan. 2019)
- Regional Focus: United States - Pt. 1 (23 Jan. 2019)
- Regional Focus: United States - Pt. 2 (23 Jan. 2019)

Tagged Publications.