All Posts By

Center on Immigration & Child Welfare

Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Biden’s Immigration Overhaul in House

By | In the News

Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Biden’s Immigration Overhaul in House 

Michael D. Shear, New York Times (February 18, 2021) 

Calling it a “humane response” to the former Trump administration’s immigration policies, a dozen Democrats in Congress formerly introduced The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. Included in the bill is a pathway to citizenship, securing ports of entry, provisions for faster processing for asylum seekers, as well as a $4 billion investment into Central American economies to address the influx of migration from this area. Republican Congress members criticized the bill, claiming it would encourage illegal immigration because it does not allocate enough funds to secure the border. 

First migrant facility for children opens under Biden

By | In the News

First migrant facility for children opens under Biden 

Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post (February 22, 2021) 

A former emergency facility used by the Trump administration and capable of holding up to 700 migrant teens has been reopened under the Biden administration. The administration has justified its reopening to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and its cutting capacity at other children’s facilities. This decision has been met with heavy criticism from immigrant advocates who have questioned the move and denounced such facilities’ conditions. 

Biden’s throwing out another Trump rule that made it harder to become a citizen

By | In the News

Biden’s throwing out another Trump rule that made it harder to become a citizen 

Amy Lieu, The American Independent (February 23, 2021) 

In a recent policy alert, the Biden administration and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the version of the U.S. civics tests released at the end of 2020 would be withdrawn. In its place will be a 2008 version of the test which requires applicants to correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions (down from the latest version’s requirement of 12 out of 20). The Biden administration repealed the most recent version in light of the burden the more comprehensive test would have on application processing time, which slowed the process considerably.  

Immigrants and the COVID Vaccine: What Do I Need to Know?

By | Child Well-Being, Federal Policy, Law & Policy, Legal/Law, Safety

Immigrants and the COVID Vaccine: What Do I Need to Know? 

North Carolina Justice Center (January 25, 2021) 

In response to the confusion and the spreading of misinformation surrounding immigrants’ eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, this flyer seeks to clarify basic information about the vaccine, such as its cost and availability. The flyer is available in several languages other than English.  

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status & Visa Availability

By | Immigration Relief, Legal Professionals, Legal/Law, Practice, Practice Highlight, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status & Visa Availability

Rachel Prandini, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (January 21, 2021)

This practice advisory reviews the backlog of visas for youth from specific countries that are applying for a green card through Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and offers practice advice for representing these youth that might experience a long wait for their green card.

Updated Practice Alert: Temporary Changes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Response to COVID-19

By | Immigration Relief, Legal Professionals, Legal/Law, Practice, Practice Highlight, Public Charge

Updated Practice Alert: Temporary Changes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Response to COVID-19

Peggy Gleason & Ariel Brown, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (January 29, 2021)

This brief details updates to USCIS services offered during the COVID-19 pandemic and includes information about USCIS’s automatic 60-day extension to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) and additional responses that are applicable through March 31, 2021.

Review of the Department of Justice’s Planning and Implementation of Its Zero Tolerance Policy and Its Coordination with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services

By | Family Separation, Federal Policy, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight

Review of the Department of Justice’s Planning and Implementation of Its Zero Tolerance Policy and Its Coordination with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (January 14, 2021)

This document reviews and evaluates the role that the Department of Justice played in developing and implementing the zero tolerance policy along with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services and finds that DOJ failed to effectively prepare for and manage the implementation of this policy.

Open