This transition paper discusses the impact of the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy on immigrant families separated at the border. It then offers five policy recommendations that can be undertaken in the first 100 days of the Biden administration.
This two-part briefing describes how federal policy during the last year of the Trump administration has impacted immigrant children and how Congress can legislate comprehensive federal policy for children in federal immigration custody. Specific recommendations describe how the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security could address children’s needs while in custody to ensure their rights are protected.
Highlighting the unique manner in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted immigrants in the United States, this brief covers how this population has been left behind. The authors review how this vulnerable population’s struggles have been exacerbated by the pandemic, the policies that have prevented them from meeting their basic needs, and concludes with recommendations for how the federal government can redress their needs.
Utilizing economic modeling techniques, this study examines the literal direct and indirect costs of the Zero-Tolerance Policy upon the children who were separated from their parents at the border. Estimates from the study indicate that, compared to a baseline “No Detention” scenario, zero-tolerance migration policy cost more per child and proved to be of more significant expense to our healthcare system. The authors surmise that such policy is not only morally distressing but also economically disadvantageous.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This document from the American Immigration Lawyers Association summarizes and details the recent Biden administration changes to immigration laws and policies.
This essay (page 35) discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted systemic issues of inequality in the health care system and economy for Latinx immigrant children and families in the United States. It concludes with a call to action to address related macro- and mezzo-level systemic weaknesses impacting this population.
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