Immigration News Weekly

April 24 - 30

​What is at Stake as the Supreme Court Weighs the Future of Immigrant “Dreamers’
Reuters | Ted Hesson | April 30
“Trump, a Republican, moved in 2017 to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. His administration argued the initiative of his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama was unconstitutional and would not withstand legal challenges. Several federal courts blocked Trump’s attempt to terminate the DACA program. The case went to the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in November.”

US Can Soon Start Sending People Seeking Asylum to Honduras
Associated Press | Ben Fox | April 30
“At the moment, the new agreement would seem to be unnecessary because the U.S. is quickly expelling most people it encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border under an emergency public health order signed by President Donald Trump last month in response to the coronavirus outbreak. That order was renewed for 30 days and is set to expire next month. Critics say both the new agreement and the earlier one with Guatemala, the subject of a legal challenge, represent a retreat by the U.S. from its obligations under international law to provide a sanctuary to people seeking refuge from persecution. Neither Honduras nor Guatemala has the capacity to accept and resettle refugees, so people will likely just return eventually to whatever danger they fled in their home countries, said Yael Schacher, senior U.S advocate for Refugees International.”

Internal ICE Reviews of Two Immigrant Deaths Stoke Fears About COVID-19 Care
NPR | Joel Rose | April 29
“When Carlos Mejia-Bonilla was detained by immigration authorities a few years ago, he told the health care staff at the Hudson County Correctional Facility in New Jersey that he was taking medicine for a range of conditions, including diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver. Ten weeks later, he died of gastrointestinal bleeding. An internal investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement found that Bonilla was denied necessary medical care. The care he did receive in ICE detention was "outside the scope of safe practice," ICE's investigators concluded, and contributed to his death.”

Foreign Students Anxious Over Immigration Order
VOA | Aline Barros | April 29
“The U.S. government’s recent executive order to suspend the issuance of Lawful Permanent Resident permits (green cards) has left international students at U.S. colleges and universities uncertain about their enrollment and future plans. Though the decision does not directly affect student visas, it left open the option to review nonimmigrant programs “within 30 days of the effective date of this proclamation” and could recommend “other measures to stimulate the United States economy” (during the COVID-19 crisis). Student visas are under the nonimmigrant visa category issued to foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States on a temporary basis.”