Category Archives: December 2022

NILC Statement on Congress’ Failure to Pass a Pathway to Citizenship for Immigrant Youth 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458

NILC Statement on Congress’ Failure to Pass a Pathway to Citizenship for Immigrant Youth

WASHINGTON — Lisa Graybill, vice president of law and policy at the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to Congress’ failure to include provisions for a pathway to citizenship in the end of year spending package:  

This year’s omnibus spending bill was a critical opportunity to provide long-awaited stability for millions of DACA recipients and immigrant youth who call the U.S. home. With the writing on the wall that DACA may be nearing the end, it is unacceptable that once again Congress has failed to meet the urgency of the moment.  

“NILC proudly worked alongside the hundreds of immigrant youth and allies who traveled to Washington from all over the country to share their hopes and dreams with their elected representatives and convey their experiences living amid constant uncertainty. While we are disappointed by Congress’ failure to act, we continue to be inspired by our communities’ undeniable power and resilience. We remain as committed as ever to fighting for a permanent solution for immigrant youth and all who come to this country seeking safety and opportunity so that all of us, no matter where we were born or how much money we have, have the freedom to thrive.”  

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NILC Welcomes New Board Member

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458

NILC Welcomes New Board Member 

WASHINGTON — The National Immigration Law Center today announced the addition of Jennifer M. Chacón, the Bruce Tyson Mitchell Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, to the NILC board of directors. 

“NILC’s board welcomes Jennifer M. Chacón, whose breadth of experience at the intersection of immigration, criminal, and constitutional law will be a tremendous asset to us as we continue working toward remedying longstanding injustices and inequities in our immigration system,” said Sara K. Gould, NILC’s interim executive director. “Professor Chacón brings decades of legal expertise that will further ground our work in racial equity and justice. I’m excited and honored to work together with her to advance racial justice and civil rights so that all of us, regardless of immigration status, have the freedom to thrive.” 

“Throughout my professional career, I have admired the efforts of the brilliant and dedicated staff of NILC, which has worked tirelessly toward equity and dignity for all people, regardless of immigration or citizenship status,” said Professor Chacón. “I am honored to join the NILC board, and I look forward to working with this amazing team.” 

Jennifer M. Chacón is the Bruce Tyson Mitchell Professor of Law at Stanford Law School. Her research focuses on the nexus of immigration law, constitutional law, and criminal law and procedure. Her writings elucidate how immigration and criminal law shape individual and collective understandings of racial and ethnic identity, citizenship, civic engagement, and social belonging. She has written dozens of articles, book chapters, and essays on immigration, criminal law, constitutional law, and citizenship issues.  

Professor Chacón is a past Chair of the American Association of Law School’s Section on Immigration, and a member of the American Law Institute. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF) and currently serves on the ABF Board of Directors. She has served on the Advisory Committee of the American Bar Foundation’s “Future of Latinos in the U.S.” project and on the University of Oxford Border Criminologies Advisory Group, and as the chair of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules Committee. She was a co-convenor of the Immigration Policy Advisory Committee to then-Senator Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign, and an outside advisor to the Immigration Transition Team of President-Elect Barack Obama from November 2008 through January 2009.  

Professor Chacόn was an associate at the New York law firm of Davis Polk and Wardwell after clerking for the Honorable Sidney R. Thomas of the Ninth Circuit (1998-1999). She has also held appointments as a Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, the UCLA School of Law, and the UC Davis King Hall School of Law, and as a Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Senior Associate Dean for Administration at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law. She was a Visiting Professor of Law at Stanford Law School (2015-2016) and Harvard Law School (2014-2015).  

She holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and an A.B. in International Relations from Stanford University.  

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NILC Statement on Potential Bipartisan Deal for Immigrant Youth Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458

NILC Statement on Potential Bipartisan Deal for Immigrant Youth Protections

WASHINGTON — Raha Wala, vice president of strategic partnerships and advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to reports that senators are working on a bipartisan immigration proposal: 

“While we are encouraged to see members of Congress from both parties coming together to discuss passing a long-overdue pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth, this reported deal falls woefully short of meeting the needs and urgency of this moment. 

“Over the past ten years, the Republican list of border demands has become more extreme, while the fraction of people in need who would gain protections shrinks. This reported deal would accelerate that trend and could gravely compromise our future ability to welcome people seeking safety and opportunity in our country. We urge Democrats to step up their demands and lead courageously as negotiations continue. 

“With a limited and critically important window for progress in the lame duck, we urge lawmakers engaged in good-faith discussion to pass a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth by the end of the year.” 

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NILC Statement on the Extension and Redesignation of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458

NILC Statement on the Extension and Redesignation of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

WASHINGTON — Raha Wala, vice president of strategic partnerships and advocacy, issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s extension and redesignation of temporary protected status (TPS) for Haiti:

“We celebrate the extension and redesignation of TPS for Haiti, which provides a measure of relief for Haitians in the U.S and helps ensure families and communities can remain together as they continue to build meaningful lives in this country. This victory is a testament to the sustained advocacy of Black immigrant leaders and communities, and we commend the Biden administration for listening to their leadership.

“We know there is more to be done. Following this extension and redesignation, the U.S. must stop the deportation of Haitians seeking safety. Black immigrants continue to face pervasive anti-Black discrimination in our immigration policies, and the Biden administration must address these disparities as part of the work of building a fair and humane immigration system.”

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