Category Archives: October 2021

NILC Statement on New DHS Memo Terminating ‘Remain in Mexico’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on New DHS Memo Terminating ‘Remain in Mexico’

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new memo terminating the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy:

“For more than two years, the cruel Remain in Mexico policy has caused tremendous harm to tens of thousands of asylum seekers. Today, the Biden administration issued a new memo re-terminating this policy, which more explicitly recognizes the extreme violence, insecurity, and fundamental rights violations that were the essence of the prior administration’s Remain in Mexico policy. While overdue, today’s action is welcome progress toward making good on President Biden’s campaign promise to end this unlawful policy.

“Although today’s memo is a step in the right direction, it must be paired with further meaningful action to end Remain in Mexico for good and fully restore access to asylum – including at ports of entry – for those seeking protection under the law. The administration must move swiftly to vacate the injunction in Texas v. Biden and abandon its embrace of failed deterrence strategies. They must immediately end the indefensible use of unlawful Title 42 expulsions and stop all expedited removals and deportation flights to Haiti, and instead welcome asylum seekers with dignity. Our country can once again be a beacon of hope to those seeking safety and freedom.”

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NILC Statement on the Build Back Better Legislation Framework

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on the Build Back Better Legislation Framework

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund, issued the following statement on the newly released framework for the Build Back Better Act, which includes $100 billion for immigration reform:

“This historic budget addresses some of the most significant crises affecting working families in our country. While we acknowledge that it falls short in some respects, it is a meaningful investment in transformative efforts to extend financial supports for families – including many low-income immigrants previously left out of the Child Tax Credit – combat the climate crisis, improve access to health care and early childhood education, and support a robust safety net that will support the wellbeing of millions of people.

“The significant funding this framework includes to strengthen due process in our immigration system and advance protections for immigrants is a testament to the power and tenacity of the immigrant justice movement – but our work is not yet done. Senate Democrats must use their authority under existing Senate rules to disregard the parliamentarian’s recommendations and deliver on their promise of a pathway to citizenship. Doing so would deliver long-overdue stability for millions of immigrants who are essential members of our communities, and who continue to show up to get us all through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Immigrants who call the U.S. home have waited decades for Congress to finally pass permanent protections. We cannot squander this once in a generation opportunity. We won’t give up this fight now. There is no equitable recovery without immigrants.”

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NILC Statement on New DHS Memo Safeguarding Protected Areas from Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on New DHS Memo Safeguarding Protected Areas from Enforcement

WASHINGTON — Avideh Moussavian, director of federal advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new memo on immigration enforcement actions in or near protected areas, a successor to the agency’s longstanding “sensitive locations” policies:

“The Biden administration’s new policy safeguarding protected areas from immigration enforcement is a welcome step toward ensuring that immigrants and their loved ones can seek critical services without fear that they could be separated from their community. ICE and CBP destabilize and undermine the health and well-being of all community members when immigration officers go after people dropping their kids off at school, seeking health care, participating in rallies, or attending services at their place of worship. The new policy recognizes the need to prevent this by protecting spaces where children gather, where social services, disaster or emergency relief are provided, and by creating a reporting requirement that will help hold immigration enforcement agencies accountable.

“This new policy is a testament to years of advocacy and organizing to make many areas – including schools, hospitals, and other places that provide critical, sometimes life-saving services that support our collective well-being – off limits to ICE and CBP. While we recognize the significance of these changes, we remain deeply concerned by the administration’s dangerous reliance on the discretion of agents who have long operated in a culture of cruelty and impunity. We urge the administration to act swiftly to ensure that all relevant personnel are trained on this policy and can start to comply immediately. We will be monitoring closely to make sure that the new policy is implemented fairly and humanely so that our communities can begin to heal from the specter of immigration enforcement.”

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NILC Calls on Senate Democrats to Disregard the Parliamentarian’s Recommendation and Deliver on a Pathway to Citizenship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Calls on Senate Democrats to Disregard the Parliamentarian’s Recommendation and Deliver on a Pathway to Citizenship

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund – and the co-chair of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force on Immigration during the 2020 presidential election – issued the following statement in response to ongoing negotiations on the budget reconciliation package:

“As negotiations continue about a framework agreement to advance the Build Back Better Act, it is imperative that any final bill include a pathway to citizenship for as many people as possible. Immigrant communities have waited 35 years for Congress to finally pass long overdue permanent protections. This bill represents a once in a generation opportunity to finally make this a reality. An advisory recommendation from the parliamentarian, an unelected Senate staffer, should not stand in the way of achieving this goal.

“The parliamentarian’s recommendation ignored the clear and significant impact providing green cards to undocumented immigrants would have on the federal budget, and Senate Democrats are not bound by it. Instead, they should use the procedures available to them under longstanding Senate rules to disregard the parliamentarian’s recommendation in order to include a pathway to citizenship in this bill.

“Immigrants are an essential part of our communities, not only as our family members and neighbors, but also as the people who continue to show up day after day to keep our country going during this pandemic. It’s time for our elected leaders to show up for them.”

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NILC Statement on Biden Administration’s Announcement to Restart ‘Remain in Mexico’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on Biden Administration’s Announcement to Restart ‘Remain in Mexico’

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is preparing to restart the Remain in Mexico policy in mid-November if the Mexican government agrees:

“Remain in Mexico has caused immeasurable harm to vulnerable asylum seekers who we should instead be welcoming with dignity and compassion. The Biden administration has announced several significant steps to implement Remain in Mexico in compliance with the District Court’s order, yet the Biden administration has failed to issue a new memo to end this unlawful Trump policy to prevent any version of it from harming even one more person. This move is yet another in a mounting list of failings by this administration to live up to the campaign promises that got President Biden elected. We urge the administration to reverse course and to refocus its efforts on building a just 21st century immigration system, ending all harmful deterrence policies at the border, and restoring full access to asylum — including at ports of entry — for those seeking safety and freedom in our country.”

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NILC Statement on New DHS Memo on Worksite Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on New DHS Memo on Worksite Enforcement

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new memo on worksite enforcement:

“Today’s welcome announcement by the Biden administration signals pivotal changes ahead that will make workplaces across the country safer and more equitable for all workers and finally puts an end to deeply harmful worksite raids. This move will also ensure those immigrants working in schools, factories, meatpacking plants, hospitals, construction sites, and other essential industries can do their jobs safely and speak out against unjust treatment without fearing employer intimidation, arrest, or deportation.

“Worksite raids have devastated entire communities and threatened the safety and wellbeing of all workers. Over the past few years, NILC and our legal partners in the Zelaya v. Hammer case have been fighting in court alongside courageous immigrants whose rights were violated when the previous administration violently raided the Southeastern Provision meat processing plant in 2018. We will remain vigilant to ensure today’s announcement to end similar raids is met with meaningful action.

“All working people, no matter where we were born, have the right to a safe and dignified workplace with fair pay. We look forward to continuing to partner with unions, workers’ rights partners, and the Biden administration to secure critical worker protections that will strengthen labor standards for all workers and create a more just and inclusive immigration system that recognizes the humanity and contributions of all immigrants. We applaud Secretary Mayorkas for taking this transformational step that represents a paradigm shift away from targeting undocumented workers to holding accountable the unscrupulous employers who are the ones responsible for depressing working conditions for all workers. This builds on the important shift included in the enforcement guidelines announced on September 30 which clarify that unlawful presence does not make someone a priority for deportation.”

The Department of Homeland Security today announced an internal review of worksite enforcement policies, signaling a laudable shift away from immigration raids at worksites in favor of creating policies that emphasize employer accountability. Agencies within DHS will also establish processes to prevent employer abuse of E-Verify and to provide affirmative protections to immigrant workers involved in workplace disputes.

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