There are a couple of bipartisan immigration negotiations currently happening on Capitol Hill, but with the end of the year quickly approaching, lawmakers and advocates are questioning whether a deal can be reached. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have outlined a potential immigration proposal that would provide a path to legalization for
On Friday, October 14th, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen of Houston extended his order protecting hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from being deported and blocking new applicants from the program. Last year, Judge Hanen ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created by President Obama, was unlawful, but allowed the program to
On July 13, 2022, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Representative Karen Bass (D-CA), and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bicameral Children’s Safe Welcome Act. This bill establishes new standards to ensure that the safety and well-being of migrant children in government custody are prioritized, embedding best practices into every stage of
Of the more than 5,000 children who, court documents say, were separated from their parents under the previous administration's zero-tolerance policy for unauthorized border crossers and those who presented themselves legally at ports of entry, about 180 children have yet to be reunited with their parents, according to VOA News, though the ACLU believes the
On June 21, 2022, the Nonprofit Organization Adoptees for Justice held a Story Circle to bring awareness to the experiences of adoptees living without citizenship. They elevated the voices of two adoptees who live in the United States and two who were deported. Joe, Jang, Daniel, and Emily were all able to share their stories
On Wednesday, May 25th, 2022, youth serving organizations, in partnership with the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, Congressional Foster Youth Caucus, and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus, held a briefing titled, "Lifting up Lived Expertise: Fixing the System with Their Solutions - A Virtual Congressional Briefing." During this powerful livestream, several young people with
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a statement on March 7, 2022, that it will consider granting deferred action to minors awaiting green cards through their Special Immigrant Juvenile Status but who can’t obtain a visa because of existing backlogs. Deferred action would protect those immigrants from deportation and allow them to work legally. “This
The Biden Administration has proposed reversing the Public Charge rule that was put in place during the previous administration to deny green card applicants who receive certain government benefits. This rule has caused individuals to decline government benefits that were available to them, fearing that it will tamper with their green card eligibility. Reversing this
On October 27, 2021, The American Bar Association (ABA) and Women’s Refugee Commission conducted a briefing on The Impact of Increased Immigrant Enforcement on Child Welfare. As of 2016, out of the 70 million children under the age of 18 in the U.S. more than 18 million reside with at least one immigrant parent. The
CWLA believes 2021 is the year to deliver citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, farm workers and essential workers and their families who stepped up to support our country throughout the pandemic while contributing to our economy. The latest federal ruling in Texas against Dreamers underscores the urgency to deliver a path to