WMC News & Features: Will Biden Create More Humane Immigration Policies? (April 9, 2021)

Cruel immigration policies were a hallmark of the Trump presidency. From the “Muslim ban” in his earliest days in office to family separation, the Trump administration made over 1,000 immigration policy changes, creating a largely hostile and unwelcoming reception for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing danger and economic hardship and instilling fear in immigrants residing…

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Philadelphia Inquirer Article on the U Visa Backlog

ASISTA’s own Amy Cheung weighing in on the heavy backlog with the U Visa program which Congress created to strengthen the ability of police agencies to investigate and prosecute violent crimes like domestic & sexual assault.   “Biden’s plan to raise the cap to 30,000 is a promising start but given the immense backlog, there is still more…

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El Diario de El Paso Article on the sexual assault of immigrant victims and harassment by guards at an ICE detention facility in El Paso.

We stand with ASISTA member organization, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, as they advocate for immigrant victims of sexual assault and harassment by guards at an ICE detention facility in El Paso. Laura Flores Bachman, Senior Legal Counsel with ASISTA, was quoted in this article about these heinous acts, “We believe sexual assaults in ICE facilities…

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ASISTA Press Release: ASISTA Files FOIA Lawsuit Demanding Information about USCIS’s Use of Discretion in Green Card Applications for Crime Victims

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19 2020 Contact: Ahlam Moussa On Thursday, April 30, ASISTA and the Immigration Center for Women and Children (ICWC) filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of California demanding that USCIS and DHS disclose information requested related to their exercise of discretion in adjudicating adjustment of status (green card) applications by crime victims…

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Safe Horizon and ASISTA File FOIA Request Seeking Immigration Policy Data Related to U-Visa Adjudications

(New York, February 25, 2020) – Safe Horizon and ASISTA have filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for immigration policy data on the adjudication of U-visa petitions and adjustment of status (permanent residence) applications for those granted U visa status.   U visas were created…

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ASISTA Press Release: ASISTA Files Lawsuit Challenging Harmful ICE Policies Which Put Victims of Crime at Higher Risk of Removal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2020 Contact: Ahlam Moussa, ahlam@asistahelp.org Changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy were announced August 2, 2019 that create significant additional barriers for victims of crime who cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of their crimes. ASISTA, represented by Protect Democracy and the Constitutional Accountability Center, filed suit today…

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ALERT: ASISTA submits Amicus on Erosion of Continuances and Admin Closure for Survivors of Violence

Yesterday, ASISTA, along with our partners, submitted an amicus brief challenging EOIR’s erosion of docketing tools like continuances and administrative closures. This errosion results in limiting access to critical immigration relief for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other serious crimes.  ASISTA was joined in this brief by American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV), National Immigrant Justice…

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Immigrant Survivors are being scared into silence

“I’ve been working in immigration rights since the 1980s and I’ve never seen this level of antagonism toward immigrants and women.” In this article, ASISTA Executive Director, Gail Pendleton talks about how immigrant survivors are being scared into silence, and how to find help before you need it. https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/in-the-news/when-fighting-abuse-could-lead-to-deportation

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The Hill: ICE rule change on U visas sparks outrage

“The Trump administration has quietly altered its handling of visas granted to immigrants who cooperate with criminal investigations, allowing people to be deported even while they are waiting for their visas.” ASISTA’s Cecelia Friedman Levin describes the impact of these changes and how they will diminish access to critical protection to immigrant survivors. Read more…

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ASISTA Statement on NTA Policy Implementation

ASISTA strongly condemns USCIS’ decision to implement the updated Notice To Appear (NTA) policy for survivor-based protections on November 19th. This means that domestic and sexual assault survivors, survivors of human trafficking, children eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and other victims whom Congress intended to help could now face deportation hearings if their cases…

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