Press Releases

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it would end the use of Title 42 starting May 23, 2022. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a fact sheet clarifying that the agency was more than prepared for any projected increase in migration.…

The U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor yesterday issued a 17-page memorandum (the “Doyle memo”) encouraging ICE prosecuting attorneys to act favorably in cases of immigrants whom the Biden administration does not consider to be a priority for…

Lifting Title 42 and Welcoming Asylum Seekers Are the First Steps to Restore the U.S. Asylum System The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today ordered the termination of Title 42, a policy which has blocked tens of thousands of people from accessing the U.S. immigration and asylum…

National Coalition Rallied to #FreeKelly During Her Three Years in Detention A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that Kelly Gonzalez Aguilar, a transgender woman, should have been granted asylum based on a record of “extensive evidence of widespread violence against transgender individuals in…

Statement from Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, National Immigrant Justice Center CHICAGO (March 28, 2022) -- The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) welcomes the Biden administration’s request to make a substantial investment in expanding access to counsel for immigrants and reduce the…

Statement of Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, National Immigrant Justice Center This week marked important milestones and policy announcements for the U.S. asylum system which together paint the picture of an administration that continues to prioritize the deterrence of Black, Brown, and…

Immigrant Rights Organizations and Formerly Detained Community Leader Welcome Announcement Today, the National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, and Detention Watch Network welcomed the announcement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will no longer use the Etowah…

Government documents and stories of migrants who faced mistreatment, family separation, and even death as a result of migration-related criminal prosecutions reveal the extent to which the U.S. government, even under the Biden administration, continues to rely on a nearly century-old law with white…

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) condemns Congress’ newly released immigration-related spending plan for the current fiscal year, which continues the Trump-era approach to immigration enforcement and detention by keeping U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and…

CHICAGO, IL - On Friday, March 4, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the U.S. government cannot expel families to places where they may face persecution or torture. Hours later, a federal district court in Texas ruled that the U.S. government must expel unaccompanied children…