Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 17, 2020) - The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Office of Inspector General on behalf of three people who came to the United…

Trump Administration’s Expansion of Expedited Removal Heightens Longstanding Concerns About Unchecked Power of Unappointed CBP Agents First-of-Its-Kind Suit Filed Challenging CBP’s Expedited Removal Policy Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration was sued for unlawfully permitting low-level,…

NIJC Denounces Newly Published Asylum Regulation CHICAGO (December 11, 2020) — Last month, the nation voted to end the Trump administration’s attacks on the U.S. immigration system. But the harm that this administration inflicts on immigrants, especially asylum seekers, continues daily, as the…

National Immigrant Justice Center celebrates the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) welcomes the election of President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. NIJC Executive Director Mary Meg McCarthy issued the following statement…

Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2020) – The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) condemns the extensive bars to asylum protection the Trump administration has announced will be implemented. At a time when the asylum system is under attack and the U.S. government already is regularly, and…

More than 18,500 Victims of ICE Holds Were Unlawfully Detained   LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by immigrants who were unlawfully detained by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department — sometimes for months — because…

Legal Protection Fund Partners reach more than 35,000 Chicagoans in first nine months of 2020 CHICAGO (October 7, 2020) — Despite challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the City of Chicago Legal Protection Fund reached more than 35,000 Chicagoans with free legal counsel and immigrant…

The Trump administration is planning to break another grim record in its attack on those fleeing persecution—this time, by setting the lowest limit of refugee admissions ever (15,000 only) for fiscal year 2021. NIJC stands in solidarity with refugees worldwide, as the Trump administration looks to…

Brutality, abuse, and neglect at the Virginia detention center has resulted in the largest COVID-19 outbreak to-date in migrant detention, amongst other human rights violations   WASHINGTON, DC – Local and national organizations specializing in human rights and racial justice today released a…

Facility Would Have Violated State Law The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) are elated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has canceled the process to build a new privately-operated immigration detention facility…