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We found 1902 results for "Refugee Protection"

Press

Human Rights First opposes Biden’s proposal to detain asylum seekers

March 7, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following reports in yesterday’s New York Times that the Biden administration is considering detaining immigrant and asylum-seeking families who cross the border,…

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Joint NGO Letter Re: Additional Delay in Rescinding Public Health Asylum Ban Rule

February 27, 2023

RE: Security Bars and Processing, DHS Docket No. USCIS 2020-0013   The 121 undersigned faith-based groups, national and local legal services providers, medical and public health…

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Press

Biden’s Asylum Ban Would Return U.S. to Trump-Style Policy

February 21, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the Biden administration today proposed a rule that would illegally ban many refugees from seeking asylum in the United States due…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Administration Plan to Fast-Track Asylum Screenings 

January 27, 2023

WASHINGTON DC – Human Rights First calls on the administration to abandon a plan once used by the Trump administration and focus instead on upholding…

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Fact Sheet

LEADING BY EXAMPLE, HONORING COMMITMENTS:

January 26, 2023

Recommendations for the Biden Administration to Uphold Refugee Law at Home   Two years since President Biden took office, his administration has taken some important initial…

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Press

Rights Groups Oppose Biden Plan to Resurrect Asylum Bans

January 19, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Biden administration’s recent announcement of a plan to issue a proposed rule that would resurrect the Trump administration’s approach of…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration Plan to Resurrect Asylum Ban Advances Trump Agenda

January 17, 2023

Would Condemn Refugees to Return to Harm, Family Separation, and Permanent Limbo On January 5, 2023, the Biden administration announced new policies relating to the…

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Press

Biden Administration Use and Expansion of Trump Policy to Ban People Seeking Asylum Endangers Lives, Tramples Human Rights

January 5, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s announcement of plans to expand use of the Trump-initiated Title 42 policy and resurrect other unlawful Trump policies to ban…

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Press

Rights of Asylum Seekers Put on Hold Again

December 28, 2022

WASHINGTON DC – Human Rights First is deeply disappointed in yesterday’s Supreme Court decision that allows the failed and inhumane Title 42 expulsion policy to…

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Press

Human Rights First Lauds Bill to Modernize American Refugee Protection Systems

December 22, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Refugee Protection Act of 2022, which would modernize and strengthen U.S.…

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Blog

Recording of Human Rights First on the Ground

December 20, 2022

Updates on our Refugee Advocacy & Protection Efforts The first two years of the Trump Administration have seen an onslaught of attacks against asylum seekers.…

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Press

Title 42: “Human Rights Stain, Public Health Farce”

December 16, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. –  The end of the Title 42 expulsion policy is scheduled for December 21 but supporters of the policy are still attempting to…

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Report

HUMAN RIGHTS STAIN, PUBLIC HEALTH FARCE

December 15, 2022

Evasion of Asylum Law and Title 42 Abuse Must End— and Never Be Revived   For nearly two years, the Biden administration has wielded the Trump administration’s Title…

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Campaigns

REFUGEES RENEW AMERICA

December 15, 2022

The United States is a nation of immigrants and refugees. People fleeing violence and persecution come to America because it stands as a beacon of…

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Press

Senate Must Protect Dreamers Without Denying Asylum-Seeking Refugees Protection

December 5, 2022

NEW YORK – With reports today in the Washington Post stating “that Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have reached an agreement on…

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Press

After Documenting Abuses at ICE Berks Detention Center, PHR and Human Rights First Welcome Biden Administration Decision to Close Facility

December 2, 2022

NEW YORK – Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and Human Rights First welcome reports that the Biden administration will end a contract with the Berks…

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Letter

Joint Letter to Biden administration to End Title 42

November 22, 2022

November 22, 2022   Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President of the United States   Dear President Biden: With a federal court striking down the…

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Press

Human Rights First Celebrates Block of Title 42 Ban

November 15, 2022

WASHINGTON – With a federal district court judge ruling that Title 42 – a Trump-era policy used by the Biden administration to block and expel…

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Statement

Addressing the Human Rights Implications of Climate Change Displacement

November 14, 2022

Submission by Human Rights First to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Climate Change This document has been…

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Blog

Calls for Solidarity as Attacks on Colin Harvey Intensify

November 4, 2022

By Brian Dooley I warned back in January that social media attacks against prominent Northern Ireland human rights academic Professor Colin Harvey could escalate, and…

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Fact Sheet

Rushed Timelines, Inadequate Access to Legal Representation Impede Meaningful Opportunity to Seek Asylum Under New Asylum Processing Rule

October 21, 2022

On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began implementing a new asylum process, pursuant to an Interim Final Rule (referred to as…

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Press

Over 100 groups decry linking Venezuelan parole plan to Title 42

October 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Biden administration’s announcement expanding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) use of Title 42 expulsions against Venezuelans to accompany a…

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Letter

NGO Letter Responding to Expansion of Title 42 Expulsions for Venezuelans

October 14, 2022

Dear Secretary Mayorkas: We, the undersigned organizations committed to the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, write to express our deep disappointment and shock at…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Safe Pathway for Venezuelans, Expresses Grave Concerns about Potential Expanded Use of Title 42

October 12, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC — With news reports that the administration is planning a humanitarian parole program for Venezuelans, Human Rights First looks forward to more information…

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Blog

Barriers and Backlog

October 3, 2022

Asylum Office Delays Continue to Cause Harm By Cora Wright, Legal Fellow, Refugee Protection & Refugee Representation  Nony (a pseudonym) has been waiting for an…

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Press

U.S. Government Must Process Refugee Admissions to Meet Refugee Cap for FY ‘23

September 28, 2022

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Biden administration announced the Fiscal Year 2023 Presidential Determination, setting a goal of admitting and resettling 125,000 refugees over the next…

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Blog

A Year After Del Rio, Haitian Asylum Seekers Expelled Under Title 42 Are Still Suffering

September 22, 2022

It’s been a year since the U.S. government launched its “comprehensive strategy” that resulted in the mass expulsion of Haitian asylum seekers at the U.S.…

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Fact Sheet

Treat People Seeking U.S. Refuge with Dignity, Not as Political Pawns

September 21, 2022

Recommendations to Congress, the Biden Administration, State and Local Governments In recent weeks, some state governors have used the transportation of migrants and asylum seekers…

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Fact Sheet

Upholding President Biden’s Asylum Commitments

September 20, 2022

18-Month Progress Checklist Since February 2021 Executive Order It has been more than one-and-a-half years since President Biden issued his February 2, 2021 Executive Order,…

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Press

Flawed Expedited Removal Denies Refugees Asylum Hearings

September 19, 2022

NEW YORK – As the Biden administration steps up the use of expedited removal, Human Rights First released a new report, “Pretense of Protection: Biden…

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Press

Human Rights First Honors World Refugee Day

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON - On World Refugee Day, Human Rights First recognizes both the enormous hardships that displaced people around the world continue to face and their…

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Press

On World Refugee Day, Evacuate Our Allies Calls on Congress, Biden Administration to Protect Afghan Refugees

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON – To commemorate World Refugee Day, the Evacuate Our Allies coalition (EOA) calls on Congress and the Biden administration to protect Afghan refugees by passing an…

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Press

Administration Safeguards Afghans from Returning to Danger

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Human Rights First welcomes the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to assure that Afghan nationals who worked with the…

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Press

Corte Federal Obliga la Continuación del Título 42

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. - Human Rights First desaprueba la decisión del 23 de mayo de un juez federal de impedirle al gobierno federal terminar con la…

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Press

Federal Court Forces Continuation of Title 42

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First is deeply disheartened by a federal judge’s ruling enjoining the federal government from ending the disastrous Title 42 policy on…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Recission of Trump-era Metering Directives, Calls for Asylum to Be Upheld

September 19, 2022

WASHINGTON — As the Biden administration restarts non-essential border travel on Monday, Human Rights First welcomes recission of Trump-era “metering” directives, which illegally turned away people seeking…

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Topics

XENOPHOBIA

September 19, 2022

Rising xenophobia against minorities, refugees, and Muslims is a pressing human rights challenge. In both Europe and the United States, xenophobic rhetoric and hate crimes…

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Press

Human Rights First Mourns the Loss of Judge Robert Katzmann

September 19, 2022

Katzmann was a chief federal appeals judge and access to counsel advocate WASHINGTON — Former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the…

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Topics

SYRIAN REFUGEES

September 19, 2022

The United States should lead a global effort to protect Syrian refugee families fleeing conflict and terrorism. The world is facing the largest refugee crisis…

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Press

Human Rights First Releases Walking the Talk

September 19, 2022

2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy WASHINGTON – Today Human Rights First released Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy, a series…

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Press

New Report Documents Devastating Toll of Court-ordered Reimplementation of Remain in Mexico

September 15, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC -- A new report, Fatally Flawed: “Remain in Mexico” Policy Should Never Be Revived, finds that asylum seekers subjected to the court-ordered reimplementation…

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Fact Sheet

Inadequate Access to Legal Representation, Rushed Timelines Impede Meaningful Opportunity to Seek Asylum Under New Asylum Processing Rule

September 14, 2022

On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began implementing an Interim Final Rule (referred to as the “Asylum Processing Rule,” or APR)…

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Report

Fatally Flawed

September 13, 2022

“Remain in Mexico” Policy Should Never Be Revived On August 8, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the end of the Trump-era “Remain…

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Press

Human Rights First Honors Three Law Firms with the 2022 Marvin E. Frankel Award for Pro Bono Service

August 31, 2022

NEW YORK — Human Rights First today announced that three law firms will be honored with the Marvin E. Frankel Award for Pro Bono Service: Greenberg…

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Testimony

U.S. policies and practices subjecting LGBTQ asylum seekers to human rights violations, arbitrary detention in often life-threatening conditions, and denials of and delays in refugee protection

August 22, 2022

Submission of Human Rights First to the United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity This…

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Blog

Dobbs Restricts Access to Abortion Services for Asylum Seekers, Represses Reproductive Rights

August 18, 2022

By Ryan Huynh, Intern, Refugee Representation   Late last month, the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs that overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped hundreds of…

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Letter

Asylum Processing Rule Recommendations

August 12, 2022

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Director Rossi, and Director Jaddou: The undersigned immigrant and refugee advocacy and legal services organizations are dedicated to expanding access to legal…

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Blog

LGBTQ Asylum Seekers Still Facing Grave Dangers Due to Title 42

August 12, 2022

By Teodoro Garcia, Intern, Refugee Protection This week, the Biden administration announced the end of “Remain in Mexico,” a policy that forced migrants and asylum…

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Press

Evacuate Our Allies Urges Swift Passage of Afghan Adjustment Act

August 10, 2022

WASHINGTON – As the one-year anniversary of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan nears, members of the House of Representatives yesterday joined United States senators…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes DHS Moves to Again Wind Down Remain in Mexico Policy

August 9, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC – Human Rights First applauds last night’s announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that it will take quick and orderly steps to end the…

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Press

Human Rights First Celebrates the Senate Passage of a Clean Inflation Reduction Act

August 8, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This weekend, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a historic package that will lower healthcare costs for American families and…

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Fact Sheet

CERD: US Discrimination Against Black Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers at the Border and Beyond

August 8, 2022

US Discrimination Against Black Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers at the Border and Beyond Since the CERD Committee last reviewed the US in 2014, the…

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Report

Pretense of Protection

August 3, 2022

Biden Administration and Congress Should Avoid Exacerbating Expedited Removal Deficiencies  The expedited removal process Congress created permits border officers to order the deportation of certain…

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Blog

Taking on Policies that Harm Human Rights Defenders at the Border

August 2, 2022

By Cora Wright, Legal Fellow, Refugee Protection and Refugee Representation A few weeks ago, a Mexican cartel in Nuevo Laredo kidnapped Baptist Pastor Lorenzo Ortiz,…

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Report

NGO Shadow Report on anti-Black US Immigration Practices Submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

July 22, 2022

This Shadow Report is submitted for the combined tenth, eleventh, and twelfth periodic review of the United States (“US”) by the Committee on the Elimination…

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Letter

Immediate Actions that the Biden Administration Should Take to Prevent Further Harm under Remain in Mexico Following the Supreme Court Decision

July 20, 2022

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris: In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Biden v. Texas, which concluded that the Biden administration acted…

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Story

Refugee Voices – Kani From Turkey

July 19, 2022

Protecting the persecuted is a core American ideal. At Human Rights First, we help asylum seekers who fled persecution and violence navigate the complex U.S.…

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Story

Refugee Voices – Awoke From Ethiopia

July 19, 2022

Protecting the persecuted is a core American ideal. At Human Rights First, we help asylum seekers who fled persecution and violence navigate the complex U.S.…

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Story

Refugee Voices – José From Colombia

July 18, 2022

Protecting the persecuted is a core American ideal. At Human Rights First, we help asylum seekers who fled persecution and violence navigate the complex U.S.…

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Letter

Letter on Amendments that Would Codify Title 42

July 15, 2022

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, Chairwoman DeLauro, and Ranking Member Granger, The undersigned civil society organizations write to express our grave concern regarding the…

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Fact Sheet

Rhetoric vs Reality: End Dangerous Narratives and Failed Policies, Restore Asylum at Ports of Entry

July 14, 2022

During the summer of 2022, in the wake of a court order continuing the Title 42 policy, asylum seekers remain blocked from seeking asylum at…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Governor Abbott’s Dangerous & Illegal Ploy to “Return” Asylum Seekers and Other Migrants to Ports of Entry

July 7, 2022

Calls on U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to take action to protect our immigration system. WASHINGTON, DC — Human Rights First expresses its outrage…

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Action

Represent Asylum Seekers

July 6, 2022

The right to seek asylum is a pillar of our nation’s immigration system and we work every day to keep it so. Asylum seekers are…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Supreme Court Ruling Permitting the End of Remain in Mexico, Calls for Immediate Suspension of Policy

June 30, 2022

WASHINGTON – In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Biden v. Texas, Human Rights First expresses its joy that the court rightfully found the Biden administration…

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Testimony

Ensuring Safety and Support for Human Rights Defenders of Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and Other Migrants Targeted by Illegal Pushback Policies, Extremist Attacks, and Harassment by Government Officials

June 27, 2022

Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns House Appropriators’ Inclusion of Asylum Ban in FY ‘23 DHS Appropriations Bill

June 24, 2022

Washington, DC – Human Rights First is outraged that the House of Representative Committee on Appropriations voted today to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 Department…

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Testimony

Meeting International Obligations to Welcome and Protect Refugees

June 24, 2022

Testimony of Kennji Kizuka Associate Director of Research and Analysis for Refugee Protection, Human Rights First Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, U.S. Congress “South Korea’s…

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Testimony

Restoring and Extending Protections in the United States for Displaced Persons Impacted by Climate Change

June 23, 2022

Submission by Human Rights First to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human…

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Fact Sheet

Human Rights First Celebrates our 2022 Pro Bono Star Award Winners

June 21, 2022

Human Rights First is proud to announce our 2022 Pro Bono Star Award winners. Following is a little background about these excellent pro bono attorneys…

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Report

The Nightmare Continues: Title 42 Court Order Prolongs Human Rights Abuses, Extends Disorder at U.S. Borders

June 16, 2022

Title 42 Court Order Prolongs Human Rights Abuses, Extends Disorder at U.S. Borders On May 23, 2022, the Title 42 policy was set to end.…

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Letter

Civil Society Letter on Immediate Actions to Mitigate the Harms of Title 42

June 8, 2022

Dear President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Director Walensky: The right to seek asylum in the United States is in peril. In spite of conflicting court…

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Issue Brief

Comment on “Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers”

May 31, 2022

Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration…

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Press

Corte Federal Obliga la Continuación del Título 42

May 26, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. - Human Rights First desaprueba la decisión del 23 de mayo de un juez federal de impedirle al gobierno federal terminar con la…

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Fact Sheet

USCIS Records Reveal Systemic Disparities in Asylum Decisions

May 18, 2022

Government records received by Human Rights First from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) asylum office through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request…

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Blog

Biden Administration Addresses Delays in Work Permit Renewals for Asylum Seekers

May 4, 2022

By Cora Wright, Legal Fellow, Refugee Protection and Refugee Representation In the United States, people who have fled persecution in their home countries and requested…

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Report

Extending Title 42 Would Escalate Dangers, Exacerbate Disorder, and Magnify Discrimination

April 27, 2022

In April 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that as of May 23, 2022, it would terminate the Title 42 order,…

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Press

Jailing of Asylum-Seekers Under Biden Administration Inflicting Trauma

April 21, 2022

NEW YORK – In a report released today, titled “I’m a Prisoner Here”: Biden Administration Policies Lock Up Asylum-Seekers, Human Rights First documents that the Department of Homeland…

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Report

“I’m a Prisoner Here”

April 21, 2022

Biden Administration Policies Lock Up Asylum Seekers Today, the United States operates the world’s largest immigration detention system—a system the Biden administration uses to jail…

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Blog

Erroneous Asylum Office Referrals Delay Refugee Protection, Add to Backlogs

April 19, 2022

By Cora Wright, Legal Fellow, Refugee Protection and Refugee Representation People seeking protection in the United States often wait years for a decision on their…

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Blog

The Polish Catholic Group Taking Risks to Help Refugees

April 15, 2022

By Brian Dooley Tucked away on the edge of a forest on the Polish side of the Poland-Belarus border is a cottage with a green…

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Press

Evacuate Our Allies Urges Extension of Ukrainian Parole Program to Afghans

April 13, 2022

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Press

Coalition Offers Recommendations for Resolving Afghan Crisis

April 13, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC – Evacuate Our Allies (EOA) today released a report that analyzes the humanitarian record of the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and provides recommendations to the…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Steps to Protect Ukrainians and Urges the Biden Administration to Honor its Promise to At-Risk Afghans

April 12, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – While Human Rights First welcomes reports of the establishment of a special parole program for Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression, the organization calls on the Biden…

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Blog

Poland’s Secret Heroes

April 11, 2022

By Brian Dooley For now, their real names must be kept hidden: locals along Poland’s border with Belarus who are secretly helping refugees in the…

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Press

Human Rights First Opposes Attempts to Codify Inhumane Title 42 Expulsion Policy

April 7, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Human Rights First opposes the Lankford-Sinema bill that would codify the misuse of Title 42 to illegally block and expel people seeking…

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Testimony

Examining Title 42 and the Need to Restore Asylum at the Border

April 6, 2022

Testimony of Kennji Kizuka Associate Director of Research and Analysis for Refugee Protection, Human Rights First U.S. House, Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border…

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Blog

From our FOIA of HRIFA Reports: Over 140,000 Asylum Seekers Detained Between 2015 and 2017

April 4, 2022

By Rebecca Gendelman, Senior Research and Policy Counsel, Refugee Protection The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) of 1998 requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Decision to End Title 42 Policy, Calls for Halt to Expulsions to Danger

April 1, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – After two years of steadfast advocacy, Human Rights First welcomes today’s decision by the Biden administration and the Centers for Disease Control…

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Blog

Faith and Bar Leaders Call for End to Detention and Deterrence Policies For Families Seeking Asylum

April 1, 2022

By Eleanor Acer U.S. faith leaders and the American Bar Association are calling on the Obama administration to end its detention of families and other…

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Press

New Asylum Rule Imposes Counterproductive Rocket Docket Adjudications that Threaten Accurate Asylum Decisions

March 24, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – In response to the new interim final rule issued today by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, Human Rights First welcomes…

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Blog

Biden Should Speak Out on Trans People Blocked from Leaving Ukraine

March 24, 2022

By Brian Dooley Liana Georgi is an activist with the Safe Bow organization, which helps people from marginalized groups fleeing to safety from Ukraine. It…

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Press

In Poland, Biden Must Meet NGOs and Refugees

March 23, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C.  – President Biden, scheduled to hold talks Friday with Polish government representatives in Warsaw, should meet with refugees and leaders of non-governmental organizations working…

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Press

Marking Two Years of Illegal, Inhumane Title 42 Expulsions: Nearly 10,000 Violent Attacks on Asylum Seekers and Migrants

March 17, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C.  – Human Rights First today released new findings on the grave and rising human rights abuses inflicted by the Title 42 policy under the…

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Fact Sheet

Two Years of Suffering: Biden Administration Continues Use of Discredited Title 42 Order to Flout Refugee Law

March 17, 2022

For two years, the U.S. government has illegally blocked and expelled people seeking refuge at the southern U.S. border despite U.S. laws and treaties created…

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Press

Human Rights First Responds to TPS Decision for Afghans

March 16, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Seven months after the fall of the elected government and the return of the Taliban, Human Rights First welcomes today’s announcement by…

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Fact Sheet

Ten Reasons to End the Title 42 Policy

March 11, 2022

March 20, 2022 will mark two years since the Trump administration began to use the Title 42 policy to block and expel to danger people…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls for Nominations for 2022 Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award

March 10, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Human Rights First announced a call for nominations for the 2022 Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award. Nominations are due…

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Letter

Letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris on Two Years of Title 42

March 10, 2022

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris: For nearly two years the U.S. government has ruthlessly blocked and expelled people seeking protection at the southern…

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Fact Sheet

Disinformation and Spin: Trump Administration Deploys Troops to Border, Paints Asylum Seekers and Attorneys as Threat

March 10, 2022

On March 6, 2020, as the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to freeze a February 28 ruling halting its forced return of asylum…

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Fact Sheet

Evacuate Our Allies Calls Out Biased Media Coverage of Forced Displacement

March 9, 2022

Against the backdrop of displacement crises in Afghanistan, the U.S.-Mexico border, and other areas, the differences in reporting are stark Following media coverage of the…

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Justice for Ukraine and the U.S. Government’s Anomalous Int’l Criminal Court Policy

March 9, 2022

The International Criminal Court's investigation of Russian war crimes in Ukraine should prompt the United States to set aside its idiosyncratic view about the court's…

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Press

Human Rights First Announces Addition of Inaugural Chief Legal Officer

March 8, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. Human Rights First is pleased to announce that Licha M. Nyiendo today joins the organization as its inaugural Chief Legal Officer. Her hiring is…

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Press

Court of Appeals blocks use of public health to expel families to danger

March 4, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. -- In the wake of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Hisha Huisha v. Mayorkas, Human Rights First calls on the…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Temporary Protected Status Designation for Ukrainians

March 3, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Human Rights First welcomes the Biden Administration's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for citizens of Ukraine and repeats calls for TPS for…

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Testimony

U.S. Asylum and Border Policies Resulting in Human Rights Violations

March 1, 2022

Human Rights First’s Submission for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants pursuant to…

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Testimony

Examining the Court-Ordered Reimplementation of the Remain in Mexico Policy

March 1, 2022

March 2, 2022 Human Rights First thanks the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations for holding a hearing on…

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Letter

Joint NGO Letter re: Further Delay in Rescinding Public Health Asylum Ban Rule

February 28, 2022

RE: Security Bars and Processing, DHS Docket No. USCIS 2020-0013 The 135 undersigned faith-based groups, national and local legal services providers, medical and public health…

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Blog

U.S. Should Spell Out How It Will Help Activists Needing to Flee Ukraine

February 27, 2022

By Brian Dooley The U.S. State Department assures us that “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to putting human rights and democratic principles at the center…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls on CDC to Rescind Title 42 Order After Easing COVID-19 Mask Mandates

February 25, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – With reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will soon ease its guidelines for COVID-19 mask mandates, Human Rights First reiterates its…

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Fact Sheet

The Opposite of Orderly and Humane: Use of Title 42 Spurs Disorder and Undermines Security

February 22, 2022

The Biden administration’s use of Trump administration policies to turn away people seeking protection along the southern border with Mexico is spurring disorder and escalating…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Opportunity for Supreme Court to Uphold the Biden Administration’s Authority to End Illegal “Remain in Mexico” Policy

February 18, 2022

WASHINGTON — Today, the Supreme Court granted the Biden administration’s request for expedited review of a lower court decision forcing it to reimplement the deadly Remain in Mexico policy…

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Blog

Black immigrants face unique challenges

February 17, 2022

By Reema Ghabra Black Immigrant and Refugee Equity (BIRE) Project Fellow Over the past twenty years, the Black immigrant population in the United States has…

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Press

Human Rights First Statement in Support of Designating Temporary Protected Status for Cameroon

February 17, 2022

Washington D.C. — In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis and armed conflicts in Cameroon, Human Rights First urges President Biden and Department of Homeland Security…

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Letter

Letter Requesting Creation of the Afghan Parole Program, a Designated Parole Program for At-Risk Afghans

February 15, 2022

Dear Secretary Mayorkas and Director Jaddou: We write on behalf of the undersigned legal services providers, resettlement agencies, law firms, law school clinics, and non…

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Press

Six Months After the Fall of Kabul, Veterans and Allies Call on Congress to Protect Afghan Refugees

February 14, 2022

Washington, D.C.—Today, on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, a group of military veterans and Afghan allies…

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Press

Immigrant Rights Organizations Call on Biden to Stop Expansion of Surveillance and End the Immigration Detention System as a Whole

February 9, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C. – Yesterday, Axios reported that the Biden administration is planning an expanded home confinement and curfew pilot program for immigrants seeking asylum or other…

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Fact Sheet

Restarting Orderly Process Critical to Managing Arrival of Asylum Seekers at Arizona Border

February 8, 2022

U.S. ports of entry have remained closed to requests for asylum throughout the pandemic, forcing some families and adults to cross the border between ports…

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Press

Human Rights First Opposes CDC’s Extension of Title 42

February 4, 2022

WASHINGTON D.C.– More than a year after President Biden’s Executive Order directing steps to restore asylum at the United States border, CBS News reports that the Centers for Disease…

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Letter

Letter to Biden/Harris on Expulsions of Venezuelan Asylum Seekers to Colombia

February 2, 2022

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris: We, the undersigned organizations committed to the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, write to express our serious…

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Fact Sheet

Fair, Timely, and Less-Traumatizing Asylum Process

January 25, 2022

The backlogs and delays at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Asylum Office and the immigration courts have reached new record highs, as long-standing…

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Fact Sheet

Recommendations to End Separation of Asylum-Seeking and Migrant Families

January 21, 2022

President Biden’s February 2, 2021 Executive Order 14011 (“Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families”) created an Interagency Task Force on the…

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Testimony

For the Rule of Law, An Independent Immigration Court

January 19, 2022

Statement for the Record of Human Rights First U.S. House, Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship January 20, 2022 Human Rights First…

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Report

A Shameful Record: Biden Administration’s Use of Trump Policies Endangers People Seeking Asylum

January 13, 2022

Biden Administration’s Use of Trump Policies Endangers People Seeking Asylum Now nearly one year into President Biden’s term, his administration continues to implement and expand…

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Fact Sheet

The Biden Administration at One Year: Urgent Recommendations for Upholding U.S. Refugee Law, Restoring Asylum, and Saving Lives

January 13, 2022

One year after President Biden took office, his administration has taken steps to end some Trump administration policies that blocked refugees from asylum but has…

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Blog

Supporting Afghans even as they fade from the news

January 3, 2022

By Sophie Salmore Out of a combined 14,000-plus minutes of the national evening news broadcast on CBS, ABC, and NBC in 2020, just five minutes…

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Blog

The CDC’S Extension of the Title 42 Order: Misusing Public Health Authority

December 20, 2021

By: Diandra Coonghe, HRF Intern   Human Rights First Fall 2021 Communications Intern Diandra Coonghe is studying biological science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She prepared…

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Press

Human Rights First Leads Over 240 Organizations Calling on the Biden Administration to End Trump-Era Policies and Restart Asylum

December 17, 2021

WASHINGTON D.C. – In light of the Biden administration’s recent decision to expand the Remain in Mexico policy and deploy it in tandem with Title…

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Blog

“Nothing Humane About This Process”

December 16, 2021

Biden Administration Launches “Remain in Mexico” Revamp at El Paso Port of Entry By Julia Neusner, Ana Ortega Villegas The Biden administration began returning asylum…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration Poised to Eliminate Critical Safeguard Amid Escalating Reports of Erroneous Credible Fear Decisions

December 8, 2021

Across the country, non-profit legal services organizations and individual attorneys have received alarming recent reports of asylum seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and…

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Press

Human Rights First: Extended Title 42 Order Continues Trump’s Cruel, Baseless Policy, Endangers People Seeking Asylum

December 7, 2021

WASHINGTON – Coming at the same time that the Biden administration restarted Remain in Mexico, reports on Friday indicated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had…

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Press

Human Rights First Urges Biden Administration to Honor Promise to Permanently End Trump’s “Remain in Mexico”

December 2, 2021

WASHINGTON — In response to the Biden administration’s announcement today that it will restart the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as “Remain in Mexico,” in the…

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Letter

Joint NGO Letter on U.S. Compliance with Convention Against Torture Obligations

December 1, 2021

Dear Secretary Blinken, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, Chargé d’Affaires Moeling, and Ambassador Rice: We write to express deep concerns about reports that the Biden administration has submitted…

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Fact Sheet

Remain in Mexico Restart Threatens Safety of Attorneys and Humanitarian Workers

November 30, 2021

The Biden administration is taking steps to restart the Trump administration “Remain in Mexico” policy, officially dubbed the “Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP),” an illegal and…

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Letter

NGO Letter to DHS and USCIS on Employment Authorization for Asylum Seekers

November 17, 2021

Dear Secretary Mayorkas and Director Jaddou, We, the 75 undersigned organizations, write to urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to eliminate – rather than…

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Fact Sheet

Belarus-Poland Border: U.S. Should Stand for Human Rights and Human Lives

November 10, 2021

Over the last week, human rights challenges at the Belarus-Poland border have escalated, as Belarus pushes migrants and refugees toward the border and Poland sends…

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Press

“Fulfilling America’s Promise:” Paths to Safety for At-Risk Afghans

November 9, 2021

WASHINGTON — Concurrent with two days of virtual advocacy in Congress for the Afghan Adjustment Act and the continued evacuation of at-risk Afghans, Human Rights First, International Refugee…

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Report

Fulfilling America’s Promise: Options to Make U.S. Humanitarian Protection Pathways Viable for At-Risk Afghans

November 9, 2021

In a new report, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), InterAction, and Human Rights First lay out several options available to the Biden Administration to…

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Fact Sheet

Border Restrictions Lift, But Biden Administration Blocks Protection for Asylum Seekers and Children

November 8, 2021

On November 8, 2021, the Biden administration lifted restrictions on non-essential travel at the U.S.-Mexico border, allowing vaccinated individuals with “appropriate documentation” to enter the…

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Press

With Re-Termination of “Remain in Mexico,” Human Rights First Urges Permanent End to Inhumane Border Policies

October 29, 2021

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Biden administration today released companion memos to re-terminate the ill-named Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), or “Remain in Mexico,” a Trump-era policy…

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Fact Sheet

Recommendations for the Biden Administration: Upholding U.S. Refugee Law and Restoring Asylum

October 27, 2021

The Trump administration trampled on U.S. refugee laws and treaties, illegally turning away people seeking humanitarian protection and spurring disorder and chaos along the U.S.-Mexico…

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Press

New Report of Increasing Dangers Asylum Seekers Face as Biden Defends Use of Title 42 and Restarts MPP

October 21, 2021

WASHINGTON — A new report finds that dangers faced by asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border are mounting, documenting more than 7,000 kidnappings and other violent attacks against…

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Report

“Illegal and Inhumane”: Biden Administration Continues Embrace of Trump Title 42 Policy as Attacks on People Seeking Refuge Mount

October 21, 2021

Nine months after taking office, President Biden’s administration continues to embrace and defend, rather than end, the Trump administration’s “Title 42” policy, which misuses public…

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Letter

Title 42 is Not About Public Health. It’s About Exclusion.

October 21, 2021

by Paloma Delgado, former Human Rights First Intern   Using Title 42 to expel migrants and asylum seekers from the United States has never been…

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Letter

Legal Service Providers Joint Letter on MPP

October 19, 2021

Dear President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Mayorkas, and Attorney General Garland: The undersigned 73 legal services providers, law school clinics, and law firms, write…

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Letter

Human Rights First Comment on Asylum Process Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

October 18, 2021

Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration…

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Press

Human Rights First Urges Biden Administration to Re-terminate, Not Restart, Trump-Era “Remain in Mexico” Policy

October 15, 2021

NEW YORK — In response to reports that the Biden administration will relaunch the Remain in Mexico policy by mid-November if Mexico agrees, Human Rights First urges the…

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Press

Groups File Emergency Request to Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for Asylum Seekers Expelled to Danger

October 7, 2021

WASHINGTON — The Lowenstein Project at Yale Law School submitted today an emergency request for precautionary measures against the United States on behalf of asylum…

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Press

After Appeals Court Stay, Human Rights First Renews Call for Biden Administration to End Trump Expulsion Policy

October 1, 2021

NEW YORK – In the wake of an appeals court order yesterday, Human Rights First reiterated its calls for the Biden administration to stop defending the…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration Move to Eliminate Requests for Reconsideration Would Endanger Asylum Seekers, Deport Them to Persecution and Torture

October 1, 2021

On August 20, 2021, the Biden administration published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on asylum processes that would eliminate the life-saving protection of asylum…

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Fact Sheet

Draconian Deadline: Asylum Filing Ban Denies Protection, Separates Families

September 30, 2021

The one-year-filing deadline bar on asylum claims is a refugee ban. Enacted into law in 1996, the filing deadline bans asylum for any individual who…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Support for Afghans in Continuing Resolution

September 30, 2021

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First welcomed Congress’ inclusion of several provisions that will better support Afghans seeking safety in the United States in today’s passage of a…

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Press

New Report Documents Decades of Harm to Refugees on the Basis of a Technical Filing Requirement, Urgently Calls For Its Repeal

September 30, 2021

NEW YORK – Human Rights First today released a new report documenting the harms that the one-year filing deadline ban has inflicted on tens of thousands of refugees…

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Amicus Brief

5th Circuit Amicus Brief in State of Texas, State of Missouri v Biden: HRF Opposes MPP on the Merits

September 28, 2021

The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) also known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy was a humanitarian catastrophe: asylum seekers were murdered, raped, kidnapped, extorted, and…

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Letter

Civil and Human Rights Leaders Letter to President Biden on Haitian Expulsions

September 22, 2021

Dear President Biden, As leaders of civil rights and human rights organizations, we write at an inflection point for your Administration’s commitment to a humane…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration’s Dangerous Haitian Expulsion Strategy Escalates the U.S. History of Illegal and Discriminatory Mistreatment of Haitians Seeking Safety in the United States

September 21, 2021

On September 18, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a “comprehensive strategy” to expel thousands of Haitian and other asylum-seeking families and adults…

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Press

Randy Bregman to be Awarded First Global Accountability Guardian Award

September 20, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Randy Bregman was announced as the first recipient of Human Rights First’s new Global Accountability Guardian award. The organization honors Bregman’s career-long…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls on Biden Administration to Uphold the Law & End Title 42 Expulsions

September 20, 2021

WASHINGTON — As the Biden administration ramps up its expulsion of Haitians and making arbitrary distinctions between groups fleeing persecution and danger, Human Rights First…

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Letter

Joint Letter to President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas & AG Garland on Title 42

September 17, 2021

Dear President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Attorney General Garland: In the wake of multiple federal court decisions holding that your administration’s policies are likely unlawful,…

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Press

Human Rights First Urges Support for Afghan Allies In FY2022 Continuing Resolution

September 17, 2021

Washington — As Congress considers a Continuing Resolution for fiscal year 2022, Human Rights First today joined veteran, human rights, and refugee organizations in urging…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Court Order Blocking Illegal Expulsions of Asylum-Seeking Families

September 16, 2021

NEW YORK – Human Rights First today welcomed a federal court order blocking the Biden administration from expelling families to danger under the Title 42 policy, which uses…

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Fact Sheet

Any Version of “Remain in Mexico” Policy Would Be Unlawful, Inhumane, and Deadly

September 9, 2021

On August 24, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to stay a federal court ruling that orders the U.S government to re-implement the…

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Testimony

20 Years After 9/11: Rights-Based Policies for a New Era

September 9, 2021

  On September 11th, 2001, nineteen members of Al Qaeda used hijacked airplanes to murder almost three thousand people. Twenty years later, we are still living in the post-9/11 world. Shortly after the attacks, the…

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Letter

The Resurrection of Expedited Removal: Biden Administration Reverting to and Expanding Anti-Immigration Tactics

September 8, 2021

By Chloe Lowell, Human Rights First Intern   President Biden campaigned on a promise to reverse inhumane asylum policies, create fair processes, and welcome refugees…

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Press

Evacuate Our Allies Coalition Members Call for More Support for Afghanistan Evacuation

August 31, 2021

“The Biden administration’s August 31 deadline is not our deadline,” said veterans and advocates WASHINGTON — Today marks President Biden’s deadline for the end of operations…

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Press

Human Rights First Decries Supreme Court Decision on Cruel, Illegal “Remain in Mexico” Policy

August 25, 2021

WASHINGTON — Last night the Supreme Court denied the government’s request for an emergency stay in Biden v. Texas, failing to block the Texas district court injunction forcing the…

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Report

Human Rights Travesty: Biden Administration Embrace of Trump Asylum Expulsion Policy Endangers Lives, Wreaks Havoc

August 24, 2021

More than seven months since President Biden took office, the U.S. government continues to turn away and block people seeking protection at U.S. ports of…

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Press

New Report Finds Biden Administration’s Embrace of Title 42 Expulsions Leading to Human Rights Travesty

August 24, 2021

Research from Human Rights First Shows Kidnappings and Attacks Against Asylum Seekers Continue to Mount NEW YORK – Asylum seekers face horrific danger at the U.S.…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls For Full Evacuation of All Afghan Allies, Green Card Holders, & Americans Before the US Ends Mission

August 24, 2021

The President’s arbitrary timetable harms allies, veterans, and human rights WASHINGTON — In response to President Biden’s announcement today that the United States will withdraw…

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Press

Human Rights First and Sister NGOs File Amicus Brief Asking for Emergency Stay of Attempts to Reinstate MPP

August 23, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First, the Southern Poverty Law Center, American Immigration Council, and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies filed an amicus curiae — a friend of…

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Press

Human Rights First Expresses Concern on Some Proposed Asylum Changes

August 18, 2021

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First welcomed some changes included in a proposed asylum rule posted today by the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice, but expressed concerns…

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Press

Proposing Alternate ‘Remain in Mexico’ Raises Profound Human Rights Concerns

August 18, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First expressed its alarm and profound concern that the Biden administration is reportedly considering creating its own version of the notorious…

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Letter

Letter to President Biden on Expulsion Flights to Southern Mexico & Changes to Asylum Processing

August 13, 2021

Dear President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, Ambassador Rice, and Advisor Sullivan: We, the 95 undersigned organizations, write to express our profound disappointment at Secretary Mayorkas’s remarksyesterday…

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Press

Human Rights First Decries Biden’s New Expulsion Policy to Southern Mexico

August 12, 2021

Policy Adds New Layer to Biden Administration Use of Title 42 WASHINGTON — Human Rights First condemns the Biden administration’s new expulsions of asylum seekers…

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Letter

NGO Letter to Biden Administration Expressing Profound Disappointment in Continued Violations of Refugee Law

August 6, 2021

Dear President Biden: As the world marks the 70th anniversary of the Refugee Convention, our 178 faith-based, humanitarian, legal services, immigration, and human rights organizations…

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Blog

Great.com Talks with Human Rights First’s Jenna Gilbert

August 5, 2021

By Paloma Delgado, Human Rights First Intern   In an interview that streams this week on Great.com’s podcast, “Great Talks With…” Human Rights First’s Director…

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Press

Human Rights First: New Title 42 Order Continues Harmful Policy, Puts Asylum Seekers at Risk in Mexico

August 2, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First expressed grave concern about a new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) order issued today, based on Title 42 of U.S.…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Biden’s Administration Move to Expedite Family Removal

July 27, 2021

WASHINGTON – Last night, the Biden administration announced plans to subject certain families who enter the United States between ports of entry to the fundamentally flawed expedited…

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Fact Sheet

Assessment: U.S. Compliance with the Refugee Convention at its 70th Anniversary

July 27, 2021

As the world marks the 70th Anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention on July 28, 2021, the United States continues to flout its legal obligations…

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Blog

To Protect the Lives of LGBTQ Asylum Seekers, the Biden Administration Must Fully End Title 42

July 21, 2021

By Julia Neusner, Human Rights First Emem Maurus, Transgender Law Center   The Biden administration continues to misuse the Trump administration’s Title 42 policy to…

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Letter

Letter to DHS on Prolonged Detention of Asylum Seekers Following Guzman Chavez Ruling

July 21, 2021

Dear Secretary Mayorkas: We, the undersigned organizations and legal clinics, write to urge the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to ensure that people seeking protection…

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Press

Broad Coalition of Organizations Welcomes Arrival of First Afghan Allies, Calls for Full Evacuation to U.S. Territory

July 20, 2021

WASHINGTON – The State Department today confirmed that approximately 2,500 Afghans –  700 nationals who aided the U.S. war effort and their families – will be temporarily housed…

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Fact Sheet

Detaining People Seeking Protection: Inhumane, Unnecessary, and Wasteful

July 14, 2021

Jailing people seeking asylum protection in U.S. immigration detention centers is a cruel and costly mistake. Detention inflicts enormous physical and psychological harm, exacerbates trauma…

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Letter

Letter to DHS on Enforcement Priorities and Asylum Seekers

July 13, 2021

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, We, the undersigned organizations, write to urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop targeting…

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Letter

Letter re: Immediate Procedural Steps for Fair Treatment of Asylum Seekers Wrongfully Deported to Danger in Guatemala Under the “Asylum Cooperative Agreement” Program

July 9, 2021

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Secretary Blinken, and Attorney General Garland: The undersigned organizations urge this administration to take prompt and concrete action to address the harm…

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Press

New Report Shows Grave Dangers Asylum Seekers Face in Ciudad Juárez

July 8, 2021

NEW YORK — With reports that the Biden administration may extend the use of the Title 42 policy to illegally block and expel single adult asylum seekers from…

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Report

Disorderly and Inhumane: Biden Administration Continues to Expel Asylum Seekers to Danger While U.S. Border Communities Stand Ready to Welcome

July 8, 2021

In late June 2021, during a visit to El Paso, Vice President Kamala Harris affirmed that the Biden administration is “committed to ensuring that our…

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Press

Human Rights First: Evacuation to Central Asia Wrong Move for Afghan Allies

July 2, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First and Veterans for American Ideals strongly condemn the Biden administration’s decision to ask the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan…

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Letter

Letter to President Biden on reported Title 42 expulsion policy extension

June 30, 2021

Dear President Biden: We, the 109 undersigned organizations, write to express our alarm and disappointment that your administration is reportedly considering plans to continue to…

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Press

Rep. Moulton, Veterans and Afghan Interpreters Roll Out Plan to Evacuate Our Allies

June 24, 2021

WASHINGTON – As the U.S. quickly approaches the formal withdrawal date from Afghanistan, today, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Afghan allies who served with U.S. forces, and…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Further ‘Remain in Mexico’ Wind Down

June 22, 2021

More Needed to Protect Asylum Seekers Subjected to the Illegal Policy WASHINGTON — Today, the Biden administration indicated it would take additional steps that would…

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Report

Update: Grave Dangers Continue for Asylum Seekers Blocked In, Expelled to Mexico by Biden Administration

June 22, 2021

The Biden administration continues to expel and turn away asylum seekers to life-threatening dangers in Mexico without access to U.S. asylum protections guaranteed by domestic…

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Press

On World Refugee Day, Human Rights First Urges the Biden Administration to Restore U.S. Leadership in Refugee Protection

June 19, 2021

NEW YORK — On World Refugee Day, Human Rights First urges U.S. leaders and lawmakers to restart asylum, uphold refugee law, and restore U.S. leadership…

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Fact Sheet

Immigration Court Asylum Hearings Versus “Review” of Asylum Officers’ Decisions

June 17, 2021

Recent media reports and government documents indicate that the Biden administration may publish an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to create a new process for asylum…

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Letter

“A life in safety would not mean anything if my children were not here with me”: Joys and Trauma Persist for Refugees Separated from Their Families

June 17, 2021

Each weekday Josefina* prepares breakfast for her son, helps him begin his school day of remote learning, and greets her babysitter before heading off for…

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Letter

“We feel safe”: As Biden administration ends the Migrant Protection Protocols, asylum seekers included in the wind down experience security, stability, and joy in new lives in the United States

June 17, 2021

In February 2021, the Biden administration – following through on its campaign promises – announced an end to the Trump administration’s so-called Migrant Protection Protocols…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Step Toward Repairing the Asylum System

June 16, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First welcomed today’s decision by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to vacate rulings in Matter of A-B- and Matter of L-E-A-, a…

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Letter

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Rights of Migrants in the United States

June 15, 2021

Human Rights First’s Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants This submission…

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Press

Human Rights First Applauds Announcement for Central American Minors

June 15, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First welcomes the Biden administration’s announcement today of plans to expand the categories of persons who can petition to bring children to safety in…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls on Biden Administration to Prioritize Asylum Seekers and Human Rights in Harris Trip

June 8, 2021

WASHINGTON — As Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Mexican government leaders today, Human Rights First calls on the Biden administration to prioritize the restoration…

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Letter

NGO Letter to DOJ and DHS on Reported New Asylum Process

June 8, 2021

Dear Attorney General Garland and Secretary Mayorkas: As organizations that provide pro bono legal representation, assistance, and advocacy for individuals seeking asylum in the United…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls for Action to Fully End ‘Remain in Mexico’

June 2, 2021

WASHINGTON — Following the Department of Homeland Security’s issuance of a memorandum yesterday formally ending the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), Human Rights First called on the Biden administration…

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Press

Advocacy Groups Call on NATO Member States to Protect Afghan Civilians During Withdrawal of Forces

June 1, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Human Rights First and 16 partner organizations from seven countries published a letter calling on governments to act urgently to protect Afghan locally employed…

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Press

Human Rights First Concerned Biden Plan Risks New “Rocket Dockets” When It Should End Trump Asylum Policies

May 28, 2021

NEW YORK – Human Rights First expressed concerns that new Biden administration policies announced today risk undermining due process in asylum adjudications while the administration continues to…

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Press

The U.S. Must Deliver on its Commitment to Afghan Allies, Not Send Them to a Third Country

May 27, 2021

WASHINGTON — With the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan proceeding swiftly, the fate of more than 17,000 Afghans who served American forces and…

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Fact Sheet

Leading by Example or Undermining Protection: U.S. Compliance with the Refugee Convention at its 70th Anniversary

May 27, 2021

On July 28, 2021, the world will mark the 70th Anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. In the wake of World War II, the United…

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Press

Human Rights First Applauds Launch of Welcome With Dignity Campaign

May 26, 2021

NEW YORK — Today, Human Rights First joined the Welcome with Dignity Campaign, a coalition of dozens of organizations, activists, asylum seekers, and advocates that aims to ensure that…

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Letter

Politics, Not Public Health, is Responsible for Refugees’ Suffering

May 26, 2021

Last week, Human Rights First received a response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…

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Press

Human Rights First Leads Dozens of Organizations in Urging DHS to Improve Wind Down of “Remain in Mexico”

May 18, 2021

NEW YORK – Human Rights First and more than 50 faith-based, humanitarian, legal services, immigration, and human rights organizations and law school clinics today issued a…

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Letter

NGO Letter and Recommendations on MPP Wind Down

May 18, 2021

Dear Secretary Blinken, Attorney General Garland, and Secretary Mayorkas: Our faith-based, humanitarian, legal services, immigration, and human rights organizations and law school clinics welcome the…

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Blog

“They Lied to Us”: Biden Administration Continues to Expel, Mistreat Families Seeking Asylum

May 16, 2021

By Julia Neusner When Fernando* and his family arrived in Texas after a harrowing journey from El Salvador, they cried with relief. They’d left home…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration Title 42 Expulsions of Families and Adults to Nuevo Laredo Fuel Kidnappings and Endanger Lives

May 13, 2021

The Biden administration’s use of Title 42 to expel families and adults to extremely dangerous Nuevo Laredo in Tamaulipas, Mexico is contributing to already epidemic…

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Fact Sheet

Do Expedited Asylum Screenings and Adjudications at the Border Work?

May 6, 2021

Expedited processing of asylum requests at the border hinges on unfair and unrealistic expectations that people seeking asylum, who on arrival at the border are…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls on Biden Administration to Center Justice and Accountability in Next 100 Days

April 30, 2021

NEW YORK — Today marks one hundred days of President Biden’s administration. While the Biden presidency has brought some needed progress, the administration has considerable…

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Fact Sheet

Fully End the Migrant Protection Protocols: Ensure Safety for All Subjected to Horrific Policy

April 29, 2021

As the Biden administration winds down the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), it has not yet included in this process asylum-seeking families and adults whose cases…

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Press

Human Rights First Raises Concerns Over Bipartisan Border Solutions Act

April 23, 2021

WASHINGTON — The Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, introduced yesterday by Senators John Cornyn (R- TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Tony…

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Press

New Report Finds Continued Use of Illegal Trump Border Policy Endangers Asylum Seekers

April 20, 2021

WASHINGTON — Asylum seekers continue to face grave danger at the southern border as the Biden administration extends the Trump administration’s misuse of Title 42 public…

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Report

Failure to Protect: Biden Administration Continues Illegal Trump Policy to Block and Expel Asylum Seekers to Danger

April 20, 2021

For more than a year, the U.S. government has misused public health authority to expel and block families, adults, and children seeking refuge at the…

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Report

Fracaso de Protección: La Administración Biden Continúa con la Política Ilegal de Trump de Bloquear y Expulsar a los Solicitantes de Asilo al Peligro

April 20, 2021

Durante más de un año, el gobierno de Estados Unidos ha abusado de la autoridad de salud pública para expulsar y bloquear a familias, adultos…

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Press

Human Rights First Disappointed by President Biden Using Trump’s Limit on Refugee Admissions

April 16, 2021

WASHINGTON — Today, the Biden administration announced it would keep the refugee admissions number at 15,000, a level set by the previous administration, walking back…

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Letter

Letter to Attorney General and DHS Secretary on Asylum System Reforms

April 15, 2021

Dear Attorney General Garland and Secretary Mayorkas: In the wake of recent reports that the Biden administration is considering systemic asylum reforms, we write to…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls on Biden Administration to Center Human Rights in Withdrawal of Troops from Afghanistan

April 14, 2021

NEW YORK – Today, President Biden announced that the United States would withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan, completing the military exit by the 20th…

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Report

“I am in limbo:” Our New Report on the Asylum Backlog and how the Biden Administration Should Resolve it

April 12, 2021

Family separation takes many forms in the U.S. immigration system. By the time public outcry forced the Trump Administration to halt its explicit family separation…

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Press

Human Rights First Finds Asylum Seekers Waiting Years in USCIS Backlog Which Delays Safety and Integration for Refugees

April 9, 2021

WASHINGTON ––  As the Biden administration works to strengthen and enhance the capacity of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Asylum Division to provide…

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Report

Protection Postponed: Asylum Office Backlogs Cause Suffering, Separate Families, and Undermine Integration

April 8, 2021

The Biden Administration has inherited a large and growing backlog of asylum claims. As of September 2020, more than 386,000 applications were awaiting adjudication by the Asylum…

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Fact Sheet

Swift Action to Improve Fairness and Enable Timely Asylum Hearings in Immigration Courts

April 6, 2021

The United States is capable of welcoming with dignity children, families, and adults seeking protection at the U.S.-Mexico border. The challenges at the border today…

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Blog

Title 42: The Cruel Trump Policy Continuing Under Biden

March 31, 2021

Joe Biden’s election brought cheers from refugee and immigration advocates everywhere. It meant an end to Trump’s cruel, far-ranging effort to prevent refugees from seeking…

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Letter

NGO Letter to Biden Administration on Recent Asylum Statements and Actions

March 30, 2021

Dear President Biden, The United States led efforts to draft the Refugee Convention in the wake of World War II and, in the Refugee Act…

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Blog

That Crisis at the Border? Unethical Reporting

March 22, 2021

This weekend, it was unsurprising to find yet another story from a mainstream media outlet – this time, the Washington Post – declaring a “crisis”…

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Letter

Letter to DHS and the State Department on the MPP Wind Down Process

March 12, 2021

Dear Secretaries Mayorkas and Blinken: Our faith-based, humanitarian, legal services, immigration, and human rights organizations and law school clinics welcome the administration’s initial steps to…

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Letter

NGO Letter to HHS and CDC on Orders Authorizing Border Expulsions

February 22, 2021

Dear Acting Secretary Cochran and Director Walensky: As organizations that represent and advocate for migrants, refugees, and immigrant children as well as organizations committed to…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Admission of First Asylum Seekers Forced to “Remain in Mexico” After Two Years of Danger and Delay

February 19, 2021

WASHINGTON — Today, Human Rights First welcomed the news that the first asylum seekers stranded in Mexico under former President Trump’s cruel and illegal Migrant…

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Letter

NGO Letter Urging DHS to Reject Use of Expedited Removal

February 16, 2021

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Our undersigned faith-based, immigration, civil rights, and human rights organizations urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reject the use of…

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Letter

NGO Letter to Biden Administration Welcoming Asylum Executive Order, Urging Swift Rescission of Harmful Policies

February 9, 2021

Dear President Biden: The executive orders your administration issued last week are welcome initial steps toward ending the illegal and inhumane asylum and border policies…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Executive Order to Restore Refugee Admissions

February 4, 2021

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced today an executive order that demonstrates that the United States is serious about addressing the global refugee crisis, climate-induced…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes First Steps to Repair Damage to Asylum System

February 2, 2021

Urgent Action Still Needed to Transit Vulnerable People to Safety in the U.S. WASHINGTON – Human Rights First welcomed President Biden’s executive orders and announcement of…

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Press

NGO Letter to Biden Administration Urging End to Misuse of Title 42 Public Health Authority

February 2, 2021

Dear President Biden: We write to urge your administration to immediately end the misuse of Title 42 public health authority to illegally and inhumanely expel…

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Letter

Illegal Pushbacks by the United States of People Seeking Refugee Protection

February 1, 2021

Human Rights First’s Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants pursuant to…

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Press

After Two Years, Biden Must End Migrant Protection Protocols and Bring Asylum Seekers Swiftly to Safety

January 29, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today marks the second anniversary of the Trump administration’s so-called “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), also known as “Remain in Mexico,” which forced thousands of…

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Fact Sheet

Recommendations for Biden Administration: Welcoming the Persecuted, Restoring Order, and Upholding Asylum Law, Refugee Treaties and Values

January 25, 2021

The Trump administration destroyed the U.S. asylum system, trampled on refugee laws and treaties, and spurred chaos and disorder at the border. Through that administration’s…

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Fact Sheet

Recommendations to End “Remain in Mexico” and Bring People Seeking Protection Safely into the United States

January 25, 2021

On January 20, 2021, the Biden Administration announced the “suspension of new enrollments ” in the so-called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) also known as “Remain…

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Press

Human Rights First and Scores of NGOs and Legal Clinics File Amicus Brief In Support of Overturning “Remain in Mexico” Policy

January 22, 2021

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First, the National Immigration Law Center (“NILC”), and Sidley Austin LLP today filed an amicus curiae—friend of the court—brief at the U.S. Supreme Court…

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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes the End of the Xenophobic Muslim, African Bans

January 20, 2021

WASHINGTON –– Today, President Joe Biden, in one of his first acts as president reversed the Trump administration’s ban on immigrants and refugees from Muslim-majority…

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Press

Human Rights First: Congress Should Act Quickly to Legislate Protections for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

January 20, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First welcomed a legislative proposal from President Biden that would begin to repair the damage done to the U.S. immigration and…

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Press

Biden Administration’s One Year Anniversary: Suffering Inflicted by Border Policy Hits New Record

January 13, 2021

WASHINGTON – Nearly one year into President Biden’s term, a new report released by Human Rights First finds that his administration’s use of the Trump Title 42 policy…

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Letter

“We Need Someone to See Us”: To Save Lives, the Biden Administration Should Quickly Restore Refugee Protection

January 13, 2021

Ana and Jorge, an Afro-Cuban couple, were kidnapped soon after U.S. border officers expelled them to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico in 2020. They’d crossed the border…

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Fact Sheet

Chaos, Cruelty, & Illegality: The Trump Administration’s Record on Asylum

January 12, 2021

The Trump administration’s record on asylum is one of destruction, disorder, and blatant violations of refugee laws enacted by Congress. Its policies punish people seeking…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls for Revocation of New Rule That Uses COVID-19 as Pretext to Deny Asylum and Other Protection

December 22, 2020

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First urges immediate rescission of a new regulation to be published tomorrow by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice that…

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Lawsuit

Human Rights First v. Wolf

December 22, 2020

Suing to Protect the Rights of Asylum Seekers In its final days, the  Trump administration published a sweeping regulation that will makes it nearly impossible…

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Press

Human Rights First Files to Fight Rule that Guts Asylum Protection

December 21, 2020

WASHINGTON — Today, Human Rights First, alongside counsel at Williams & Connolly, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s sweeping new anti-refugee regulation, which will gut…

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Report

Humanitarian Disgrace: U.S. Continues to Illegally Block, Expel Refugees to Danger

December 16, 2020

The Trump Administration continues to break U.S. laws and treaty obligations that protect refugees from persecution, returning to danger people seeking protection at the southern…

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Press

Humanitarian Disgrace: Human Rights First Blasts Ongoing Human Rights Abuses in U.S. Policies Targeting Asylum Seekers

December 16, 2020

WASHINGTON – In a new report, Human Rights First details the disgraceful abuse of the human rights of refugees at the U.S. southern border. The Trump…

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Press

Rule to Block Asylum Seekers From Protection Finalized in Last Days of Trump Administration

December 15, 2020

Final rule creates virtually insurmountable barriers for asylum seekers to apply for and be granted humanitarian protection WASHINGTON  —  A final rule that will result in refugees…

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Fact Sheet

Use of Public Health as Pretext to Ban and Block Refugees

December 15, 2020

Over objections of senior Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts and following instructions by Trump Administration officials, the CDC issued a highly flawed…

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Press

Human Rights First Statement on Human Rights Day 2020

December 10, 2020

NEW YORK – On December 10, 1948, nations from around the world formally adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document imbued with…

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Press

Trump Administration Enacts Rule Gutting Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

December 10, 2020

WASHINGTON – In the waning days of the current administration, the Trump U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have rammed through a sweeping final…

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Blog

Bringing the Fight for Refugee Rights to SCOTUS

November 19, 2020

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Fact Sheet

Cameroonian Asylum Seekers Increasingly Detained, Denied Asylum Under Trump Administration

November 6, 2020

Between fiscal years (FY) 2010 and 2019, more than three-quarters of Cameroonian asylum seekers (76 percent on average) were granted asylum in U.S. immigration courts.…

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Story, Updates

Government Records Shed Light on Illegal Expulsions of Asylum Seekers and Children

October 30, 2020

Human Rights First has received previously undisclosed records that reveal how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been carrying out illegal expulsions of asylum…

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Press

Customs and Border Protection Report Reveals Systemic Lies to Asylum Seekers and American Public

October 30, 2020

WASHINGTON — A new investigation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Ofhttps://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/OIG-21-02-Oct20.pdffice of the Inspector General (OIG) today revealed systemic disinformation given to asylum seekers seeking…

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Letter

The Flores Settlement and Family Incarceration: A Brief History and Next Steps

October 30, 2020

The Flores Settlement Agreement is a court settlement, in place for over two decades, that has set limits on the length of time and conditions…

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Letter

Public Comment Opposing Proposed Rules on Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal

October 23, 2020

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Press

Human Rights First Decries New Rules to Limit Asylum Eligibility

October 21, 2020

Rules would create sweeping new categorical bars to asylum and eliminate rules intended to ensure refugee families are not separated WASHINGTON  — Human Rights First…

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Press

Human Rights First Celebrates Human Rights Defenders, Pro Bono Lawyers Working for Refugees

October 19, 2020

NEW YORK – As threats to democracy and human rights remain on the rise and more people are displaced than at any time in history, Human Rights…

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Press

Human Rights First Releases Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy

October 19, 2020

WASHINGTON – Today Human Rights First released Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy, a series of policy “blueprints” outlining…

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Press

Human Rights First Statement on Historically Low Refugee Admittance

October 1, 2020

Delivering report at the 11th hour, Trump sets the lowest number ever for refugee resettlement WASHINGTON — Late last night the Trump administration announced in a…

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Fact Sheet

The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program, 2009-2020

October 1, 2020

A factsheet on the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program from 2009-2020 Read More

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Fact Sheet

How the Trump Administration’s Refugee Policies Harm Our Iraqi Wartime Allies

October 1, 2020

U.S.-Affiliated Iraqis and the Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Program The Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program was created for Iraqis who were employed in…

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Letter

Comment on Proposed Immigration Court Appellate Rules

September 25, 2020

September 25, 2020 Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Notice of…

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Press

Human Rights First Decries Proposed Rules Designed to Put Pressure on Asylum Seekers, Limit Eligibility

September 23, 2020

WASHINGTON  — Human Rights First expressed its strong opposition to another proposed rule for the U.S. processing of asylum claims, slated to be issued on September 23,…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls for Investigation into Whistleblower Complaint of Medical Negligence at Immigration Detention Facility in Georgia

September 15, 2020

HRF renews calls for immigrants to be released from detention during the pandemic  WASHINGTON — Human Rights First today called for investigations into a whistleblower’s…

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Letter

Comment on Proposed Security Bars and Processing

August 10, 2020

August 10, 2020 Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office…

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Press

Leading Public Health Experts Gravely Concerned About New Proposal to Deny Asylum

August 6, 2020

Experts including epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists find that Trump administration’s rationale for proposed rule denying refugees protection is a misuse of science and public…

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Press

Human Rights First Denounces New Fees for Asylum in the United States

July 31, 2020

WASHINGTON — While the Trump administration continues to block many refugees from asylum in this country, Human Rights First condemns the new final rule requiring asylum seekers to…

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Fact Sheet

New Asylum Ban, Recycled Pretext: Proposed Rule Would Illegally, Unjustly Bar Many Asylum Seekers on Public Health Grounds

July 29, 2020

Asserting specious public health justifications, a sweeping new rule proposed by the Trump administration on July 9, 2020 would expand and make permanent the administration’s…

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Fact Sheet

Some Considerations and Resources for People Considering Leaving Hong Kong to Seek Asylum

July 23, 2020

Caution: Before departing to seek asylum abroad, you should try to speak with an attorney that specializes in refugee and immigration law in the country…

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Press

U.S. Executive Order is Unlikely to Help Hong Kong Refugees

July 15, 2020

WASHINGTON — While the president last night called on U.S. agencies to reallocate refugee resettlement slots to residents of Hong Kong in his executive order on Hong Kong…

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Press

New Report Details Transit Ban Asylum Denials and Family Separations, Proposed Rule Would Revive Illegal Ban Despite Court Rulings

July 15, 2020

WASHINGTON – A year since the Trump administration’s third-country transit asylum ban was issued, this ban has caused the United States to deny asylum to…

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Report

Asylum Denied, Families Divided: Trump Administration’s Illegal Third-Country Transit Ban

July 15, 2020

One year ago, on July 16, 2019, the Trump administration issued a rule barring asylum for virtually all refugees who travel through another country on…

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Fact Sheet

Comment on Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Review

July 15, 2020

Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in…

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Letter

Michael Breen on the proposed June 15th Asylum Regulation

July 9, 2020

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Press

Trump Administration Expands Public Health Pretext to Block Asylum-Seekers

July 8, 2020

New proposed rules paradoxically ban people from places with high incidence of COVID-19, even as the United States leads the world in number of cases…

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Press

The Second Trump Asylum Ban Has Been Defeated in Court

July 1, 2020

Washington, D.C. – On June 30, Judge Timothy Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down President Trump’s second asylum…

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Press

Human Rights First Decries Erosion of Protections for Asylum-Seekers in Supreme Court Ruling

June 25, 2020

WASHINGTON – In its decision today in Department of Homeland Security v. Thuraissigiam, a majority of the Supreme Court ruled that asylum seekers placed in expedited removal…

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Testimony

Statement for the Record of Human Rights First on Customs and Border Protection Oversight

June 24, 2020

U.S. Senate, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing on Customs and Border Protection Oversight June 25, 2020 Thank you for the opportunity to…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Rule Keeping Asylum-Seekers from Work Authorization

June 22, 2020

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First condemns the Trump administration’s new rule, slated to be issued on June 26, banning and delaying legal work authorizations for most asylum…

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Press

Human Rights First Urges U.S. to Reassert Global Leadership in Protecting the Rights of Refugees

June 20, 2020

WASHINGTON – On World Refugee Day, Human Rights First calls on U.S. leaders and policymakers to restore U.S. leadership in protecting the human rights of refugees:…

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Letter

CBP Blocking “Migrant Protection Protocols” Fear Screenings

June 20, 2020

Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Acting Commissioner Morgan: We write to express our urgent concern that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Rule that Seeks to Re-Write Refugee Laws, Eliminate Asylum

June 11, 2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have proposed a new rule, slated to be issued on Monday, June 15, which would…

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Fact Sheet

Grant Rates Plummet as Trump Administration Dismantles U.S. Asylum System, Blocks and Deports Refugees

June 11, 2020

On June 10, 2020, the Trump Administration proposed an expansive, new regulation that, if implemented, would eviscerate asylum protections for the vast majority of people…

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Press

Human Rights Groups Urge Administration to Restore Legally-Required Humanitarian Protections at U.S. Border

May 27, 2020

WASHINGTON – In a letter sent today to the heads of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

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Letter

Indefinite Suspension of Protections for Asylum Seekers and Unaccompanied Children Under May 19, 2020 Order by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

May 27, 2020

May 27, 2020 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Redfield: Our 262 legal, faith-based, humanitarian, human rights, and community organizations, many of which advocate on…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Extension of CDC Order that Effectively Ends Asylum

May 19, 2020

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First denounced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) indefinite extension today of its much-criticized order that has used the…

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Press

Human Rights First Calls for Nominations for 29th Annual Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award

May 18, 2020

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First today announced that nominations are now open for the 2020 Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award. Nominations for the…

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Letter

Public Health Measures to Safely Manage Asylum Seekers and Children at the Border

May 15, 2020

The United States has the ability to both safeguard public health in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and safeguard the lives of families, adults,…

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Fact Sheet

Public Health Measures to Safely Manage Asylum Seekers and Children at the Border

May 15, 2020

The United States has the ability to both safeguard public health in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and safeguard the lives of families, adults,…

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Press

With Asylum Effectively Blocked at Southern Border, Those Seeking Safety Face Escalating Violence, Punishing Conditions

May 13, 2020

WASHINGTON – As the Acting Secretary for the Department Homeland Security (DHS) travels to points along the U.S. border with Mexico this week, the Trump…

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Report

Pandemic as Pretext: Trump Administration Exploits COVID-19, Expels Asylum Seekers and Children to Escalating Danger

May 13, 2020

The Trump Administration is exploiting the coronavirus crisis to pursue its long-held goal of preventing refugees from seeking and receiving humanitarian protection in the United…

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Fact Sheet

Is Honduras Safe for Refugees and Asylum Seekers?

May 1, 2020

On May 1, 2020, the Trump administration published an agreement signed with Honduras in September 2019, that purports to allow the United States to transfer…

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Press

Human Rights First Warns Against Implementation of Honduras Asylum Agreement During Pandemic

April 30, 2020

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Department of Homeland Security published the United States’ “asylum cooperative agreement,” agreement with Honduras – a move that may signal plans to move…