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We found 1052 results for "Seeking Asylum"

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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Statement

Statement for the Record: “Every State is a Border State: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis” 

March 2, 2023

Statement for the Record of Human Rights First On House Committee on Homeland Security “Every State is a Border State: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis”  Human Rights First is…

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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration’s Proposed Asylum Ban: Illegal, Inhumane, and No Solution

February 23, 2023

On February 23, 2023, the Biden administration published a proposed rule that would illegally ban many refugees from seeking asylum in the United States and deprive…

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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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Statement

Statement for the Record of Human Rights First On House Committee on Oversight and Accountability “On The Front Lines of the Border Crisis: A Hearing with Chief Patrol Agents”

February 7, 2023

Human Rights First is alarmed at the scale and dangers presented by orchestrated rhetoric that paints migrants and people seeking asylum at the U.S. border…

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Statement for the Record of Human Rights First On House Judiciary Committee “Biden’s Border Crisis – Part One”

February 1, 2023

OVERVIEW Human Rights First is alarmed at the scale and dangers presented by orchestrated rhetoric that paints migrants and people seeking asylum at the U.S.…

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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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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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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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Fact Sheet

Biden Administration Detains Women Seeking Safety and Separates Them From Their Families

December 1, 2022

Conversations with Women Incarcerated at ICE Berks Detention Center In September 2021, the Biden administration signed a new contract to reopen the Berks County Residential…

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Blog

HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST WELCOMES ITS EMERGING LEADERS ADVISORY BOARD

November 23, 2022

The Next Generation of World Shapers is Already Here By Jayshawn Lee and Isaac Todd Importance & Promise  Young people have always been vanguards in…

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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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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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Press

Accenture Honored for Exceptional Corporate Partnership by Human Rights First

October 6, 2022

Human Rights First has selected Accenture to receive the inaugural Human Rights First Award for Exceptional Corporate Partnership for the company’s commitment to the life-changing…

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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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Action

Contribute to our Client Emergency Fund

September 28, 2022

Refugees and asylum seekers who fled the their countries seeking safety and better futures often have limited support systems in the United States.  In response,…

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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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Topics

IMMIGRATION DETENTION

September 19, 2022

We press the U.S. government to end harmful immigration detention policies. The U.S. government’s current policy of choice is to lock up asylum seekers in…

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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

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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Report

Fallas Fatales

September 15, 2022

El programa “Permanece en México” no debería ser reanudado El 8 de agosto de 2022, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (Department of Homeland Security, DHS)…

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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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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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Blog

PALA Team Launches Adjustment of Status Clinic for Afghan families

August 18, 2022

 Staff and volunteers at PALA’s Adjustment of Status Clinic July 30th, 2022. By Fatima Safi, Nayab Khan, and Annie Roebuck  Following the Taliban’s return to…

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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

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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Fact Sheet

CERD: Anti-Black Discrimination within US Immigration, Detention, and Enforcement Systems

August 8, 2022

Anti-Black Discrimination within US Immigration, Detention, and Enforcement Systems As detailed in a Shadow Report submitted to the CERD Committee, Black non-citizens in the US…

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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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Press

Human Rights First Urges Senators to Reject Anti-Refugee and Immigrant Poison Pills

August 2, 2022

WASHINGTON DC – In anticipation of the Senate considering the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Human Rights First calls on Senators to vote no on any…

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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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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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Press

Human Rights First Aprueba la Decisión de la Corte Suprema de Permitir Poner Fin al Programa Permanece en Mexico y Pide su Suspensión Inmediata

June 30, 2022

Washington – En respuesta a la decisión de la Corte Suprema sobre Biden v. Texas, Human Rights First expresa júbilo después de que la corte de manera correcta…

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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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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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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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Letter

Urging the Administration to Oppose Legislation to Delay Ending Title 42

April 22, 2022

Dear President Biden: As leaders of immigrant, civil rights, humanitarian, human rights, and labor organizations, our missions include the goal of safeguarding asylum access in…

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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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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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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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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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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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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

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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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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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

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

Upholding President Biden’s Asylum Commitments Progress Checklist: One Year After February 2021 Executive Order

February 1, 2022

One year ago, on February 2, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order directing steps to manage migration in North and Central America and to…

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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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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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Letter

Joint Letter in Response to RMX 2.0 and Title 42 Continuation

December 17, 2021

We, the undersigned 242 organizations, write in dismay at the administration’s decision to expand the Remain in Mexico policy and deploy it in tandem with…

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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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Fact Sheet

Inhumane Again: Remain in Mexico Rollout Confirms Endemic Flaws of Unfixable Policy

December 16, 2021

As the Biden administration began its rollout of Remain in Mexico (RMX) 2.0 in early December 2021, Human Rights First researchers observed the initial returns…

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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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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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Lawsuit

Human Rights First Declaration in Tony N. et. al., v. USCIS

November 15, 2021

Human Rights First submitted a fact declaration filed in the federal lawsuit, Tony N. et. al., v. USCIS, by the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP)…

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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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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

Next Steps After Evacuation of 70,000 Afghans Must Include Access to Counsel, Pathway to Legal Permanent Residency

October 22, 2021

WASHINGTON — Since the fall of Kabul in mid-August, more than 70,000 Afghans have been evacuated to the United States, with thousands more expected to arrive…

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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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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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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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Press

Human Rights First and 38 Human and Civil Rights Leaders Tell President Biden: “Your Administration Stands at a Precipice”

September 22, 2021

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First President and CEO Michael Breen joined leaders of 38 human and civil rights organizations in delivering a letter to the…

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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 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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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 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 Honors Three Law Firms with the 2021 Marvin E. Frankel Award for Pro Bono Service

August 12, 2021

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First today announced the three law firms honored this year with the annual Marvin E. Frankel Award:  Crowell & Moring LLP, Davis…

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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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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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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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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 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

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

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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Letter

Kidnapped, Raped, and Robbed: Dangerous Title 42 Expulsions to Mexico Continue

May 24, 2021

By Julia Neusner Karina* and her three-year-old daughter fled Honduras after the gang member who had raped her threatened to traffic her daughter. As they…

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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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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 and the Western Union Foundation Create Social Impact Programming for Asylum-Seeking Children

April 27, 2021

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First and the Western Union Foundation are partnering to create an innovative social programming project, Vida sin Fronteras (“Life without Borders”), for asylum-seeking…

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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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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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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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Press

Human Rights First Welcomes Reintroduction of Dignity for Detained Immigrants Ac

March 26, 2021

NEW YORK -- Human Rights First welcomed today’s reintroduction of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Adam Smith (D-WA),…

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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

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

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 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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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 Announces Recipients of the 2020 Marvin E. Frankel Award for Pro Bono Service

September 15, 2020

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First today announced the three law firms honored this year with the annual Marvin E. Frankel Award: Covington & Burling LLP; Williams…

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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

Human Rights First Praises Passage of the NO BAN Act

July 22, 2020

WASHINGTON — Today the House of Representatives took the historic and courageous step to pass the NO BAN Act, which rescinds religiously and racially motivated…

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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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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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Opinion

America Can Handle It

June 23, 2020

How many crises must the U.S. deal with at once?  As a nation, we have been forced to simultaneously protect our citizens from disease,  economic…

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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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Fact Sheet

CDC Relied on False Assertions in Issuing COVID-19 Order Being Used to Illegally Override U.S. Asylum Laws

June 17, 2020

On March 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a much-criticized COVID-19 order that has effectively eliminated asylum at the southern…

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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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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…

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Letter

Comment on Interim Final Rule: Suspension of Introduction of Persons Into United States

April 23, 2020

April 23, 2020 On March 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued…

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Press

Human Rights First Denounces CDC Directive to Continue Illegal Expulsion of Asylum-Seekers

April 20, 2020

Washington, D.C. – In response to the Trump administration’s announcement that it will extend its illegal practice of immediately expelling asylum seekers and unaccompanied children at the…

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Letter

Illegal Expulsions by the Department of Homeland Security under the March 20, 2020 Order by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

April 16, 2020

April 16, 2020 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Redfield: Our 125 legal, faith-based, humanitarian, human rights and community organizations write to vehemently object to the…

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Letter

COVID-19 and the Remain in Mexico / “Migrant Protection Protocols” Policy

April 14, 2020

April 14, 2020 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf, Acting Commissioner Morgan, Acting Director Albence and Director McHenry: In light of the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, our 27 legal,…

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Press

HRF Concern Regarding Commission on Unalienable Rights

April 14, 2020

Department of State Commission on Unalienable Rights C/O Mr. F. Cartwright Weiland, Office of Policy Planning Prof. Mary Ann Glendon, Chair U.S. Department of State…

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Press

Human Rights First Sues for Release for Immigrants in CA, Asks Federal Court to Protect Clients from Coronavirus Outbreak

April 4, 2020

Los Angeles, CA – As the Department of Homeland Security continues to ignore calls to release immigrants from detention, Human Rights First today filed a federal…

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Press

Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis While Protecting Asylum Seekers – Update

March 25, 2020

(Updated March 25, 2020) Amnesty International USA, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières USA, Human Rights First, Physicians for Human Rights, Refugees International, and Women’s Refugee…

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Press

Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis While Protecting Asylum Seekers

March 19, 2020

Amnesty International USA, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières USA, Human Rights First, Physicians for Human Rights, Refugees International, and Women’s Refugee Commission call on the Trump…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Trump Administration Plans to Shut Southern Border to People Seeking Refuge, Disregard U.S. Law in Face of Coronavirus

March 17, 2020

Washington D.C. – In response to reports that the Trump Administration plans to shut the border to asylum-seekers, citing risks from coronavirus, Human Rights First’s Director of…

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Press

Supreme Court Issues Order in Favor of Administration, Consigning Asylum-Seekers to Violence and Suffering in Mexico

March 11, 2020

The order today stays a prior appellate court ruling that would have prevented the administration from continuing to return asylum-seekers to Mexico while they await…

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Letter

Asylum Seekers in Remain in Mexico / “Migrant Protection Protocols” Policy

March 6, 2020

Dear Acting Secretary Wolf: Our 153 legal representation, refugee assistance, faith-based, human rights, and community groups write to urge your agency to end the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (“MPP”),…

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Press

Ninth Circuit Court Issues Ruling Against “Remain in Mexico” Policy; Recorded Abuses of Asylum-Seekers in Mexico Top 1,000 Cases

February 28, 2020

A year after “remain in Mexico” policy began, HRF finds more than 1,000 reports of kidnappings, assaults and rape of asylum-seekers Washington, D.C. – Today,…

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Press

Human Rights Advocates Respond to Trump Budget Proposal

February 10, 2020

Proposed budget undermines human rights abroad, expands detention of asylum seekers Human Rights Advocates Respond to Trump Budget Proposal Washington, D.C. – The Trump Administration…

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Press

Before State of the Union Address, Human Rights First Calls for Respect for Rule of Law

February 4, 2020

Human rights advocates present evidence of erosion of respect for human rights laws and protections for refugees and asylum-seekers Washington, D.C. – In anticipation of…

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Report

A Year of Horrors: The Trump Administration’s Illegal Returns of Asylum Seekers to Danger in Mexico

January 22, 2020

Since January 2019, the Trump Administration has forcibly returned thousands of asylum seekers to Mexico under a policy it absurdly dubbed as the “Migrant Protection…

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Press

Marking One Year of the Horrific “Remain in Mexico” Policy – Over 800 Violent Attacks on Asylum-Seekers

January 22, 2020

WASHINGTON – Next week marks one year since the Trump administration began forcibly returning asylum-seekers to wait for their court dates in Mexico, where they…

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Report

A Year of Horrors: The Trump Administration’s Illegal Returns of Asylum Seekers to Danger in Mexico

January 22, 2020

Since January 2019, the Trump Administration has forcibly returned thousands of asylum seekers to Mexico under a policy it absurdly dubbed as the “Migrant Protection…

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Letter

Comments in Opposition to Proposed Rulemaking: Procedures for Asylum and Bars to Asylum Eligibility

January 21, 2020

January 21, 2020 Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the proposed regulations to amend regulations relating to eligibility for asylum published in…

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Letter

Response to Proposed Rulemaking: Asylum Application, Interview, and Employment Authorization for Applicants

January 10, 2020

January 9, 2020 Dear Ms. Deshommes: Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking…

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Press

Human Rights First Condemns Trump Administration Finalizing Plan to Send Asylum-Seekers to Honduras

January 10, 2020

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration Thursday reported that it is finalizing a plan to send people seeking asylum in the United States to Honduras as part…

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Press

HRF CEO Michael Breen Statement on Human Rights Day

December 10, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Michael Breen, the president and CEO of Human Rights First made the following statement in recognition of Human Rights Day and the anniversary…

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Report

Human Rights Fiasco: The Trump Administration’s Dangerous Asylum Returns Continue

December 5, 2019

In January 2019, the Trump Administration started forcibly returning asylum seekers to Mexico under a new policy farcically dubbed the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP). Waiting…

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Press

HRF Reports Escalating Human Rights Abuses Against Asylum Seekers Returned to Mexico

December 5, 2019

Human Rights First Releases New Report on Escalating Human Rights Abuses Against Asylum Seekers Returned to Mexico by the Trump Administration  Forced returns continue under…

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Human Rights Fiasco: The Trump Administration’s Dangerous Asylum Returns Continue

December 5, 2019

In January 2019, the Trump Administration started forcibly returning asylum seekers to Mexico under a new policy farcically dubbed the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP). Waiting…

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Press

Human Rights First Heralds Legislation to Restore American Leadership to Refugee Protection

November 21, 2019

Legislation will overhaul the American refugee system to reassert humane U.S. leadership on refugee protection and resettlement WASHINGTON – Today, Human Rights First lauds Senator…

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Press

Human Rights First Statement on New Trump Administration “Rule” to Send Asylum Seekers to Guatemala, Other Countries

November 18, 2019

WASHINGTON — Human Rights First (HRF) Refugee Protection Director Eleanor Acer released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s new interim final rule aimed at sending refugees seeking asylum at…

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Press

Human Rights First Statement on New Proposed Rule to Stop Refugees from Working

November 13, 2019

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First’s senior director for refugee protection, Eleanor Acer, made the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s new proposed rule, out today, which would…

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Press

Human Rights First Publishes Running Database of Attacks on Asylum Seekers Under MPP

November 13, 2019

Human rights organizations partner to track kidnappings, assaults on asylum seekers forced to return to danger in Mexico under the Trump Administration “Remain in Mexico”…

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Report

Orders from Above: Massive Human Rights Abuses Under Trump Administration Return to Mexico Policy

October 1, 2019

In September 2019, the Trump Administration’s policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico, which it farcically refers to as the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), entered…

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Report

Orders from Above: Massive Human Rights Abuses Under Trump Administration Return to Mexico Policy

October 1, 2019

In September 2019, the Trump Administration’s policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico, which it farcically refers to as the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), entered…

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Press

El Salvador Agreement a Fatal Deal for Asylum Seekers

September 20, 2019

New York City—In response to reports that the United States and El Salvador entering into a “safe third country” or similar “asylum cooperation” agreement in the…

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Fact Sheet

Trump Administration Delivers Asylum Seekers to Grave Danger in Mexico: 200+ Publicly Reported Cases of Rape, Kidnapping, and Assault Just the Tip of the Iceberg

September 17, 2019

Since January 2019, the Trump Administration has expelled 45,000 asylum seekers and migrants, including Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Central Americans, to Mexico under the so-called “Migrant Protection…

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Fact Sheet

Trump Administration’s Third-Country Transit Bar is An Asylum Ban that Will Return Refugees to Danger

September 13, 2019

The Trump Administration’s third-country transit asylum bar, issued as an interim final rule on July 16, 2019, effectively bans asylum for the vast majority of…

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Press

New Work Authorization Rule for Asylum Seekers Could Have Devastating Consequences

September 6, 2019

Washington, D.C.—In response to a proposed new regulation that would eliminate requirements that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decide on first-time applications for employment…

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Press

Government to Appeal Asylum of First Remain in Mexico Refugee

September 6, 2019

San Diego, CA—Human Rights First today decried the U.S. government for its decision to appeal a court ruling granting asylum to the first individual returned…

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Fact Sheet

CAIR Coalition v. Trump: A Case Summary

August 28, 2019

The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented assault against asylum seekers. In its latest move, it issued a sweeping asylum ban, barring from asylum eligibility…

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Press

Recipients of 2019 Marvin E. Frankel Award for Pro Bono Service Announced

August 13, 2019

New York City—Human Rights First today announced that it will present its annual Marvin E. Frankel Award to the law firms of Akin Gump Strauss…

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Press

New Report Documents Lives in Danger, Denial of Due Process under Remain in Mexico

August 8, 2019

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today issued a new report documenting the impact of the Trump Administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols—commonly known as “Remain in Mexico”—on asylum seekers at…

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Report

Delivered to Danger: Illegal Remain in Mexico Policy Imperils Asylum Seekers’ Lives and Denies Due Process

August 8, 2019

In July 2019, the Trump Administration vastly expanded its “Remain in Mexico” policy – farcically named the “Migrant Protection Protocols.” Since January 2019, it has…

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Press

Court Strikes Down Trump Administration Policy Barring Refugees from Asylum

August 2, 2019

Washington, D.C.— The federal District Court for the District of Columbia today ruled in O.A. v. Trump that the Trump Administration cannot bar refugees from asylum for…

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Blog

Sweeping Guatemala Agreement Illegal and Inhumane

August 1, 2019

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan is in Guatemala this week to work out key terms that are pivotal to implementing the agreement the…

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Press

Graham Secure and Protect Act Would Neither Provide Security nor Protect the Vulnerable

August 1, 2019

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned the Senate Judiciary Committee’s move to vote out of committee the Secure and Protect Act of 2019, a bill that seeks to codify…

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Blog

Want to help refugees and migrants the administration is treating cruelly? Here’s what you can ask Congress to do immediately.

July 25, 2019

There are excellent lists published over the past few days detailing what people can do to help end the horrific treatment of refugee and migrant…

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Press

Court Fails to Temporarily Block Administration’s Asylum Ban

July 24, 2019

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today expressed disappointment with the the United States District Court for the District of Columbia’s decision not to temporarily block the Trump…

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Press

Expanding Deportation Powers for ICE and CBP Officers will Lead to Chaos, Dysfunction

July 22, 2019

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s plan to immediately expand the use of expedited removal to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection…

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Press

New Trump Administration Rule an Attempt to End Asylum

July 15, 2019

Washington, D.C.—In response to the anticipated release of a new interim final rule from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security attempting to ban those…

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Blog

The Trump Administration’s Migrant Persecution Protocols

July 12, 2019

By Kennji Kizuka Coauthored with Victoria Rossi On Thursday, we met Blanca*, who fled homophobic violence in Guatemala with her partner Laura*, and Laura’s son…

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Press

ICE Raids an Effort to Terrorize Communities and Separate Families

July 12, 2019

New York City—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as efforts to terrorize communities and separate families.…

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Press

Guatemala Not Safe for Refugees

July 12, 2019

New York City—In response to reports that the United States and Guatemala may enter into a “safe third country” agreement in the coming days, a…

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Press

ICE Raids an Effort to Terrorize Communities and Separate Families

July 12, 2019

New York City—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as efforts to terrorize communities and separate families.…

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Testimony

Michael Breen Testimony at Congressional Hearing “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border”

July 10, 2019

Testimony of Michael Breen President and CEO, Human Rights First Hearing entitled: “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border” Before The House of Representatives…

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Press

New Directive On Credible Fear Interviews Subverts Due Process

July 8, 2019

Washington, D.C.—In response to reports of a new directive from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli that would allow asylum officers to…

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Press

DHS Inspector General Issues Report on Overcrowded Detention Facilities

July 2, 2019

New York City—In response to the release of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report on dangerous overcrowding and…

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Fact Sheet

Is Guatemala Safe for Refugees and Asylum Seekers?

July 1, 2019

The Trump Administration is pursuing an agreement with Guatemala under which the United States would turn away asylum seekers from Honduras, El Salvador and other…

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Blog