We found 803 results for "U.S. Immigration Detention"
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Fact Sheet
Rushed Timelines, Inadequate Access to Legal Representation Impede Meaningful Opportunity to Seek Asylum Under New Asylum Processing Rule
October 21, 2022
On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began implementing a new asylum process, pursuant to an Interim Final Rule (referred to as…
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…
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…
Fact Sheet
Inadequate Access to Legal Representation, Rushed Timelines Impede Meaningful Opportunity to Seek Asylum Under New Asylum Processing Rule
September 14, 2022
On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began implementing an Interim Final Rule (referred to as the “Asylum Processing Rule,” or APR)…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Human Rights First Condemns House Appropriators’ Inclusion of Asylum Ban in FY ‘23 DHS Appropriations Bill
June 24, 2022
Washington, DC – Human Rights First is outraged that the House of Representative Committee on Appropriations voted today to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 Department…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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)…
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…
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…
Fact Sheet
Disinformation and Spin: Trump Administration Deploys Troops to Border, Paints Asylum Seekers and Attorneys as Threat
March 10, 2022
On March 6, 2020, as the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to freeze a February 28 ruling halting its forced return of asylum…
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…
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…
Press
Human Rights First Statement in Support of Designating Temporary Protected Status for Cameroon
February 17, 2022
Washington D.C. — In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis and armed conflicts in Cameroon, Human Rights First urges President Biden and Department of Homeland Security…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Blog
“Nothing Humane About This Process”
December 16, 2021
Biden Administration Launches “Remain in Mexico” Revamp at El Paso Port of Entry By Julia Neusner, Ana Ortega Villegas The Biden administration began returning asylum…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Twenty years after 9/11, Human Rights First Urges Policies Reflecting a New Era
September 10, 2021
WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, Human Rights First issued 20 Years After 9/11: Rights-Based Policies…
Testimony
20 Years After 9/11: Rights-Based Policies for a New Era
September 9, 2021
On September 11th, 2001, nineteen members of Al Qaeda used hijacked airplanes to murder almost three thousand people. Twenty years later, we are still living in the post-9/11 world. Shortly after the attacks, the…
Letter
The Resurrection of Expedited Removal: Biden Administration Reverting to and Expanding Anti-Immigration Tactics
September 8, 2021
By Chloe Lowell, Human Rights First Intern President Biden campaigned on a promise to reverse inhumane asylum policies, create fair processes, and welcome refugees…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Letter
“A life in safety would not mean anything if my children were not here with me”: Joys and Trauma Persist for Refugees Separated from Their Families
June 17, 2021
Each weekday Josefina* prepares breakfast for her son, helps him begin his school day of remote learning, and greets her babysitter before heading off for…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Human Rights First Statement on Human Rights Day 2020
December 10, 2020
NEW YORK – On December 10, 1948, nations from around the world formally adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document imbued with…
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…
Amicus Brief
Amicus Brief – Pham v. Guzman Chavez
November 12, 2020
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT This amicus brief addresses the obligation of U.S. courts to construe federal statutes, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”),…
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.…
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…
Letter
The Flores Settlement and Family Incarceration: A Brief History and Next Steps
October 30, 2020
The Flores Settlement Agreement is a court settlement, in place for over two decades, that has set limits on the length of time and conditions…
Press
Human Rights First Decries Proposed Rules Designed to Put Pressure on Asylum Seekers, Limit Eligibility
September 23, 2020
WASHINGTON — Human Rights First expressed its strong opposition to another proposed rule for the U.S. processing of asylum claims, slated to be issued on September 23,…
Press
Human Rights First Calls for Investigation into Whistleblower Complaint of Medical Negligence at Immigration Detention Facility in Georgia
September 15, 2020
HRF renews calls for immigrants to be released from detention during the pandemic WASHINGTON — Human Rights First today called for investigations into a whistleblower’s…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Canadian Court Rules the “3rd Country Agreement” with United States Violates of Canadian Law
July 22, 2020
WASHINGTON — A Canadian federal court ruled today that Canada’s “safe third-country agreement” between the United States and Canada violates the Canadian Charter of Rights…
Press
U.S. Executive Order is Unlikely to Help Hong Kong Refugees
July 15, 2020
WASHINGTON — While the president last night called on U.S. agencies to reallocate refugee resettlement slots to residents of Hong Kong in his executive order on Hong Kong…
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…
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…
Fact Sheet
Comment on Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Review
July 15, 2020
Human Rights First submits these comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in…
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…
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…
Press
Human Rights First Urges U.S. to Reassert Global Leadership in Protecting the Rights of Refugees
June 20, 2020
WASHINGTON – On World Refugee Day, Human Rights First calls on U.S. leaders and policymakers to restore U.S. leadership in protecting the human rights of refugees:…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Fact Sheet
Public Health Experts, Medical Doctors, Prison Experts, and Former ICE Officials Urge Releases from Immigration Detention Facilities to Control the Spread of COVID-19
April 17, 2020
Leading public health experts, medical doctors, prison experts, and former government officials agree that urgent action is needed to avoid an unmitigated public health disaster…
Press
Immigrants Released from ICE Detention in Federal COVID-19 Lawsuit Brought by Human Rights First in California
April 10, 2020
Los Angeles, CA – A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted release to four immigrants who were detained…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Human Rights Advocates with Medical and Legal Expertise Call on Governors, State Health Officials to Direct Reduction, Release of Immigration Detainees to Prevent Coronavirus Spread
March 17, 2020
New York City – Calling on governors and state health officials to use their authority to act in the interest of public health and protect immigration…
Fact Sheet
Disinformation and Spin: Trump Administration Deploys Troops to Border, Paints Asylum Seekers and Attorneys as Threat
March 10, 2020
On March 6, 2020, as the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to freeze a February 28 ruling halting its forced return of asylum…
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”),…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Press
Transfer of FEMA Funds for Remain in Mexico Legally Dubious, Fundamentally Disastrous
August 27, 2019
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s transfer of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for support of its disastrous and unnecessary Migrant…
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…
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…
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…
Press
House Defense Bill Would Improve National Security through Human Rights
July 12, 2019
New York City—In response to the House of Representatives passing the defense bill (National Defense Authorization Act for the 2020 Fiscal Year, or “NDAA”), Human…
Press
Congress Fails to Protect Refugee Children in Detention
June 27, 2019
Washington, D.C.—In response to reports that the House of Representatives will vote on the Senate’s version of a supplemental funding bill that includes money for…
Blog
Want to help refugees and migrants the administration is treating cruelly? Here’s what you can ask Congress to do immediately.
June 25, 2019
By Jennifer Quigley There are excellent lists published over the past few days detailing what people can do to help end the horrific treatment of refugee…
Fact Sheet
Protecting Refugees and Restoring Order: Real Solutions to the Humanitarian Crisis
June 17, 2019
This bluprint was developed and/or endorsed by: Human Rights First, America’s Voice, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Center for Victims of Torture, Coalition for Humane Immigrant…
Blueprint
Protecting Refugees and Restoring Order: Real Solutions to the Humanitarian Crisis
June 17, 2019
This blueprint was developed and/or endorsed by: Human Rights First, America’s Voice, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Center for Victims of Torture, Coalition for Humane…
Press
Refugee, Human Rights Groups Issue Policy Solutions to Central American Humanitarian Crisis
June 17, 2019
New York City—Human Rights First today, in partnership with more than a dozen refugee and regional human rights organizations, released a new blueprint offering concrete steps to manage…
Press
Holding of Migrant Children at Army Base, Site of Former Internment Camp, Degrading and Abusive
June 12, 2019
Washington, D.C. — Human Rights First today condemned a decision by the Trump Administration to hold 1,400 migrant children at Fort Sill, an Army base once used…
Fact Sheet
Callous and Calculated: Longer Work Authorization Bar Endangers Lives of Asylum Seekers and Their Families
April 29, 2019
U.S. immigration law and regulations provide asylum seekers with work authorization documents, which allow them to accept employment after their asylum applications have been pending for at least 180…
Press
Attorney General Decision Seeks to Jail Refugees Indefinitely
April 17, 2019
New York City—In response to Attorney General Barr’s decision attempting to strip refugees of bond hearings, thereby holding them in detention indefinitely, Human Rights First’s…
Blog
Real Solutions to the Disorder at the Border
April 10, 2019
By Eleanor Acer Anti-refugee rhetoric and policies have characterized the Trump presidency. Now, as he transitions to campaign mode ahead of the 2020 election, he’s doubling-down.…
Fact Sheet
The Real Solution: Regional Response Rather than Border Closures, Mass Incarceration, and Refugee Returns
April 5, 2019
The Trump Administration has purposefully mismanaged the refugee and humanitarian challenges pushing people to flee political repression, human rights abuses, economic deprivation, and climate displacement…
Blueprint
The Real Solution: Regional Response Rather than Border Closures, Mass Incarceration, and Refugee Returns
April 5, 2019
The Trump Administration has purposefully mismanaged the refugee and humanitarian challenges pushing people to flee political repression, human rights abuses, economic deprivation, and climate displacement…
Blog
The Uncertainty and Trauma of Family Detention
March 22, 2019
By Jane Randel Co-President, Karp Randel In late February 2019, I toured two family immigration detention centers in South Texas—one for women and their children…
Press
President’s Budget Would Damage Asylum System, Undermine State Department
March 11, 2019
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today called on Congress to reject President Trump’s budget proposals, which target refugees and asylum seekers, and would drastically reduce funding to promote human rights and prevent…
Report
Prisons and Punishment: Immigration Detention in California
January 15, 2019
In the name of national security, the Trump Administration has taken numerous steps that threaten the human rights of asylum seekers and other immigrants. Several…
Press
New Report Documents Mental, Physical, Legal Impact of Increased Detention in California
January 15, 2019
Los Angeles—Human Rights First today released a new report analyzing the mental, physical, and legal impacts of massive overuse of immigration detention in California. Prisons and Punishment: Immigration…
Blog
Invest in Human Rights
December 31, 2018
We’re deeply grateful for your support in our mission to foster American leadership on human rights. This mission is grounded in the simple fact that…
Blog
Secretary Nielsen Testifies Before the House Judiciary Committee: A Resource Guide
December 20, 2018
This morning’s House Judiciary Committee hearing will be a tough morning for current Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen. Following increasing reports of forced bottlenecks…
Report
Refugee Blockade: The Trump Administration’s Obstruction of Asylum Claims at the Border
December 11, 2018
In the run-up to the mid-term elections, President Trump focused much of his rhetoric on “the caravan” of migrants heading north through Mexico. The caravan,…
Blog
Compact on Migration Adopted, But Without America
December 11, 2018
In Marrakesh, Morocco yesterday, 164 of the world’s nations adopted the Global Compact on Migration, a non-binding framework aimed at encouraging multilateral cooperation on international migration. The…
Blog
Trump Administration Policies are Devastatingly Cruel to Children
November 29, 2018
President Trump’s immigration policies are far-reaching, sometimes difficult to understand, and rooted in hate. But one thing seems to unite them all: a blatant, absolute…
Fact Sheet
President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” Plan
November 28, 2018
The Trump Administration is reportedly in talks with representatives of the incoming Mexican government to implement a so-called “Remain in Mexico” plan that would return asylum seekers…
Blueprint
How the United States Should Address Refugee Protection at its Border
November 9, 2018
As men, women and children flee violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, the Trump Administration has launched a barrage of punitive and threatening actions aimed at…
Press
Statement in Response to President Trump’s Attacks on Refugees
November 1, 2018
New York City—Today in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement on access to protection at the southern border and increased detention for refugees, Human Rights…
Fact Sheet
The Flores Settlement and Family Incarceration: A Brief History and Next Steps
October 30, 2018
The Flores Settlement Agreement is a court settlement, in place for over two decades, that has set limits on the length of time and conditions…
New Efforts to Separate and Detain Families Would Double Down on Cruelty
October 12, 2018
Washington, D.C.—In response to reports that the Trump Administration is considering new efforts to separate and detain families at the U.S. southern border, Human Rights…
What’s In the Close Guantanamo Plan
October 9, 2018
In February 2016, the Department of Defense released its plan for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Currently, 40 detainees remain at the prison,…
Blueprint
How to Address the Global Refugee Crisis and Safeguard U.S. National Security
September 10, 2018
Historically, the United States has been a global leader in protecting vulnerable refugees fleeing persecution. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have recognized the moral and…
Press
Administration Moves to Indefinitely Detain Immigrant Children
September 6, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s attempt to terminate the Flores Settlement Agreement, which limits the government’s ability to indefinitely incarcerate immigrant children and requires licensing by state child protection authorities…
Fact Sheet
Parole vs. Bond in the Asylum System
September 5, 2018
When a person seeking protection enters the United States, they are often placed in immigration detention—a costly, largely unnecessary move that negatively impacts an individual’s physical and…
Blog
Family Incarceration: An Outline
August 21, 2018
In response to the increasing numbers of women and children requesting asylum at the southern border in the summer of 2014, the U.S. government massively increased family…
Fact Sheet
Family Incarceration: Explained
August 20, 2018
What are “Family Residential Centers?” In response to the increasing numbers of women and children requesting asylum at the southern border in the summer of…
Press
Human Rights First Partners with Dechert LLP, Aldea PJC to Provide Representation to Refugee Families Detained in Pennsylvania
July 24, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today announced that it will partner with Dechert LLP and Aldea – The People’s Justice Center to provide free legal representation…
Report
Zero-Tolerance Criminal Prosecutions: Punishing Asylum Seekers and Separating Families
July 18, 2018
For the last year, the Trump Administration has launched a barrage of policies to deter and punish those who come to our borders seeking protection.…
Blog
Zero-Tolerance Criminal Prosecutions: Punishing Asylum Seekers and Separating Families
July 18, 2018
By Eleni Bakst and Jake Benhabib Between April and June 2018, Human Rights First researchers conducted three monitoring missions to McAllen, Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso,…
Press
DHS Secretary Nielsen Meets with Immigration and Human Rights Groups for First Time, Reiterates Trump Administration’s Misinformation and Sidesteps Family Immigration Crisis
July 9, 2018
Washington D.C.—Today, leaders of several immigrant and human rights organizations were invited for the first time under the Trump administration to meet with Secretary of…
Press
Federal Court Blocks Trump Administration’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers
July 2, 2018
Washington, D.C. — A federal court has blocked the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, torture, or death in their countries of origin. It…
Press
Family Separation Ruling Leaves Zero-Tolerance Policy in Place
June 27, 2018
New York City—In response to last night’s preliminary injunction that all children separated from their parents by the Trump Administration must be reunited within 30…
Fact Sheet
Top 10 Reasons Family Incarceration is Not a Solution
June 27, 2018
The Trump Administration is attempting to replace its failed policy of family separation with the failed policy of family incarceration. ICE already detains families at…
Blog
Top 10 Reasons Family Incarceration is Not a Solution
June 27, 2018
The Trump Administration is attempting to replace its failed policy of family separation with the failed policy of family incarceration. ICE already detains families at…
Blog
Alternatives to Detention are a No-Brainer
June 22, 2018
On World Refugee Day, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that “halted” family separation but doubled down on the administration’s obsession with detaining families with children…
Blog
What’s Happening to Families at the Border 101
June 19, 2018
So you want to know what’s happening to children at the border and aren’t sure where to start? No problem! It’s complicated. Here we’ve answered…
Press
New Report Documents Mental, Physical, Legal Impact of Increased Detention in Texas
June 14, 2018
Houston, Texas—As the Trump Administration ramps up detention of refugees and migrants as part of its zero-tolerance policy, Human Rights First today released a new report analyzing…
Report
Ailing Justice: Texas. Soaring Immigration Detention, Shrinking Due Process
June 14, 2018
Key Findings: Many immigrants in Texas, including asylum seekers, remain in unnecessary, lengthy, and prolonged detention—sometimes for well over one year. Among those in prolonged detention:…
Press
Sessions Decision Blocks Domestic Violence Survivors from Asylum
June 11, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First condemned the decision issued today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, which aims to block many domestic violence survivors from asylum in…
Fact Sheet
“Zero Tolerance Cruelty”: Separating Families at our Southern Border
June 1, 2018
Family Separation Has Significant Legal and Health Implications When parents crossing the border are referred for criminal prosecution, they are forcibly separated from their children.…
Issue Brief
The Refugee Caravan: Human Rights First’s Observations from the Border
May 25, 2018
In April 2018 approximately 240 Central Americans who had traveled together in a month-long caravan through Mexico sought asylum at the U.S. port of entry…
Press
On World Press Freedom Day, Human Rights First Urges DHS to Release Detained Award-Winning Mexican Journalist Asylum Seeker
May 2, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release on parole persecuted Mexican journalist Emilio Gutiérrez Soto and to stipulate that…
Press
Human Rights First Witnesses Administration’s Attempts to Stall Refugee Caravan
April 30, 2018
San Ysidro, California—Human Rights First today called on the Trump Administration to end its attempts to hinder members of the refugee caravan from seeking protection…
Press
Human Rights First to Assist Asylum Seekers in “Caravan” Arriving at Border
April 26, 2018
Los Angeles, California—As a caravan of Central American refugees and migrants makes its way to the U.S. southern border, Human Rights First today announced that…
Blog
Trump’s Fabricated Border Crisis
April 12, 2018
By Eleanor Acer Over the last week, we once again witnessed President Trump’s harmful attempts to manufacture a crisis at the southern border when he directed the Department…
Press
Halt of Critical Program is Another Attack on Due Process, Access to Counsel in Immigration Courts
April 11, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned a decision by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to temporarily halt a critical program that provides legal information to detained immigrants and asylum seekers. The suspension of the Legal…
Press
New Virtual Reality Video Highlights Challenges Refugee Families Face at Southern Border
April 11, 2018
Crossing The Line: Untold Stories Of Refugees Stuck At The Border New York City—Human Rights First today released the second part of a two-part 360 degree…
Press
ICE Announces New Policy to Detain Pregnant Women
March 29, 2018
New York City—Human Rights First today condemned a policy shift by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that it will no longer generally release from detention…
Fact Sheet
Mexico: Still Not Safe for Refugees and Migrants
March 23, 2018
The Trump Administration seeks to prevent refugees who pass through Mexico from receiving asylum in the United States. In addition to pushing for legislative change…
Issue Brief
Fear Mongering and Alternative Facts: The Trump Administration’s Attacks on Asylum
March 19, 2018
America as a safe haven: this vision is central to the country’s ideals and identity. And it’s rooted in reality. The United States has a…
Fact Sheet
Taking The Fight for Asylum Seekers to Court
March 16, 2018
This year the Trump Administration is engaging in an unprecedented assault on asylum seekers and refugees. From the refugee ban to fear-mongering over MS-13, turning…
Blog
Taking The Fight for Asylum Seekers to Court
March 15, 2018
This year the Trump Administration has engaged in an unprecedented assault on asylum seekers and refugees. From the refugee ban to fear-mongering over MS-13, turning…
Press
Groups Challenge Trump Administration’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers
March 15, 2018
Washington D.C. — The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Human Rights First, and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal…
Report
Ailing Justice—New Jersey: Inadequate Healthcare, Indifference, and Indefinite Confinement in Immigration Detention
February 27, 2018
Every year, the U.S. government locks up hundreds of thousands of immigrants despite the existence of effective—and cost-effective—alternative-to-detention programs. Detention itself can be traumatizing,…
Press
New Report Documents Physical, Mental Health Care Deficiencies in New Jersey Detention Facilities
February 27, 2018
New York City—Human Rights First today released a new report on immigration detention in New Jersey that analyzes the mental, physical, and legal impacts of detention on…
Press
Supreme Court Sends Indefinite Detention of Immigrants, Asylum Seekers back to Ninth Circuit
February 27, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Jennings v. Rodriguez, in which the Court sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit to evaluate the constitutionality of…
Fact Sheet
Myth v. Fact: Trying Terror Suspects in Federal Courts
February 14, 2018
Myth: Terrorists have traditionally been tried in military commissions. Fact: Federal civilian criminal courts have convicted more than 660 individuals on terrorism-related charges since 9/11. Military…
Press
Secure and Succeed Act Holds Dreamers Hostage, Punishes Asylum Seekers
February 13, 2018
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned introduction of the Secure and Succeed Act, calling the legislation a cruel attempt to punish asylum seekers and migrants…
Issue Brief
Credible Fear: A Screening Mechanism in Expedited Removal
February 9, 2018
In 1996, Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, creating an expedited removal process in which immigration officers are able to order…
Fact Sheet
Myth v. Fact: Asylum Seekers in the United States
February 9, 2018
Myth: It’s easy to get asylum in the United States. Fact: Asylum is an extremely complex and difficult process to navigate. The asylum process is…
Press
Human Rights First Tours New Jersey Immigration Detention Facilities
February 9, 2018
New York City—Following tours this week of three immigration detention facilities in New Jersey, Human Rights First calls on the Trump Administration, Immigration and Customs…
Blog
DHS Secretary Nielsen Uses “Alternative Facts” to Attack Children, Asylum Seekers
January 23, 2018
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 16, 2018 was an attack on asylum seekers and the truth about our immigration…
Press
Goodlatte Bill Aims to Divide Families and Harm Refugees in Need of Protection
January 10, 2018
New York City—Human Rights First today urged Congress to reject the “Securing America’s Future Act” introduced today by Representatives Goodlatte, Labrador, McCaul, and McSally, which…
Press
Administration Attempts to Undermine Asylum System, Citing False “Loopholes”
January 9, 2018
New York City—In response to comments made today by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the “loopholes” that are allegedly being “taking advantage of”…
Blog
Trump and the Criminalization of Asylum
January 5, 2018
Originally published on Huffington Post In early September of 2017, U.S. Marshals ushered twenty-four defendants into an El Paso, Texas courtroom. Shackled around the wrists,…
Press
On International Migrant Day, Trump Admin Should Abandon Policies Violating Rights of Migrants
December 18, 2017
New York City—To mark International Migrant Day, Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer released the following statement: “The Trump Administration—since day one—has pushed policies that trample…
Blog
Immigration Detention is Making Kids Sick
November 22, 2017
Last week, I volunteered with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project in Dilley, Texas—the home of the largest family immigration detention center in the…
Blog
Asylum Seekers Wrongfully Prosecuted at the Border
November 17, 2017
By Olga Byrne Last week, I was in federal court for the Western District of Texas to observe criminal proceedings against individuals charged with violating section 1325…
Blog
Will Trump DHS Nominee Adhere to International Law?
November 8, 2017
This content originally appeared in the Huffington Post On Wednesday, the Senate Homeland Security Committee will have the opportunity to question Kirstjen Nielson, President Trump’s…
Blog
The Jane Doe Case and the Denial of Health Care to Detained Immigrants
November 6, 2017
On October 24, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ordered the federal government to refrain from blocking Jane Doe, a pregnant 17-year-old…
Blog
Next Steps After Regional Refugee Conference in Honduras
October 31, 2017
By Eleanor Acer On Thursday evening in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, I watched as a number of Central American states adopted a declaration agreeing to…
Blog
Trump’s DREAMer Negotiations Threaten Other Child Migrants
October 24, 2017
A little more than one month after President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, his administration issued a list…
Press
New Report on Immigration Court Backlog Reveals Administration’s Efforts to Undermine Asylum System
October 17, 2017
New York City—As the Trump Administration continues its attack on the U.S. refugee protection system, Human Rights First today released a new report that analyzes…
Report
Titled Justice: Backlogs Grow While Fairness Shrinks in U.S. Immigration Courts
October 17, 2017
The backlog in the U.S. immigration courts has reached an all-time high, with 632,261 cases pending as of August 2017. In some of the nation’s…
Blog
Sessions Presses Bogus Asylum Narrative at the Immigration Courts
October 12, 2017
By Eleanor Acer This morning, Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the headquarters of the U.S. immigration courts in Falls Church, Virginia to attack asylum…
Press
Administration Immigration “Principles” Extreme Attempt to Shut Out Refugees
October 9, 2017
New York City—Last night the Trump Administration set forth a list of “Immigration Policy Priorities,” which come as lawmakers debate a deal to allow Deferred…
Blog
A Second Chance for Detained Asylum Seekers in Jennings v. Rodriguez
October 5, 2017
As I waited outside of the Supreme Court Tuesday morning to observe the case Jennings v. Rodriguez, the line wrapped around the block. To my…
Press
New Report Analyzes Increased Parole Denial of Asylum Seekers Under Trump Admin
September 29, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today released a report that finds that in the eight months since President Trump signed his January 25 executive order calling for increased…
Report
Judge and Jailer: Asylum Seekers Denied Parole in Wake of Trump Executive Order
September 29, 2017
On January 25, 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to allocate “all legally available resources” to…
Blog
Remembering Juan Osuna
August 22, 2017
Juan Osuna, the former director of the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), passed away suddenly last week. He will be sorely missed. Juan served…
Blog
Stephen Miller and Emma’s Torch
August 10, 2017
By Rosalind Faulkner Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates…
Blog
The House of Representatives Should Defeat the Anti-Asylum Bill
August 4, 2017
By Olga Byrne Last week, the House Judiciary Committee marked up the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2017 (H.R. 391), a severely anti-asylum law that…
Press
House Bill Would Return Persecuted Refugees to Danger
July 26, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today urged members of the House Judiciary Committee to reject the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act when it marks up…
Press
Administration to Release Regulations that May Force Immigrants to Stay in Mexico Pending Hearings
July 20, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today said that any action taken by the Trump Administration to force asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting removal hearings…
Press
New Report Demonstrates that Mexico is not a Safe Third Country for Refugees
July 18, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today released a new report assessing the dangers facing refugees in Mexico in the wake of proposals from the Trump Administration and…
Press
Court Rules that Family Detention Violates Flores Agreement
June 28, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today praised a California district court ruling finding that the federal government’s use of family detention facilities continues to violate…
Press
Supreme Court Rulings Leave Refugees Stranded
June 26, 2017
Washington, D.C.—In response to today’s Supreme Court ruling on two crucial cases that test the United States’ commitment to refugees, Human Rights First released the…
Press
Supreme Court Reschedules Jennings Immigration Detention Case
June 26, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today expressed its concern over the Supreme Court’s decision to schedule the Jennings v. Rodriguez case for reargument in its next session, a…
Blog
Immigration Detention: Worse than Death?
May 24, 2017
Martin Méndez Pineda was held in U.S. immigration detention for over 100 days. As a journalist, Martin reported on federal police violence in one of Mexico’s most violent states.…
Press
President’s Budget Request Would Harm Refugees and Asylum Seekers
May 23, 2017
Washington, D.C.— Human Rights First today called on Congress to reject President Trump’s budget proposals that target refugees and asylum seekers. The president’s proposed budget…
Fact Sheet
Credible Fear Screening and Fraud Safeguards
May 23, 2017
The United States has, over decades, established rigorous, interagency procedures to vet and screen asylum seekers. Human Rights First has detailed the asylum system’s fraud…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 22, 2017
May 22, 2017
By Mary Elizabeth Margolis Top Items Ambassador Haley Travels to Jordan and Turkey U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is currently on a…
Press
House Judiciary Committee Urged to Reject Bill Targeting Refugees and Asylum Seekers During Today’s Hearing
May 18, 2017
Washington, D.C. – Human Rights first today, along with 25 leading human rights, refugee resettlement, and faith organizations, called on the House Judiciary Committee to reject…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 15, 2017
May 15, 2017
By Mary Elizabeth Margolis Top Items Turkish President to Visit the White House President Trump is scheduled to welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House…
Press
Secretary Kelly Wrongly Implies Majority of Asylum Seekers Present False Claims
May 4, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today expressed alarm over statements made this morning by Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly in which he implied that the vast…
Press
Funding Bill Maintains U.S. Support for Refugees, Wartime Allies
May 1, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today said that the compromise fiscal year 2017 funding bill put forth by Congress yesterday contains several provisions that would maintain American support for refugees. The…
Press
Supreme Court Upholds Flawed Ruling Against Asylum Seekers
April 17, 2017
New York City — Human Rights First today expressed serious concern that the Supreme Court declined to hear the case of Castro v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leaving in place…
Press
Sessions Proposal to Prosecute “Illegal” Entry at Southern Border Violates U.S. Treaty Commitments
April 11, 2017
Washington, D.C.—In response to comments made today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Human Rights First cautioned that efforts to criminally prosecute those who cross the U.S.…
Blog
Parole Denials Lead to Increased Detention Under Trump’s Executive Order
April 10, 2017
President Trump’s so-called Muslim ban, in both iterations, has received widespread attention. Meanwhile, aside from its call for a border wall, his January 25 executive…
Press
Kelly Signals DHS Will Not Separate Parents and Children
April 5, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today cautiously welcomed statements made by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kelly during Senate hearing confirming that the agency will not generally…
Press
Senators Should Question Kelly on Upholding Commitments to Refugees, Asylum Seekers
April 5, 2017
Washington, D.C.—In a statement submitted to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Human Rights First today urged senators to question Department of Homeland Security…
Testimony
Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing on “Improving Border Security and Public Safety”
April 5, 2017
The United States has laws and policies designed to protect refugees from return to persecution. In the wake of World War II, the United States…
Blog
Separating Children from their Parents to Deter Other Asylum Seekers is Unlawful and Cruel
March 13, 2017
By Robyn Barnard and Natasha Arnpriester Last week Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly said he “would do almost anything to deter the…
Blog
Rumored Revisions to Executive Order Not Enough to Protect Iraqi Allies
March 2, 2017
The White House is expected to soon release its revised executive order on refugees and immigrants. The administration’s first order, signed January 27, placed a…
Report
Violations at the Border: The El Paso Sector
February 28, 2017
On January 25, 2017, President Trump signed the “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements” executive order. On February 20, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly…
Press
New Report Examines Asylum Violations in El Paso as Trump Implements Executive Orders
February 28, 2017
New York City—As the Trump Administration begins to implement the president’s executive order on immigration enforcement along the southern border, Human Rights First today released…
Fact Sheet
Asylum Under Threat: Impact of President Trump’s Immigration Executive Orders and the Department of Homeland Security’s Memoranda on Asylum Seekers
February 22, 2017
On January 25, 2017, President Trump issued two executive orders addressing U.S. immigration policies, entitled “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements” and “Enhancing Public Safety…
Letter
Letter to Kelly and Tillerson on Executive Order Enforcement
February 21, 2017
The Honorable John F. Kelly Secretary of Homeland Security The Honorable Rex Tillerson Secretary of State Re: U.S. Global Leadership on Human Rights and Refugee…
Press
Kelly, Tillerson Urged to Uphold U.S. Obligations to Protect Refugees
February 21, 2017
Washington, D.C.— Human Rights First today urged Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to ensure that any new executive…
Press
DHS Enforcement Memo Would Limit Access to Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
February 21, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First expressed its opposition to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum implementing President Trump’s January 25 executive order on immigration enforcement…
Press
DHS Memorandum Would Undermine Access to Asylum, Impose Arbitrary Detention
February 17, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First expressed its opposition to proposals included in a draft Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum outlining potential steps to implement…
Press
Amicus Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Safeguards to Limit Arbitrary, Prolonged Detention for Asylum Seekers
February 10, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today, along with the pro bono assistance of Patterson, Belknap, Webb, and Tyler LLP, filed a supplemental amicus brief urging the…
Blog
Asylum Seekers Already Face Prolonged Detention
February 9, 2017
By Gemma Hallett President Trump’s January 27 executive order, which banned immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and suspended the U.S. refugee program for longer, has captured much of…
Press
Secretary Kelly Urged to Uphold U.S. Obligations to Protect Refugees
February 7, 2017
New York City—Following testimony today by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly before the House Homeland Security Committee, Human Rights First urged DHS to…
Press
Human Rights First and Coalition Partners Launch Campaign to Fight the Assault on Refugee Rights
February 6, 2017
Washington, D.C.– In response to President Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration and refugees, Human Rights First along with a coalition of leading human rights,…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: February 6, 2017
February 6, 2017
By Mary Elizabeth Margolis TOP ITEMS Muslim Ban Temporarily Halted A decision Sunday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit preserved a lower…
Blog
Questions for Secretary Kelly
February 6, 2017
By Eleanor Acer Tomorrow morning the new Secretary for Homeland Security, General John F. Kelly, will testify before the House Homeland Security Committee. The hearing, “Ending the…
Blog
Executive Orders Could Block Access to Asylum for Vulnerable Individuals
January 27, 2017
With Wednesday’s executive order, “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,” President Trump seems poised to block access to asylum at the U.S. border, subjecting asylum seekers…
Blog
AAP: Trump’s Immigration Executive Orders Are Harmful to Children
January 26, 2017
Yesterday, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a strong rebuke in the wake of the President’s Executive Orders on immigration and asylum seekers. “Immigrant families are our…
Press
Executive Orders Undermine Access to Protection for U.S. Asylum Seekers
January 25, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today condemned an executive order signed by President Trump that appears aimed at blocking access to asylum for refugees at the…
Blog
President Obama’s Record and Legacy on Human Rights: On the Radio with WBEZ Chicago
January 23, 2017
Last Thursday on WBEZ Chicago’s Worldview, Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino joined the program to discuss President Obama’s legacy on human rights. Broaching topics such…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017
By Mary Elizabeth Margolis Top Items New Administration Today is the first full business day of the Trump Administration. The new president has promised to…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: January 17, 2017
January 17, 2017
By Mary Elizabeth Margolis TOP ITEMS Inauguration On Friday President-elect Donald Trump will officially take the oath of office to become the 45th president of…
Press
Questions Remain Following Sessions Confirmation Hearing
January 11, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Following yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), nominee for Attorney General, Human Rights First said that it will hold him…
Press
House Should Reject Bills that Undermine U.S. Protection of Refugees
January 11, 2017
Washington, D.C.— Human Rights First today urged members of the House Judiciary Committee to reject the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act (H.R. 391) introduced yesterday…
Press
Health Care Professionals Urge Pennsylvania Court to Reject License for Family Detention Facility
January 9, 2017
New York City—A group of twenty-two doctors, psychologists, nurses, and social workers last week urged the Pennsylvania Bureau of Hearings and Appeals to reject the Berks County’s appeal…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: December 19, 2016
December 19, 2016
Statement of Principles As 2016 draws to a close and the next administration readies to take office, Human Rights First and a coalition of 20…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: December 12, 2016
December 12, 2016
Top Items Human Rights Summit Tomorrow Human Rights First will host its fifth annual Human Rights Summit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The afternoon…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: December 5, 2016
December 6, 2016
Top Items National Security Today the Obama Administration released a presidential report and memorandum, as well as supporting documents, detailing the administration’s policy and legal…
Blog
Correcting the Record: Recently Arrived Immigrants Show Up for Their Hearings
November 30, 2016
As media outlets continue to cover the increase in Central Americans seeking protection at the U.S. southern border, some are citing statistics that do not…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: November 28, 2016
November 28, 2016
Top Items Veterans Storming Capitol Hill This week members of Veterans for American Ideals will convene in Washington, D.C. to call on members of Congress to save…
Press
New Analysis Finds Hurdles to Release, Asylum in New Jersey Immigration Detention Facilities
November 17, 2016
New York City—Human Rights First today released a report detailing high rates of immigration detention of asylum seekers in New Jersey, which finds that asylum seekers are often detained…
Issue Brief
Detention of Asylum Seekers in New Jersey
November 17, 2016
In October 2016 Human Rights First visited the Essex County Correctional Facility, Hudson County Correctional Facility, and Elizabeth Detention Center, the three principal facilities used…
Blog
United States to Resettle Refugees Languishing Indefinitely in Australian Off-Shore Detention Centers
November 16, 2016
On Sunday, November 13th Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a resettlement agreement with the United States for some of the refugees in Australia’s off-shore detention…
Press
Homeland Security Committee Recommends End to Family Immigration Detention
November 16, 2016
New York City—Human Rights First today urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to swiftly implement the recommendations put forth by the DHS Advisory Committee…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: November 7, 2016
November 7, 2016
Top Items Election Day Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8 is election day! In coming weeks, Human Rights First will offer analysis and recommendations for how the next…
Blog
Immigration Detention Reaches Historic Highs as Asylum Seekers Sit in Prolonged Detention
October 28, 2016
By Olga Byrne Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials expect the number of people in immigration detention…
Blog
Immigration Detention Reaches Historic Highs as Asylum Seekers Sit in Prolonged Detention
October 28, 2016
By Olga Byrne Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials expect the number of people in immigration detention to reach…
Press
Amicus Argues that U.S. Immigration Detention Policies Violate International Human Rights Obligations
October 25, 2016
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First along with Patterson, Belknap, Webb, and Tyler LLP filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case of Jennings v. Rodriguez, arguing that U.S. international…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: October 17, 2016
October 17, 2016
Top Items Guantanamo Human Rights First today praised the repatriation of Guantanamo detainee Mohamedou Slahi to Mauritania, and encourages the Obama Administration to keep up…
Letter
Letter to President Obama on Last 100 Days in Office
October 13, 2016
October 13, 2016 The Honorable Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: Right now, in…
Press
Homeland Security Committee Recommends End to Family Immigration Detention
October 3, 2016
New York City—Human Rights First today urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement the draft recommendations put forth by the DHS Advisory Committee on…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: October 3, 2016
October 3, 2016
Top Items Refugee Resettlement The Obama Administration has reached its refugee resettlement goal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, which ended on Friday. Early reports indicate that…
Testimony
Statement for the Record of Eleanor Acer: Oversight of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
September 30, 2016
Over the last year Human Rights First has issued several reports on this country’s escalating detention of asylum seekers. As detailed in those reports, Human…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: September 26, 2016
September 26, 2016
Top Items Global Refugee Crisis On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Immigration and National Interest Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine the administration’s FY2017 refugee…
Press
New Analysis Finds Hurdles to Release, Asylum in Georgia Immigration Detention Facilities
September 22, 2016
Washington, D.C.—In a new analysis released today, Human Rights First found that asylum seekers and immigrants detained in Georgia are often held for long periods of time…
Issue Brief
Detention of Asylum Seekers in Georgia
September 22, 2016
In August 2016 Human Rights First visited the Irwin County Detention Center and the Stewart Detention Center in southern Georgia. The Stewart Detention Center, operated…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: September 19, 2016
September 19, 2016
Top Items United Nations Tomorrow President Obama will give his eighth and final presidential address to the United Nations General Assembly. The speech will likely…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: September 12, 2016
September 12, 2016
Top Items Global Refugee Crisis This Thursday the White House will host an event to celebrate the contributions of refugees resettled in the United States. The…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: September 6, 2016
September 6, 2016
Top Items Congress This month in New York City world leaders will attend two major summits designed to address the ongoing global refugee crisis, the…
Blog
As The DOJ Takes Aim at Mass Incarceration, DHS Detains Record Numbers of Immigrants
August 31, 2016
By Olga Byrne On Monday, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson issued a statement announcing that DHS would be reviewing its use of private prisons following a…
Press
Federal Court Ruling Denies Families in Immigration Detention Review of Legality of their Removal
August 30, 2016
Washington, D.C. – Human Rights First today decried the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit’s ruling in Castro v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security that denies 28 mothers detained in…
Press
Homeland Security Orders Review of Privatized Immigration Detention Facilities
August 29, 2016
Washington, D.C. ‑ Following today’s announcement from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson directing the Homeland Security Advisory Council to evaluate whether immigration detention operations…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: August 29, 2016
August 29, 2016
Top Items G20 in China As President Obama prepares to travel to China at the end of this week for his final G20 summit, Human Rights First urges him…
Report
Lifeline on Lockdown: Increased U.S. Detention of Asylum Seekers
August 26, 2016
War, repression, terrorism, and rampant human rights violations have conspired to produce what’s commonly called the global refugee crisis. There are more than 20…
Press
New Report Details Examines Issues Surrounding Berks Family Detention Center
August 22, 2016
New York City—As mothers enter the third week of a hunger strike at the Berks County family detention center, Human Rights First today released a new…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: August 22, 2016
August 22, 2016
Top Items Private Prisons In the wake of last week’s announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that it will end its reliance on private prisons,…
Issue Brief
Long-Term Detention of Mothers and Children in Pennsylvania
August 19, 2016
On August 8, 2016, 22 mothers at the Berks County Residential Center launched a hunger strike to protest their long-term detention and the harm it…
Press
Department of Homeland Security Urged to End Use of Private Prisons for Immigration Detention
August 18, 2016
New York City—In the wake of the announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that it will end its reliance on private prisons, Human Rights First today called on…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: August 15, 2016
August 15, 2016
Top Items Family Detention Last week a group of nearly two dozen mothers detained at the Berks County Detention Facility in Pennsylvania—many for over one year—announced…
Blog
Asylum Seekers and Immigrants Detained in Georgia Face Insurmountable Hurdles to Asylum, Release, and Counsel
August 15, 2016
This blog is a cross post from The Huffington Post Last week I visited the two immigration detention centers in south Georgia—Irwin County Detention Center…
Blog
Subaru Must Begin Holding Its Suppliers Accountable
August 15, 2016
In the past four years, Subaru’s U.S. sales have almost doubled and its stock price has quadrupled. Yet most consumers don’t know that a large…
Press
Detained Mothers Begin Hunger Strike at Berks Immigration Detention Facility
August 11, 2016
New York City–Human Rights First today renewed its calls on the Obama Administration to end its policy of detaining women and children seeking U.S. protection following the…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: August 1, 2016
August 1, 2016
Top News Immigration Detention This Wednesday, August 3rd the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and Human Rights First will host a breakfast discussion on…
Letter
Letter: U.S. human rights leadership and outcome document for UN High-Level Meeting on Refugees and Migrants
July 29, 2016
July 29, 2016 The Honorable Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Re: U.S. human rights leadership and outcome document…
Press
New Report Details Increase in Detention of Asylum Seekers
July 25, 2016
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today released a new report detailing the increase in asylum seekers held in U.S. immigration detention facilities and the failure of…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: July 25, 2016
July 25, 2016
Top News Immigration Detention Human Rights First today released a new report detailing the increase in asylum seekers held in U.S. immigration detention facilities and…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: July 18, 2016
July 18, 2016
TOP NEWS Guantanamo Bay There are 59 motions on the docket for consideration during the next two weeks as the military commission proceedings for the…
Protecting the World’s Persecuted
July 15, 2016
We fight for asylum seekers—and against the detention of families and children In 2014-15, tens of thousands of people—many of them children—fled brutal gang and…
Press
Congress Urged to Support Refugee Protection Act of 2016
July 14, 2016
New York City—Human Rights First urges members of Congress to support the Refugee Protection Act of 2016, a bill that reaffirms the United States’ commitment…
Fact Sheet
Refugee Protection Act of 2016
July 14, 2016
THE REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT OF 2016 Why is the Refugee Act of 2016 important? The United States has a proud history of providing refuge to…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: July 11, 2016
July 11, 2016
TOP ITEMS Global Refugee Crisis This week, the House Committee on Appropriations will markup the Fiscal Year 2017 State and Foreign Operations Bill. In its…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: July 5, 2016
July 5, 2016
TOP ITEMS Bahrain This week President Obama travels to Poland, where he and other world leaders will attend the July 8-9 NATO summit. Human Rights…
Blog
Supreme Court Ruling Denies Temporary Relief from Deportation to 5 Million, Thwarting Protection and Stability for Millions of Children
June 28, 2016
By Olga Byrne Last week the Supreme Court announced its deadlock in Texas v. United States, the case brought by 26 states challenging the Obama Administration’s…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: June 27, 2016
June 27, 2016
TOP ITEMS Bahrain Wednesday, June 29 marks the one-year anniversary of the State Department’s decision to resume security assistance to Bahrain and remove some holds on arms sales originally imposed following Bahrain’s 2011 crackdown on peaceful protestors calling for reform. The anniversary…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: June 20, 2016
June 21, 2016
Top News World Refugee Day Today, to mark World Refugee Day, 28 of the nation’s most prominent national security leaders, retired generals and admirals, and former government…
Blog
Tortured Saudi Gitmo Detainee Receives Review Board Hearing
June 16, 2016
This morning the Guantanamo Periodic Review Board (PRB) held a hearing for Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani. Al-Qahtani is a 40-year-old Saudi Arabian detainee who has been imprisoned…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: June 13, 2016
June 13, 2016
Top News Ukraine Pride After the deadliest mass shooting attack in U.S. history targeted LGBT men and women at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, claiming 50 lives and…
Blog
Let Me Tell You About The Refugees I Assist
June 10, 2016
By Adelma Jakupovic Since August of 2015, I have volunteered at the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) in Washington, D.C. As part of my work…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 23, 2016
May 23, 2016
Top News Guantanamo On Tuesday, the House Oversight and Government Reform National Security Subcommittee will hold a hearing examining the remaining detainees at the U.S. detention…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 16, 2016
May 16, 2016
TOP NEWS Guantanamo This week as the military commission proceedings in the case against Abdul Hadi al Iraqi continue at the U.S. detention center at…
Press
On International Day of Families, Administration Urged to End Deportation Raids, Detention of Women and Children Fleeing Violence
May 15, 2016
Washington, D.C.—In recognition of International Day of Families on today, Human Rights First today renewed its calls on the Obama Administration to abandon its policy…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 9, 2016
May 9, 2016
Top News Global Refugee Crisis Last week, the State Department released its official resettlement numbers for April, indicating that it resettled 451 Syrian refugees last…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: May 2, 2016
May 2, 2016
Top News Guantanamo As the administration works toward its goal of closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, it has scheduled two more Periodic…
Topics
Recruitment
May 1, 2016
How are trafficking victims recruited into sex work or forced labor? Domestic Victims Human trafficking victims in America are recruited from both within the United…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: April 18, 2016
April 18, 2016
TOP NEWS Obama in Saudi Arabia This week President Obama travels to Saudi Arabia to meet with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including…
Blog
Deserving Asylum Seekers are Trapped in Detention, Like Military Interpreter Samey
April 5, 2016
In an op-ed published in Sunday’s New York Times, Elizabeth Rubin describes the long and harsh ordeal Samey Honaryar, a man from Afghanistan, suffered while seeking asylum…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: April 4, 2016
April 4, 2016
Top News Guantanamo Today two detainees from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were transferred to Senegal. The transfers come as the Pentagon continues to advocate for the administration’s plan to close…
Blog
Washington Week on Human Rights: March 28, 2016
March 28, 2016
Top News Global Refugee Crisis In a move that would severely hinder the ability of the United States to provide protection for those fleeing violence in…
Press