Migration News

Domestic violence victim's feminist beliefs qualify her for asylum - 9th Circuit
Daniel Wiessner, Reuters
A U.S. appeals court on Monday said abuse that a Mexican citizen suffered at the hands of two partners because of her feminist beliefs was enough to make her eligible for asylum on the basis of her political opinions. Maria Rodriguez-Tornes was not involved in overt political activities and did not promote feminist political theory, but she did show that she was beaten, raped, burned and strangled because she refused to be subservient to men, a unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.

From ‘zero tolerance’ to now: How America’s migrant policies have changed in the Trump and Biden years
Rebecca Morin, USA Today
America's policies toward migrants at the southern border kept shifting over the past four years as the U.S. pivoted from former President Donald Trump's rigid immigration views to President Joe Biden's less-restrictive positions. Add to that the increasing numbers of migrants and unaccompanied children coming to the border and the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump implemented several hardline immigration policies, including a “zero-tolerance” policy that separated children from parents who crossed illegally through the U.S.-Mexico border. While many of those policies have changed under Biden, the images of families and children at the border continue to be reminiscent of the previous administration and showcase issues the U.S. faces when dealing with immigration policy.

Former Obama Official On The Surge At The Border: 'This Is A Refugee Crisis'
Rachel Martin, NPR
The number of migrants crossing into the United States in March was higher than in any other month in at least 15 years. That's according to preliminary data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that was reviewed by The Washington Post. The figures show U.S. agents apprehended more than 171,000 migrants in March, including more than 18,800 unaccompanied minors. In all, the number of arrests and detentions has more than doubled since January, according to the Post.

Research: More International Students, More U.S. Student STEM Degrees
Stuart Anderson, Stuart Anderson
New research shows concerns that international students take spots from U.S. students are unfounded. The research also finds that having more international students at a university results in more U.S. students going into STEM (science, engineering, computer science and mathematics/statistics) fields. Both findings are significant and should encourage policies that welcome international students to America. “Enrolling more international undergraduate students does not crowd out U.S. students at the average American university and leads to an increase in the number of bachelor’s degrees in STEM majors awarded to U.S. students,” according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) by economist Madeline Zavodny.

Honoring Iowa’s Migrant And Farm Workers
Claudia Thrane, Iowa Starting Line
Farm Workers Awareness Week was celebrated recently, and it is only fitting to honor every farm worker that has labored under the sun and in the cold to provide us with the fruit and vegetables that contribute to our health, nutrition and survival. According to the National Center for Farm Worker Health, there are more than three million migrant and seasonal farm workers in the U.S. Seventy-two percent are foreign born, over a million of them are undocumented. In a report from the National Immigration Forum, 70% of the farming workforce is made up of undocumented immigrants, and their contribution to the fruit and vegetable industry is worth nine billion dollars. Six thousand migrant workers come to Iowa on a yearly basis to support the industry.

Long Beach Convention Center To Be Migrant Shelter If Council Okays It
Hayley Munguia, Gazette Newspapers
The Long Beach Convention Center likely will transform into a temporary migrant shelter in the coming days or weeks, as the United States deals with an ongoing crisis at the southern border, with a surge in unaccompanied minors. Federal officials have expressed interest in moving forward with using the facility as an emergency shelter site, city officials said Monday, April 5, and the City Council will conduct a special Tuesday meeting to approve the designation.

Further Reading

African Immigrant Organizations Are Fighting To Ease Vaccine Hesitancy
WKAR

Op-Ed: The border can’t be our only concern. The U.S. needs an immigrant integration policy
Los Angeles Times

Approach to immigration policy rooted in privilege, facelessness
Grand Valley Lanthorn

It's time to remember what 'asylum' really means
CNN

What’s best for Pascual?
The Washington Post