Migration News 

US judge blocks Trump administration’s sweeping asylum rules
Suman Naishadham, AP 
A U.S. judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s most sweeping set of asylum restrictions less than two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The rules had been set to take effect Monday. The court order has limited immediate impact because the government has largely suspended asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border during the coronavirus pandemic, citing public health concerns. Still, letting the rules take effect would have been felt by some who can still claim asylum and make it significantly more difficult for all asylum-seekers once pandemic-related measures are lifted.

Illinois is the first state to extend health coverage to undocumented seniors
Giles Bruce, Chicago Sun-Times 
Amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has disproportionately stricken Latino communities, Illinois is now the first state to provide public health insurance to all low-income noncitizen seniors, even those who are undocumented. Advocates for immigrants expect it will inspire other states to do the same, building on efforts to cover undocumented children and young adults. In California, Democratic legislators are pushing to expand coverage to all low-income undocumented immigrants there.

Court blocks Trump executive order allowing state and local officials to refuse refugees
Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service
Three faith-based refugee resettlement organizations are declaring “victory” in their court battle to block President Donald Trump’s 2019 executive order allowing state and local officials to refuse refugees. The decision came Friday (Jan. 8) as Maryland’s 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction blocking the order.

Trump to visit U.S.-Mexico border to laud border wall
Kevin Freking, AP
President Donald Trump is expected to travel to the U.S.-Mexico border on Tuesday to highlight his administration’s work on the border wall, the White House said Saturday. Trump will travel to the town of Alamo, Texas. He will mark the completion of 400 miles of border wall and his administration’s efforts to reform what the White House described as the nation’s broken immigration system.

Worth a Read 

For many Bay Area immigrants, Capitol chaos triggers flashbacks of home
San Francisco Chronicle 

History repeating itself': Immigrants know what political violence looks like. Capitol riot has many shaken.
USA Today

Migrant families traumatized by Trump's separations could face lifetime of health problems
Arizona Republic 

An Economic and Humanitarian Win-Win: Using Jobs to Resettle Refugees | Opinion
Newsweek