Migration News 

ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter 

Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Network 

Pastors, bishops and the head of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States are calling on Congress to support the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which President Joe Biden proposed on the first day of his administration. In a letter published Thursday (March 4), leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America threw their support behind what they called “fair and compassionate transformations to our nation’s broken immigration system.” 

Supreme Court rules against immigrant who was denied chance to make his case against deportation 

John Fritze, USA TODAY 

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday against an immigrant who has lived in the country illegally for 25 years and who asserted he wrongfully faced deportation for a relatively minor crime of using a false Social Security card. Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the 5-3 opinion and was joined by four of the court's conservatives. The high court found that the immigrant, Clemente Pereida, did not meet the burden required to show he should have been allowed to present his case to avoid deportation. 

Biden Prepares Major Changes to Immigrant Family Detention Centers 

Peter Wade, Rolling Stone 

As the Biden administration copes with the rise in immigrants and unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security is planning to transform immigration facilities located in South Texas into “Ellis Island-style rapid-processing hubs,” according to the Washington Post’s description of Department of Homeland Security draft plans. Biden said on the campaign trail that “children should be released from ICE detention with their parents immediately,” and many advocates agree. The goal of these hubs would be to speed up the process, aiming to screen and release migrant parents and their children within 72 hours of their arrival. But right now, the administration is facing a shortage of staff and room in existing facilities due to a growing number of migrants who have been crossing the border in recent months. 

Utah nonprofit helping refugee women at 'double disadvantage' during pandemic 

Tamara Vaifanua and David Wells, Fox 13 Salt Lake City 

Adjusting to a new life in America can be challenging for refugees, especially women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many refugee women lost their jobs, particularly in the retail, hospitality and manufacturing industries. The problem was worsened when some refugee services were forced to close. One organization, Women of the World, managed to stay open and has continued offering its services for refugee women during the pandemic. 

U.S. Refugee Flights Canceled as Record-Low Cap on Admissions Remains 

Michelle Hackman, The Wall Street Journal  

The Biden administration’s plan to raise the cap on refugee entry into the U.S. is off to a rocky start, with the State Department canceling the flights of more than 250 refugees scheduled to arrive in the U.S. over the past two weeks, according to officials at resettlement agencies that work with the government. The administration on Feb. 12 notified Congress, as required by law, of its plan to raise the limit on refugees admitted to 62,500 for the fiscal year ending in September, from the record-low 15,000 cap put in place by the Trump administration. 

Justice Department asks Supreme Court to dismiss 'sanctuary city immigration suits 

Pete Williams, NBC News 

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to dismiss three lawsuits over a Trump-era immigration policy that led some areas to declare themselves "sanctuary cities." The policy was part of an effort to get police departments to tell federal authorities when noncitizens were about to be released from custody. In what began half-heartedly under former President Barack Obama and ratcheted up under former President Donald Trump, the Justice Department sought to withhold federal grants from local governments that refused to tell immigration agents when people in their custody were about to be released. The government also wanted access to local jails so immigration agents could question noncitizens in custody. 

Further Reading 

U.N. Official: Biden Plan To Boost Refugee Resettlement 'Sends Important Signal' 

NPR 

Proskauer Secures Asylum for Client Persecuted Based on Sexual Orientation 

JD Supra 

Over 11,000 applications for asylum based on LGBT status filed in the US between 2012 and 2017 

YubaNet.com