Federal Courts Issue Different Rulings on Trump Administration’s Effort to Significantly Restrict Asylum Protection

Trump Efforts to Restrict Asylum Protection Significantly
Sep24

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The Federal judiciary has frequently been relied on to block the anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration.  However, as with any litigation, there is no guarantee as to how any Federal judge will rule on any specific immigration law issue.  This point was made abundantly clear on July 24 when 2 Federal courts issued different rulings on the Trump administration’s effort to significantly restrict asylum protection for migrants. These 2 cases involved lawsuits against the new rule of the Trump administration (published in the Federal Register to be effective July

September 24, 2019
Read more

Trump Administration Announces Expanded “Expedited Removal” Deportation Authority

Trump Deportation Authority “Expedited Removal” Expanded
Sep23

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Probably the major limitation on the anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration has been decisions by the Federal judiciary to overturn certain of these policies in court cases.  Therefore, it is not surprising that the Trump administration would try to restrict the ability of judges to review immigration cases. Specifically, on July 22, the Trump administration announced that it will expand its “expedited removal” deportation authority – the ability of immigration officers to deport migrants without them appearing before judges. In an executive order in January 2017, President Trump directed

September 23, 2019
Read more

New Study Shows ICE is Not Targeting Serious Criminals

New Study Shows ICE is Not Targeting Serious Criminals
Sep22

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. In defending his immigration policies, President Trump often argues that his purpose is to deport “criminals” (“bad hombres”) from the United States.  Notwithstanding this rhetoric, a new study reveals a different result. The study, from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), released on July 19, shows that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in fact not targeting serious criminals. The TRAC study states that “the latest data from the Immigration Courts through June 2019 shows only 2.8 percent of recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

September 22, 2019
Read more

Trump Administration Announces New Rule To Significantly Restrict Asylum Protection For Most Central American Migrants

Restrict Asylum Protection For Central American Migrants
Sep21

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The Trump administration has taken various actions to restrict the inflow of immigrants from Central America at the U.S. southern border.  Many of these immigrants assert asylum claims to attempt to enter the United States. In probably its most forceful action to limit immigration from Central America, on July 15, the Trump administration announced a new rule to significantly restrict asylum protection for most Central American migrants. Specifically, under the new rule (published in the Federal Register to be effective July 16), subject to 3 limited exceptions, asylum seekers who

September 21, 2019
Read more

Michigan Us District Court Judge Allows New Litigation Challenging Trump’s Travel Ban to Proceed

Judge Allows New Litigation Challenging Trump’s Travel Ban
Sep20

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. While the Federal judiciary has generally protected immigrant rights against the policies of the Trump administration, one exception was the decision by the Supreme Court in the case of Trump v. Hawaii, 138 S. Ct. 2392 (2018), which upheld the validity of President Trump’s travel ban.  However, at least one Federal judge may be reconsidering the issue. In the case of Arab American Civil Rights League v. Trump, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 114273 (E.D. Mich. 2019), on July 10, Michigan US District

September 20, 2019
Read more

New Eb-5 Regulations Near Publication May Significantly Modify Eb-5 Requirements

New Eb-5 Regulations May Modify Eb-5 Requirements
Sep11

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. The EB-5 program has been a popular vehicle for immigrant investors to obtain green cards, and status as a permanent lawful resident, in the United States.  Under the EB-5 program, by investing $500,000 in a project located in a “targeted employment area” (generally rural areas and areas with high levels of unemployment) (“TEA”) that creates 10 full-time jobs, the immigrant investor generally can obtain a green card.  Persons interested in the EB-5 program should note that new regulations are near publication that may significantly modify the requirements of the

September 11, 2019
Read more

ICE Intending to Assess Thousands Of Dollars In Fines On Some Undocumented Immigrants

ICE Intending to Assess Thousands Of Dollars In Fines
Sep09

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Trump administration wants to take adverse action against undocumented immigrants. The latest such example is in the area of financial penalties. Following an executive order by President Trump, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is intending to assess thousands of dollars in fines on some undocumented immigrants. Shortly after taking office, on January 25, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order authorizing “the assessment and collection of all fines and penalties that the Secretary is authorized under the law to assess and collect from aliens

September 9, 2019
Read more

Supreme Court At Least Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration from Adding Citizenship Question To The 2020 Census

Supreme Court Blocks Citizenship Question on 2020 Census
Sep06

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. On any number of issues affecting immigrants, the Federal judiciary has blocked anti-immigration efforts by the Trump administration.  Generally, these actions by Federal judges have come at the District Court and Court of Appeals levels. However, on June 27, the Supreme Court also acted against an anti-immigration policy of the Trump administration, at least temporarily blocking it from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The case (Department of Commerce v. New York, Docket No. 18-966) arose from the decision in March, 2018 by

September 6, 2019
Read more

Federal Judge Blocks ICE from Making Courthouse Arrests of Undocumented Immigrants In Massachusetts

Judge Blocks ICE from Making Courthouse Arrests of immigrant
Sep04

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. Given the anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration, it would not be wrong to characterize Federal judges as the “BFF” of immigrants in the United States.  On numerous immigration issues, the decisions of Federal judges have been critical to safeguard the rights of immigrants and restrict the actions of the Trump administration.  Another example of a Federal judge protecting the rights of immigrants occurred on June 20, with the decision of U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to block U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) from making courthouse arrests of

September 4, 2019
Read more

Illinois Becomes First State to Ban Private Immigration Detention Centers

Illinois to Ban Private Immigration Detention Centers
Sep02

Written by: Taher Kameli It has been said that in the face of Congress’ general inability to reach an agreement on immigration issues, and President Trump’s anti-immigration policies, only the judicial branch of government appears to be available to protect immigrant rights. However, such a statement ignores another part of our overall government system – the states. That the states can support immigrant rights was evidenced on June 21 when Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill under which Illinois became the first state to ban private immigration detention centers. The bill, HB 2040 (the “Private Detention

September 2, 2019
Read more
Request Consultation