Refugee Status

The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

Recent Features

  • FOIA

Investigating USCIS’ Implementation of Humanitarian Parole and Refugee Processing for Afghan Nationals

Records to clarify why Afghans face such significant delays in humanitarian parole and refugee processing are necessary.

All Refugee Status Content

  • Blog

World Refugee Day Reminders Us That We Must Do Better

June 18, 2019

World Refugee Day serves as a reminder that as a nation we must do better to protect those who are fleeing harm.

The post...

  • Blog

Worsening Detention Conditions in Border Patrol Custody Highlighted in New Complaint

May 23, 2019

The post Worsening Detention Conditions in Border...

  • Blog

Closing USCIS International Offices Will Leave US Citizens, Military Members, and Refugees Abroad Without Help

April 18, 2019

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ international field offices provide critical services to Americans living abroad, as well as refugees and other immigrants. But in a supposed effort to...

  • Blog

Government Will Help 2,700 Central American Children Reunite With Their Families After Court Settlement

April 16, 2019

The Trump administration has agreed to reverse course and begin the process of reuniting 2,700 children living in Central America with their parents in the United States. The decision comes as...

  • Blog

Trump’s Travel Ban Leaves Thousands of US Citizens Separated from Their Families

January 29, 2019

It has been two years since the Trump administration’s travel ban went into effect. Aside from multiple court challenges, the ban has largely disappeared from American headlines. And yet the ban...

  • Blog

Massacre at Pittsburgh Synagogue Tied to Anti-Refugee Sentiment

October 29, 2018

In a world of instantaneous news, the nation learned of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday in Pittsburgh almost in real time. As the details emerged, we discovered that 11 Jewish...

  • Blog

The Nobel Prize Winners Show the Power of Welcoming Newcomers

October 24, 2018

When people feel welcomed into a community, great things often happen that benefit the receiving community and even the nation. When newcomers feel accepted and included in a society, it provides...

  • Blog

Trump Administration Justifies Lowest Refugee Admission Target Ever, Arguing That America’s Generosity Remains Boundless

September 18, 2018

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday evening that the Trump administration intends to limit refugee admissions to no more than 30,000 people in Fiscal Year 2019. In an effort to soften...

  • Blog

On World Refugee Day, a Look at the Trump Administration’s Ugly Track Record on Refugees

June 20, 2018

Across the globe, people gather together to celebrate World Refugee Day on June 20. Started in 2001, this day not only commends the courage and determination of the currently 25.4 million...

  • Blog

Trump’s Nominee for Refugee Bureau Has an Anti-Immigrant History

May 30, 2018

When it comes to U.S. refugee policy, the Trump administration is asking Congress to let the fox guard the hen house. The administration has nominated Ronald Mortensen to be assistant secretary of...

  • Blog

The Condition of the Refugee Resettlement Program in 2023

October 13, 2022

The Biden administration announced on September 27 that the cap on refugee admissions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 would be 125,000—the same as the cap for FY 2022. However, given the current state...

  • Blog

The US Response to Ukraine Shows We Have the Capacity for Humanitarian Relief

April 6, 2022

At the beginning of March 2022, as millions of Ukrainians were being displaced by Russian invasion, the U.S. government announced a series of policy changes to assist some of the people impacted...

  • Blog

Why Are Afghans Facing Significant Delays in Humanitarian Parole and Refugee Processing?

March 17, 2022

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August 2021—as the country’s government was overtaken by the Taliban—led to the chaotic evacuation of thousands of Afghan nationals. The tragic...

  • FOIA

Investigating USCIS’ Implementation of Humanitarian Parole and Refugee Processing for Afghan Nationals

This Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeks to uncover information about how the humanitarian parole process and refugee program is working with respect to Afghan nationals.
  • Blog

This USCIS Policy Change Will Reunite Vulnerable LGBTQ Refugee and Asylum Couples

March 2, 2022

In February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reversed Trump administration guidance that limited recognition of marriages performed abroad only to those considered “valid” in the...

  • Letters

Coalition Calls on Biden Administration to Create Afghan Parole Program

Publication Date: 
February 15, 2022
The American Immigration Council joined over 200 organizations in calling on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to create a designated parole...
  • Blog

This Special Program Gives Refugee Athletes a Chance to Compete in the Olympics  

July 14, 2021

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to expand a unique venture for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo: The Refugee Olympic Team. The expansion is part of the IOC’s long-...

  • Blog

On World Refugee Day, A Call to Rebuild U.S. Refugee Resettlement

June 18, 2021

World Refugee Day is celebrated internationally on June 20 every year. It honors the struggle of refugees around the world who are fleeing violence and persecution and are unable to safely return...

  • Blog

Biden’s Commitment to Refugees in Question After Flip-Flopping on Admissions Cap

April 16, 2021

Throughout his presidential campaign and after the election, Joe Biden repeatedly condemned President Trump’s decision to slash the U.S. refugee admissions level to its lowest in history. He ...

  • Blog

Court Blocks One of Trump’s Final Efforts to Keep Out Refugees

January 12, 2021

The Trump administration’s latest effort to prevent refugee resettlement in the United States was halted after a federal court ruled that the president’s order allowing state and localities to...

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