May 12 Updates
National
Resource that is updated somewhat regularly about changing laws regarding Asylum Seekers can be found here via ASAP
Network Advocates (Catholic org) has a great resource here that tracks all executive actions and updates regularly
New Trump Admin initiative to give $1k stipends to people who self-deport via the CBP Home App – read more from AP News here
Biden-era policies protecting vulnerable people (like pregnant people, children, and the elderly) in CBP custody were rescinded in a memo sent on May 5. Read more from Wired here.
Many more judges have ruled against the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans and other migrants in the US. A memo from the National Intelligence Council released on May 5 has all but disproven the entire basis for the usage of the AEA in the first place, which strengthens all of the challenges already in the courts against this policy.
There will be oversight hearings for ICE and CBP on Weds 5/14 and Thurs 5/15, respectively. Both will be at 10am EST.
Two “National Defense Areas” (one in NM near Fort Huachuca in AZ, established in April - the other in TX near Fort Bliss, established May 1) have been established along the U.S.-Mexico border.
As of May 9, more than 200 migrants have been charged with multiple offenses for entering these military zones, facing significantly harsher penalties than traditional immigration violations.
Military-related charges carry substantially higher penalties, including up to one year in prison and fines up to $100,000, compared to the six-month maximum sentence for standard illegal entry charges. Read more from Reuters here.
Bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act introduced on May 8 in the House.
Perspective from the LA Times here
This comes amidst widespread raids and detention of farm workers across the country (most notably in Washington state, CA, NY, and VT). The UFW organized protests in Western NY on Friday, May 9th in western NY after 14 farm workers were arrested on their way to work.
Washington DC saw a rash of ICE activity - specifically coming to businesses and saying they were doing an I-9 audit.
See Lawyers for Civil Rights resource for employers regarding immigration inspections and raids here.
Arise Chicago’s Worker Rights Manual can be downloaded in English or Spanish here.
Saturday, Ras Baraka - the mayor of Newark, NJ - and three NJ Congresspeople (Reps. LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Robert Menendez Jr.) were inspecting an ICE detention facility when DHS arrested Baraka for “failure to leave the premises”. Read more from AP News here.
Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts graduate student, was finally released from ICE custody on Friday!
Chicago
IL and Chicago Sanctuary policies continue to be attacked. Recently, the arrest of a 20 yo Venezuelan migrant has been used by DHS to “prove” the harm caused by Sanctuary Policies. Read more from CBS here.