Immigration and Immigrant Rights
Advancing Justice | AAJC Commends the U.S. Government’s Decision to Grant TPS for Over a Thousand Burmese Nationals
- Contact
WASHINGTON, D.C.—March 15, 2021— Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that the U.S. government would designate Burma ( Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC commends the administration’s decision which would allow around 1,600 Burmese nationals resettled across the country to remain in the United States temporarily and work.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC issues the following statement:
U.S. Citizenship Act Makes Strides for Pathway to Citizenship, Family Immigration
- Contact
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act, President Biden’s immigration proposal that would offer 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. a path to citizenship with a faster path for DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status holders. Senator Menendez plans to introduce the same legislation on Monday in the Senate.
We filed an amicus brief in Farhane v. United States. In Farhane, the Second Circuit will determine whether a criminal defense attorney’s failure to advise a naturalized U.S. citizen of the denaturalization and deportation consequences of a guilty plea constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment.
New Way Forward Act Gets Second Life With Reintroduction Under New Congress
- Contact
Washington, D.C. - Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) applaud the reintroduction of the New Way Forward Act by Reps. Jesús “Chuy'' García, Pramila Jayapal, Karen Bass, and Ayanna Pressley. Key components of the bill include:
-
Eliminating mandatory detention
-
Redefining convictions
-
Ending deportations based on certain convictions
A Victory for Immigrant and Refugee Families: the Value Our Families Coalition Applauds Commitment to Immigrant and Refugee Family Reunification in Biden Immigration Bill
- Contact
Washington, D.C. – Just hours before being sworn in, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have released a landmark immigration bill honoring their commitments to reunite immigrant families who have been the constant target for a xenophobic Trump Administration, create a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, and begin to rebuild the refugee resettlement program in line with our nation’s values of compassion, hospitality, and welcome.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Lauds Inauguration Day Actions on Immigration by New Biden Administration
- Contact
Washington, D.C. — After tireless advocacy of immigrant communities and advocates, President Biden today fulfilled several campaign promises by sending an immigration bill to Congress and issuing executive orders and memoranda on immigration-related actions.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander and Allied Organizations Urge Biden to Protect Southeast Asians and Halt Deportations
- Contact
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Southeast Asian Freedom Network, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans sent a letter, signed by 150 organizations, urging President-elect Biden to place a complete moratorium on all deportations immediately upon taking office until Congress can pass robust immigration reform that would repeal sections of the 1996 immigration policies responsible for the United States’ current draconian immigration enforcement system.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC Applauds Diversity of DOJ Nominations
- Contact
WASHINGTON, DC — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to announce Judge Merrick Garland for Attorney General, Lisa Monaco for Deputy Attorney General, Vanita Gupta for Associate Attorney General, and Kristen Clarke for Assistant Attorney General at an afternoon press conference.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC President and Executive Director, John C. Yang, issues the following statement to applaud the selection of Gupta and Clarke as part of the proposed new leadership at U.S. Department of Justice.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC Condemns Trump Administration for Intention to Terminate Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program
- Contact
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its intent to terminate the Filipino WWII Veterans Parole program and the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program by publishing a Federal Register notice on December 28, 2020. There will be a 60-day comment period and the termination of these programs would not become final unless the termination is finalized by the Biden administration.
Advancing Justice – AAJC Applauds Nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas as Department Homeland Security Secretary
- Contact
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President-elect Joe Biden on Monday named Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. During the Obama Administration, Mayorkas developed and implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).
Megan Essaheb, Director of Immigration Advocacy, issues the following statement: