Immigration and Immigrant Rights
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC Alarmed by Cotton-Blackburn’s New Chinese Exclusion Act
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Washington, DC — May 29, 2020 — In another move to scapegoat both Asians and Asian Americans, Senators Tom Cotton and Marsha Blackburn introduced a new bill that attempts to label all Chinese students as suspicious and prevent them from getting visas for graduate studies or post-grad work in STEM disciplines.
In response to the bill’s introduction, Advancing Justice | AAJC responds with the following statement:
Download the opinion summary for United States v. Sineneng-Smith, which breaks down the Supreme Court's opinions and details what the Supreme Court decision means for community partners.
For more background, read the following blog and press releases:
Supreme Court Ruling In United States v. Sineneng-Smith Leaves Little Decided On Case To Protect First Amendment Rights of Immigrant Rights Advocates and Service Providers
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Washington, D.C.—May 7, 2020—Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of United States v. Sineneng-Smith that was anything but decisive in protecting the First Amendment rights of immigrant rights advocates and service providers. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court said the Ninth Circuit should not have raised the issue of the law being overbroad when the parties did not do so. Thus, the Court has sent the case back down to the Ninth Circuit.
On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation that bans the processing of most immigrant visas for 60 days. The proclamation could be extended for another 60 days. The ban went into effect at midnight on April 23rd.
Download the factsheet to learn more about the impact.
Advancing Justice | AAJC Condemns Senator Cotton’s Anti-Chinese Statements Against Students
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a recent television appearance, Senator Tom Cotton suggested that Chinese students should not be allowed to study in the United States, proposing to remove visa opportunities and limit the fields of study those students can pursue.
John C. Yang, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC president and executive director, issued the following statement in response:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns New Immigration Ban
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last night, President Trump signed a presidential proclamation suspending the majority of immigrant visas into the United States for the next 60 days under the guise of protecting American jobs. In particular, family reunification and diversity visas are shut down, and the President has indicated that the ban could be extended.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:
VOF Statement on Trump Proclamation: Family unity must play a central role in our immigration system
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Los Angeles - On Wednesday evening, Trump signed an executive order to stop issuing most green cards for 60 days. The proclamation would block most family reunification visas including parents of U.S. citizens who are classified as “immediate relatives” and spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents living outside the country. This action is in line with this administration's ongoing effort to scapegoat & criminalize immigrants.
Advancing Justice | AAJC and ACLU Seeks Records on Federal Investigations, Prosecutions, and Agency Action Against Scientists
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice | AAJC) and the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (together, the "ACLU") filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for all records from six federal agencies pertaining to the government’s efforts to scrutinize, investigate, and prosecute U.S.-based scientists and researchers perceived to have connections to China.
As census efforts ramp up this spring, outreach organizations fear that Trump administration officials may try to deport the immigrant communities they need to count.
A network of nonprofits, local governments and advocacy groups has fanned out to help the Census Bureau conduct its decennial count of America’s residents. Some advocates worry the administration, after its failed push to add a citizenship question to the census, may continue on-the-ground immigration enforcement efforts in a departure from previous censuses.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Issues Statement on Details of New Public Charge Rule Which Go Into Effect Today
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WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, on February 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) final public charge rule will go into effect nationwide. The new DHS rule made sweeping changes to the previous "public charge" test and will disproportionately block lower-income immigrants of color from obtaining lawful permanent residency, getting a green card.