Immigration and Immigrant Rights
We joined this letter to express our deep concern that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is trampling on the fundamental human and constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC submitted this comment on the proposed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fee Schedule, published on November 14, 2019.
Harsh immigration laws disproportionately lead to the targeting, jailing, and destruction of families of color. Anti-immigrant laws passed in 1996 drove mass incarceration and mass deportation of people of color.
JUDGE BARS DHS FROM IMPLEMENTING UNLAWFUL CHANGES TO FEES FOR CITIZENSHIP
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Washington, DC — Today, Judge Maxine Chesney of the Northern District of California issued a nationwide preliminary injunction barring USCIS from implementing changes that would limit access to citizenship for lawful permanent residents (green cardholders). The ruling, issued from the bench, halts changes to the naturalization application process that would present significant barriers to citizenship for tens of thousands of non-wealthy applicants each year. The rule went into effect on December 2.
AAPI Groups Push Naturalization Workshops As USCIS Increases Citizenship Fees by 80 Percent
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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released a notice that it will raise the naturalization application fee to $1,170. This is an increase of 83% over the current fee of $640. The cost of applying for naturalization is already a barrier for many aspiring U.S. citizens.
USCIS also announced it will abolish available fee waivers for naturalization. With this change, USCIS has made clear its intent to reserve U.S. citizenship for only the wealthiest immigrants.
Download the factsheet to learn about changes to the fee waiver application for naturalization.
CAPAC Hosts Congressional Forum on the Rise of Southeast Asian Deportations under the Trump Administration
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Washington D.C. – Yesterday, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) held a Congressional Forum on the Rise of Southeast Asian Deportations. Members of Congress in attendance included CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (D-CA-27), CAPAC Immigration Task Force Chair Pramila Jayapal, (D-WA-7) House Judiciary Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), and Reps. Ami Bera (D-CA-7), Gil Cisneros (D-CA-39), Lou Correa (D-CA-46), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47), Grace Meng (D-NY-6), Harley Rouda (D-CA-48), and Maxine Waters (D-CA-43).
We joined civil, human, and immigrant rights organizations to submit comments urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw their proposed rule to require disclosure of social media identifiers from certain people seeking to travel or be admitted to the United States, or who are applying for immigration-related benefits, including those who are already living in the country.