The common thread of our report this month is an exceedingly troubling one—violence and abuse suffered by vulnerable people in countries of origin, on the migrant journey, and at the U.S.–Mexico border. The stories here cover armed government crackdowns of demonstrations in Nicaragua; obstacles to asylum in Mexico; and the fatal shooting of a young Guatemalan women by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. State-Backed Violence in Nicaragua: In recent months, the repressive regime in Nicaragua has … [Read more...]

Our report includes recent news about immigrant children separated from their parents, coverage of the Refugee Caravan as participants arrive at the border, and a photo/video essay on the issues and implications of building a border wall. Separated Parents and Children at the Border: After the separation of hundreds of undocumented immigrants from their children and a pending American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit on behalf of a Congolese mother separated from her 7-year-old daughter, the … [Read more...]

Our report this month includes news about extended deadlines for asylum seekers who were not informed of application deadlines; a reversal of U.S. policy resulting in more likely detention of pregnant women; and an overview of life at the border with a section about the work of the KBI. Access to Asylum: In a class-action lawsuit, a U.S. District judge determined that authorities failed to inform asylum seekers of the one-year deadline for filing applications and ruled that Citizenship and … [Read more...]

Our report this month focuses on families—undocumented, mixed-status, seeking asylum—to reveal the larger tragedy and trauma wrought by inhumane immigration policies and continually delayed reform in the U.S. These news stories document in greater detail the toll on children and other loved ones when a family member is detained or deported. Separated Families in Detention: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the U.S. government for detaining a Congolese mother and child in … [Read more...]

This month, we share the latest news about obstructions and crackdowns in the immigration system, affecting asylum seekers, detainees at the U.S.–Mexico border, and most recently, immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens. In addition, we include coverage of Border Patrol destruction of supplies left in the desert for migrants and arrests of volunteers who put them there. Prosecution an Obstacle to Asylum: In January, Human Rights First released a comprehensive report on the Trump administration’s … [Read more...]