KBI Media Report: May 2017

This month, we share news about the impact of U.S. immigration, detention, and deportation policies as well as the U.S. budget on the lives of immigrants throughout the country. And we include an article about how Catholics are responding to the immigration crisis.

• • Temporary Protected Status: Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has authorized a 6-month extension (rather than the usual 18-months) of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians living in the U.S. This TPS extension expires in January 2018, and might not be renewed though conditions in Haiti have not improved enough to return. Hondurans and Salvadorans with TPS face a similar situation. Read more about the uncertainty and risk of deportation for these immigrants here: http://www.newsweek.com/haitian-tps-immigration-trump-decision-deportation-611101.
  • Rise in Non-criminal Immigrant Arrests: Since President Trump took office, there has been a sharp increase in immigrant arrests, especially among those with no criminal record, creating greater instability and fear within long-standing immigrant communities. Read more about the administration’s policies here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/immigration-arrests-up-during-trump/2017/05/17/74399a04-3b12-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?utm_term=.a716df35ac1a.
  • U.S. Immigration Policy and the Budget: Embedded in the U.S. Administration’s first proposed budget are indications of the crackdown promised by President Trump during his campaign. The budget includes a $2.7 billion increase for border security and immigration enforcement, and rules targeting undocumented immigrants and sanctuary cities. As this article points out, neither enhances the safety and security of the United States: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/us/politics/undocumented-immigrants-trump-budget-wall.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FImmigration%20and%20Emigration.
  • Support for Migrants: While the Catholic Church stands in solidarity with migrants throughout the world, congregants in church communities near the border and beyond express a range of feelings about the issue of immigration. The KBI’s Father Sean Carroll, S.J. weighs in, along with others, about supporting migrants in this Nogales International piece: http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/church-s-message-on-migrants-not-always-an-easy-sell/article_ef8c87a6-426b-11e7-b67b-e3335062e389.html.