The Supreme Court reversed a decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to grant bond hearings to detained individuals every six months, allowing instead for indefinite detention—an average of 13 months, but for some, years—without the prospect of release to more easily prepare a case and reunite with family. In February, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 5-3 ruling that detained immigrants facing deportation do not have a right to periodic bond hearings to determine if they are … [Read more...]
Defending Temporary Protected Status
In the coming months, the Department of Homeland Security will determine the fate of more than 300,000 people from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti who emigrated to the U.S. after receiving temporary protected status (TPS) in response to climate events and armed conflict in their home countries. DHS has already decided not to renew TPS for some 2,500 Nicaraguans, and extended TPS for Hondurans by only 6 months. After close to 20 years in the U.S., these immigrants have integrated into their … [Read more...]
Standing up for Refugees
With the recent announcement that the Administration plans to decrease refugee admissions to the lowest in U.S. history, the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has sent out an urgent call to stand with refugees and advocate for a minimum of 75,000 annual admissions. With an unprecedented number of people forced to leave their homelands due to war, genocide, gang violence, and climate events, it is more critical than ever to offer safety and welcome to refugees. The KBI asks that you join … [Read more...]
The First Trans-Gay Migrant Caravan
With banners and heads held high, sixteen transgender and gay migrants from Central America and Mexico marched through Nogales, Sonora, and presented themselves at the border to seek asylum and lives free of persecution and violence. It was not the start of their journeys, but the two miles traversed between the KBI comedor and the DeConcini Port of Entry represented a major milestone for 12 transgender women and 4 gay men seeking asylum in the U.S., and perhaps marks a beginning of broader … [Read more...]
Kino Border Initiative Opposes President Trump’s Decision to End DACA
The Kino Border Initiative strongly condemns President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. On the U.S.-Mexico border, we witness daily the emotional and psychological devastation that migrants experience due to deportation and separation from families. This action will seriously increase the degree and the magnitude of this suffering while failing to recognize and value these young people’s God-given human dignity. The president’s order puts … [Read more...]