Black Immigrants in the United States: Population, Spending Power, and Political Capital

Written by Steven Hubbard, Senior Data Scientist and Robin Lundh, Research Manager Black immigrants make up a vital part of America’s rich cultural life. Think of authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; musicians Miriam Makeba and Wyclef Jean; comedian Trevor Noah; activist Marcus Garvey; NBA hall of famer and philanthropist Dikembe Mutombo—to name but … Read more

USCIS Policy Change Will Reduce Number of People Who ‘Age Out’ From Green Card Eligibility

A recent policy change by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should reduce the number of children who age out of green card eligibility. For immigration purposes, a “child” means someone who is under 21 years old and unmarried. Because of backlogs, noncitizens whose only path to a green card depends on being classified as … Read more

How To Seek Asylum (Under Biden’s Proposed Asylum Transit Ban), In 12 Not-At-All-Easy Steps

The Biden administration recently announced a proposed regulation that would all but eliminate access to asylum for the overwhelming number of asylum seekers who come to the United States via the southwest border. But the regulation doesn’t put it that way. The regulation, announced on February 21, would create a new asylum restriction for adults … Read more

Supreme Court Pauses Oral Arguments in Title 42 Case – What’s next?

In December 2022, the Supreme Court stepped in to keep Title 42 (the pandemic health policy that has allowed the United States to carry out over 2.5 million expulsions since March 2020) in effect, after a DC court had overturned the policy. The Court’s action came in response to a coalition of GOP Attorneys General … Read more

At Dueling Border Hearings, New House Majority Pushes Partisan Narrative Over Facts

In January, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives. After a lengthy fight over the Speaker of the House resolved, the new majority wasted no time in holding multiple hearings on the current situation at the southern border. Unfortunately, the hearings, held in the Judiciary and the Oversight Committees, focused more on pursuing partisan … Read more

Family Reunification Task Force Reports Nearly 1,000 Children Remain Separated

Nearly 1,000 children separated from their families at the southern border by the Trump administration remain separated to this day, according to a Biden administration fact sheet released on February 2. The fact sheet marks two years since President Biden’s creation of the Interagency Task Force on Reunification of Families and shows that the devastating … Read more

Still Awaiting Court Dates, Migrants Suffer the Effects of ‘Band-Aid’ Fixes to Our Broken Immigration System

When asylum seekers arrive in the United States, so long as they are not rapidly deported or expelled, the government is generally supposed to issue them a “Notice to Appear” (NTA). This charging document formally begins the immigration court process. But a new report from NBC News indicates that, based on records they have received, … Read more

Who Is in ICE Detention Right Now? New Data Provides a Snapshot of Sprawling Detention System

Recently published data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provides insight into who ICE is detaining and for how long. The results show that the majority of noncitizens are being held in the rural South, and many are subject to fast-track removal proceedings. But still, many people remain locked up for months, if not … Read more

Resounding Victory in a Data Case Against ICE

On January 26, the Second Circuit ruled against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a case that has broad implications for the public’s access to data held in immigration agency databases. The case stems from an ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The request asked for data from ICE about removals, detentions, apprehensions, … Read more

Amid a Severe Shortage of Home Health Aides, Immigrants Help Care for Our Seniors

The United States will need to fill nearly three-quarters of a million open jobs for home health and personal care aides every year through 2031. Currently, immigrant workers fill these jobs in outsized numbers. Without more workers joining the workforce, the drastic shortage of aides could leave millions of Americans without the ability to remain … Read more