Last night, a small group of negotiators who have been meeting behind closed doors put forward legislative text that would have devastating impacts on the ability of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence to get and stay safe. This so-called deal shows blatant disregard for the promise of a welcoming nation for all.

In recent years, the Texas Legislature has focused increasingly on immigration enforcement at the border and across the state. Texas’s Operation Lone Star (OLS) launched in 2021 and has deployed thousands of law enforcement personnel to the border, making use of state laws, such as trespassing and smuggling, to engage in immigration enforcement. OLS has radically shifted the way that state and local laws are applied to immigrants and border communities, has resulted in racial profiling, and has led to the deaths of dozens of people through high-speed chases and dangerous border barrier infrastructure. During the 3rd and 4th Special Sessions of the 2023 Legislative Session, the Legislature responded to the Governor’s call to expand Operation Lone Star and passed 3 anti-immigrant bills that will have a disproportionate impact on BIPOC immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.

The first time I visited the Atlanta Immigration Court, I had the opportunity to observe an asylum petition hearing. The respondent had no attorney. He was brought from a nearby […]

In 2018, Tahirih opened our newest office in Atlanta, Georgia. We chose to work in Atlanta because we knew the need was so great. Atlanta has some of the lowest […]

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month – a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions, achievements, and rich cultural heritage of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community […]

Through requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and litigation, the Tahirih Justice Center and the American Immigration Council have successfully uncovered a number of documents providing insight into […]

Tahirih’s policy work is rooted in our core values and in our promise theory of change. We work to advance policies and laws that enable immigrant survivors of gender-based violence to purse legal immigration status, live in safety, and fore their own paths.

The Tahirih Justice Center is prioritizing the following policy goals to immediately improve protections for immigrant survivors with simultaneously seeking long-term, systemic change.