To tackle the unprecedented backlog of applications for humanitarian relief, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has created the Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions, and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center which will be comprised of a dedicated team of specially trained staff responsible for adjudicating VAWA self-petitions (I-360), issuing U visa bona fide determinations (I-918), and reunification of refugees and asylees with their family members (I-730).  

Last week, the U.S. and Canadian governments expanded their 2002 “safe third country” agreement to allow both countries to expel vulnerable people seeking asylum who have crossed the countries’ shared border in between ports of entry. The expansion of the deal was negotiated in secret a year ago and became effective just three days after its announcement on March 25.

Senior Litigation Counsel at the Tahirih Justice Center, Rachel Sheridan, explains why the CBP One App is problematic for survivors of violence seeking asylum.

The recent reported news by the New York Times alerting that the Administration is considering reinstating family detention is shameful and a complete travesty of President Biden’s promises.

BACKGROUND  On February 23, the Department of Homeland Security formally issued a proposed rule that would make most people seeking safety at the southern U.S. land border ineligible for asylum. […]

Today, the Department of Homeland Security issued a proposed rule that would drastically limit eligibility for asylum for many people seeking safety at our Southern border. Under these new regulations, a person seeking asylum at a U.S. port of entry on the Southern border who does not have an appointment or traveled through another country without applying for protection there first will be considered ineligible for asylum here – with few exceptions. This asylum ban cuts off a critical path to safety for survivors and sends them back to dangerous conditions where they often face further violence and trauma. 

The Tahirih Justice Center welcomes the introduction of the Refugee Protection Act (RPA). This bill not only ensures our doors remain open to refugees and asylum seekers but also reasserts long-held legal precedent.