 Your weekly summary from the Council. |
| LATEST ANALYSIS Trump Administration Abruptly Stopped Processing Green Card Applications Filed by Asylees, Refugees. A FOIA Request Seeks Answers The public needs further clarity as to why the government targeted particularly vulnerable populations and how it plans to implement this suspension. The suspension will likely lead to extreme delays or denials of green cards for asylees and refugees with little explanation to the American people or the applicants. FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW With Asian and Pacific Islander month approaching, new research from the American Immigration Council underscores the crucial role the API community plays in Texas’ labor force, housing market, population growth, and economy The Council found that API Texans contribute billions in taxes and consumer spending. In 2023, API households earned $100.6 billion in income, with $19.7 billion going to federal taxes and $7.6 billion going to state and local taxes, leaving them with $73.4 billion in spending power that can be reinvested back into the local communities. Robust consumer spending by API households supports small businesses and keeps local economic corridors vibrant. Read more: Power of the Purse: Contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Residents in Texas ACROSS THE NATION Prior to the Trump administration’s recent ban on resettlement, the United States offered refuge to hundreds of thousands of people through the U.S. refugee program. In 2024 alone, the Biden administration welcomed 100,034 refugees to the United States. In this recently updated fact sheet, the Council explains the current state of the resettlement program under the second Trump administration, as well as how the program has worked in the past. Read more: An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The Trump administration is very clearly trying to push the boundaries of what the Supreme Court ruled, because in the Alien Enemies Act case, the Supreme Court was extremely clear: every person subject to this law has the right to due process… The Supreme Court said that the one thing the Trump administration has to do if it wants to use this law is ensure that people are given notice… and enough time to actually go to a court and file a lawsuit… The Trump administration seems to be taking the position that reasonable time could be less than 24 hours.” – Aaron Reichlin Melnick, Senior Fellow, for The Rachel Maddow Show FURTHER READING CNN: International students are being told by email that their visas are revoked and that they must ‘self-deport.’ What to know Miami Herald: Secretary of student visas: Marco Rubio turns into campus gatekeeper The Independent: A Venezuelan delivery driver was ‘disappeared’ after making a wrong turn. The Trump administration claims they know where he is The Dispatch: An Absurd Rationale for Provoking a Constitutional Crisis Dallas Morning News: Bill aims to repeal in-state tuition, limit college aid for Texas’ undocumented students The Progressive Magazine: Sanctuary is Good Public Policy MAKE A CONTRIBUTION |
