| Facts You Should Know This last week was Sunshine Week — a moment to demand government transparency and accountability, democratic values that are pillars of our nation. Every day, we’re witnessing what happens when a government chooses to operate in the shadows. One of the most disturbing consequences of the Trump administration’s veil of secrecy during its first term has been the family separation crisis. In many cases, children from separated families were sent to shelters thousands of miles away from their parents, without a way to contact them. Later, the government struggled to reunite families, in part because there was no centralized database of where the children had been sent or who their parents were. Years later, some of the nearly 3,000 children taken by the government during the zero-tolerance period have not been reunited with their parents. After years of litigation and pushback from the government, the American Immigration Council received tens of thousands of documents about this policy. The trove of records we received — including data on separations and internal government communications — underscores the importance of transparency. Read more: A Look Back at the Family Separation Policy: The Struggle to Uncover the Truth Behind the Trump Administration’s Wrongdoings |
| Across the Nation A stay of removal prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from deporting a noncitizen from the United States while they continue to challenge their removal order or pursue an immigration benefit or humanitarian protection. This practice advisory discusses the law, procedure, and practical tips for seeking a stay of removal from DHS, immigration judges, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the U.S. courts of appeals. Read more: Seeking Stays of Removal Certain rules govern electronic filing in immigration court. This new practice advisory from the Council explains those rules; describes how to file documents in federal court using the Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) System; and outlines how to access electronic documents through Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). The advisory also discusses restrictions on electronic access to court documents in immigration cases. Read more: Electronic Filing and Access to Electronic Federal Court Documents Quote of the Week “If the federal government wanted to be serious about leaving law-abiding immigrants alone, it would start by ending the practice of apprehending people with valid asylum claims who show up at courthouses for their check-ins. ‘It’s a Catch-22 that doesn’t keep anyone safe.’” – Jeremy Robbins, executive director, speaking to Bloomberg |
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