Monthly Archives: January 2019

Not One, But Two, Ballooning Immigration Backlogs

You’ve heard about the immigration court backlog, now around a million cases, with people waiting for years to appear before a judge. That’s mostly from the enforcement side of U.S. immigration. The U.S. Citizenship and Information Services (USCIS) is where … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Cold as ICE: Family Separation Continues

Minnesota is frozen down at so-far-below-zero-that-numbers-don’t-matter, with schools and offices closed, and even postal delivery halted. In Washington, Congress is moving at a glacial pace. Today’s news includes stories of cold-hearted immigration policies in action, including two recent child separation … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Real People, Real Stories: Immigrants Suffer Under Trump Policies

Anti-immigrant policies, from the Muslim ban to denial of asylum applications, hurt real people. Today: several stories of individuals impacted by punitive policies. The Muslim Ban: Trump’s Muslim ban, first imposed on January 27, 2017, was stopped by several courts. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Shutdown Is Over and the Wall Is Still Stupid

With the federal government back up and running, federal employees are getting back pay (though contract employees mostly get nothing), and Congress is still talking about a border wall. Trump’s border wall is an expensive piece of stupidity that should … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Beyond the Law: National Emergency and Asylum Turnbacks

Citing the need to override  “misguided court decisions and outdated laws,” the administration has ordered border officers to push asylum seekers back in to Mexico AFTER they have been determined to have credible fear of returning to their home countries. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Stranger Than Fiction: U.S. Asylum Policy

Nfor grew up in the West African country of Cameroon, where homosexuality is a crime, and where  gay men often are attacked, sometimes murdered, by vigilantes. He fled in fear for his life, eventually making his way to the United … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Gutting DACA While Pretending to Save It

The “compromise” proposal to end the shutdown announced by Trump on January 19 was unveiled by Mitch McConnell on Monday night, January 21—and it’s even worse than predicted. The conservative Cato Institute said it doesn’t extend DACA, but sets up … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

‘For I Was Thirsty, And You Gave Me to Drink’—Now You Go to Jail

The Gospel has no standing in Arizona, where four volunteers have been convicted of crimes for placing food and water in the desert for migrants crossing the border. Now they awaiting sentencing, facing up to six months in prison. “This … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

President’s “Offer”— Nothing At All

Trump says that he will “compromise” with Democrats and give DACA students and more than 300,000 immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) a three-year extension of temporary status in exchange for $5.7 billion for his boondoggle wall. This “compromise” would … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Message to Soldiers: No Thanks for Your Service

A decorated Marine veteran was almost deported, despite being a U.S. citizen, born and raised here. Any new recruits with “foreign ties,” even U.S. citizens married to non-citizens, will be targeted for investigation and vetting by the military’s planned Foreign … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment