We’re fighting for all Floridians’ right to live freely in the Sunshine State.  

Your weekly summary from the Council

 LATEST ANALYSIS 

At the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has made it a felony to transport a person into the state who hasn’t been inspected by immigration authorities. Effective July 1, driving certain immigrants into Florida is a crime. But a new lawsuit seeks to stop the law. Read More »

In the time since the Biden administration’s new asylum transit ban came into effect in May, people have been reporting stays in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody lasting as long as a month. Read More »

Bipartisan groups of lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA). The bill would fix a problem that will only get more urgent: tens of thousands of Afghans who were evacuated or fled to the United States when the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban retook control in 2021 have no viable way to apply for permanent legal status in the U.S., leaving them in limbo. Read More »

“I am number 3, but how does number 3 apply to me? I am third generation of an immigrant family, third generation of fading traditions and lost nationalities, but I refuse to let that be me.” Read More »


 FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

  • The nation’s focus has turned to the U.S.-Mexico border this week as reports emerged that Texas state troopers were allegedly instructed to withhold water from migrants and push them back into the Rio Grande.  
     
    At the instruction of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, troops have placed buoys in the middle of the Rio Grande, as well as 88 miles of razor wire fences along the river to act as barriers. Earlier this month, a trooper recounted seeing a four-year-old girl caught in the barbed wires. She was pushed back toward the river and then fainted from heat exhaustion. Another 19-year-old pregnant woman had to be freed from the razor wire traps as she suffered a miscarriage.  

    State troopers say these disturbing efforts to deter unauthorized migration are part of “Operation Lone Star,” a border security initiative launched by Abbott in 2021. Since its inception, Operation Lone Star has deployed over 20,000 military and law enforcement personnel to the border.  

    Operation Lone Star has long faced criticism not only for its treatment of migrants, but U.S. troops as well. During its first year of operation, eight troops deployed at the border died—five by suicide.  

    This blog from the American Immigration Council describes some of the longstanding problems Operation Lone Star has faced.

    Read more: Substance Abuse, Criminal Charges, and Death: National Guard Border Deployments Plagued by Problems

 ACROSS THE NATION 

  • The American Immigration Council along with partners—including the Southern Poverty Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, and Americans for Immigrant Justice—filed a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new anti-immigrant law, Senate Bill 1718. 

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Farmworker Association of Florida and various impacted individuals who routinely travel into and out of Florida, focuses on the provisions of the law that criminalizes the transportation of individuals into Florida who may have entered the country unlawfully and have not been “inspected” by the federal government since. 

Read more: Challenging Florida’s Unconstitutional Anti-Immigrant Law

  • The Council, American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project, and the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to compel the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to produce a report prepared for Congress regarding funding that was provided with the intent to improve legal access in detention. 

Congress allocated $10 million to improve legal access, and ICE was directed to provide a report on their expenditure plan. The lack of response raises concerns about transparency and accountability, obtaining this information is crucial to address the systemic barriers faced by immigrants in ICE detention, ensuring access to counsel and protecting their constitutional rights. 

Read more: Council, ACLU Sue DHS and ICE To Obtain Plans for $10 Million Meant to Improve Legal Access in Detention

 QUOTE OF THE WEEK 

“Florida's attempt to regulate federal immigration law violates the rights and dignity of all individuals in the state and harms immigrant families. Criminalizing transportation without federal 'inspection' and subjecting individuals to vague definitions is both unconstitutional and unfair. This ill-advised legislation not only singles out immigrants and their families but also poses a threat to the social and economic well-being of Florida's communities. We stand firm in our commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of every individual in the state, regardless of their immigration status. Unity and fairness must triumph over fear and hostility.” 

– Kate Melloy Goettel, legal director of litigation at the American Immigration Council

 FURTHER READING 

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