A border- and immigration-related announcement tomorrow from the Biden administration looks more likely based on the travel plans of at least two mayors of Texas border communities, on which Valerie Gonzalez of the Associated Press reports. Myah Ward of Politico offers more context on the possible executive order.

Meanwhile, finding legal representation for immigration court is still a challenge for tens of thousands of unaccompanied children coming into the United States, reports Laura Romero of ABC News. According to data from the Department of Justice, last year only 56% of unaccompanied minors had legal representation when they faced an immigration judge. 

The right to counsel is not guaranteed in immigration court, unique among U.S. court systems. Per a 2021 Congressional Research Service report, "Immigration judges are 100 times more likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children with legal representation than to those without it." 

Separately, local officials in Tunica County, Mississippi, voted 3-2 against housing migrant children in two defunct casinos, reports Kevin Wuzzardo of Fox 13 Memphis. The vote came despite promises that planners would not seek local or state funding. 

Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj of Axios map out where unaccompanied migrant children landed nationwide between 2015 and 2023, using data from the Department of Human Health and Services. Atop the list were Houston (32,000 children), Los Angeles (12,700) and Dallas (8,500). 

Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Ally Villarreal and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

THE PEOPLE AFFECTED — Immigration court backlogs are part of a complex and marred system, including in Boston, reports Danny McDonald of The Boston Globe. The backlog in Massachusetts stands at 150,000 cases. McDonald shares the personal stories of some of the people who are waiting, many of whom do not have legal representation — and many of whom have survived trauma on their journeys. 

THREATS — Faith-based organizations offer critical assistance to migrants upon their arrival to the United States. Hateful rhetoric and conspiracy theories are causing an increase in threats against such organizations from extremist groups, reports Miriam Jordan of The New York Times. "When you have this kind of hateful rhetoric spreading, and those who are supposed to be trusted echoing it or egging it on, some people hear a call to action," explained Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor at American University.  

IMPEDED INVESTIGATIONS — Border politics can hinder trans-border crime investigations, reports Rick Jervis of USA Today, particularly when those suspected of crimes in U.S. border towns cross into Mexico. Policies such as Texas’ Operation Lone Star are making some Mexican officials less willing to cooperate with local U.S. law enforcement, Jervis notes. "No doubt these politics are making it extremely awkward for Mexican authorities to work with U.S. authorities," said Jerry Robinette, a retired Homeland Security Investigations special agent based in San Antonio. 

‘A GROWING ANGST’ — Last week, we hosted a webinar on Dreamers’ uncertain future, and Jeff Brumley of Baptist News Global covers some key takeaways. An end to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — a real possibility amid court challenges — "would be a disaster to the communities [recipients] live in and the country as a whole," said Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.US. " ... Today’s Dreamers are experiencing a growing angst every day because there’s so much conversation happening around immigration, but not enough problem-solving and not enough solutions."  

Thanks for reading,  

Dan 

P.S. "My commitment to serving and safeguarding the diverse community of Charleston is deeply intertwined with understanding and addressing the unique needs of our immigrant population," the South Carolina city’s police chief, Chito Walker, says in a new Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force Q&A blog post. " ... [E]ffective policing must be inclusive and responsive to all segments of our community."