Welcome home, Howard!

Howard Bailey, a U.S. Navy veteran, returned home to the U.S. after more than a decade in exile in Jamaica because of his unjust deportation. Howard was featured in NIJC's report, A Chance to Come Home: A Roadmap To Bring Home The Unjustly Deported, and testified at a congressional hearing led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, who launched advocacy to grant Howard humanitarian parole. Watch a recording of the welcome home briefing with Howard and a video of him reuniting with his family at the airport on our website.

IN THE NEWS: The Washington Post spoke to Howard after his return and featured his story in a recent column.

Few released as Illinois jail ends ICE detention

This past weekend, we celebrated as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released three people from immigration detention in Pulaski County, Illinois, as the jail ends its contract with ICE. Shamefully, ICE sent others who should also have been released to other jails. NIJC and 55 organizations who are ready to support people upon their release had urged the Biden administration to release people rather than transfer them to other jails. We continue to demand their release. Read more.

Deadly and unlawful "Remain in Mexico" policy must end

The Supreme Court recently refused to block the order of a Texas judge calling for the return of the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, also known as Remain in Mexico. The program forced more than 70,000 migrants and people seeking asylum to wait in deadly conditions in Mexico while seeking to pursue their claims in the United States. No iteration of Remain in Mexico is compatible with the right to asylum or U.S. obligations under domestic and international law. We call on the Biden administration to take all measures legally available to bring this horrific record to bear and end this inhumane program. Read more.

Landmark ruling finds that "illegal reentry" law is racist

A federal District Court in Nevada issued a landmark decision finding that the law used to criminally prosecute people for entering the country without permission after having been previously deported is racist in origin and discriminatory in practice. We took a look at the history of the law and the most recent case. Read the blog post.

Historic step towards legalization

Last month, we celebrated the U.S. Senate’s passage of a budget resolution that included a path to citizenship for millions of people in our communities. This marks a major milestone and Congress now has an historic opportunity to begin to transform the U.S. immigration system into one that is grounded in racial equity and compassion, one that respects the dignity and human rights of all immigrants. We look to members of Congress to pass this bill—without amendments that demonize and harm immigrants—and ensure that no one is left behind. See more.

Highlights from the 5K for Immigrant Justice!

Hundreds of people participated in the 3rd Annual 5K for Immigrant Justice in person and virtually, raising more than $37,000 to fund life-changing legal services for people in our communities. Thank you to all who joined us! Check out our blog for a compilation of social media posts during race week.

EVENT: Policy Corner - The Dangers of Pushing Away the Right to Asylum

Join us for our next Policy Corner online event with the authors of our recent report with FWD.us, "Pushing Back Protection," for a discussion about how affluent nations, including the U.S., prevent people who are seeking asylum from reaching our shores and why we must respect the human right to asylum.

Speakers:
Azadeh Erfani, Senior Policy Analyst at NIJC
Maria Garcia, Director of Research at FWD.us

The Dangers of Pushing Away the Right to Asylum
September 21, 2021
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT
virtual via webinar
Sign up to get log in info: https://bit.ly/pc92121