|
New Resources Relating to Proposed Asylum Ban
On February 23, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if implemented, would place significant restrictions on the right to seek asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. Under the proposed rule, non-Mexicans who enter the United States between ports of entry or who present themselves at a port of entry without a previously scheduled appointment will be presumptively ineligible for asylum unless they applied for and were denied protection in a country they traveled through on their way to the United States, subject to certain exceptions. The rule is designed to be in place for 24 months after its effective date, following the lifting of Title 42. The rule is currently subject to a 30-day public comment period that will end on March 27.
Bishop Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, denounced the proposal the same day it was published. Earlier this week, Bishop Seitz further expressed concern about the rule in an op-ed published by America Magazine.
An FAQ relating to the proposed rule is available here. View more from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), including templates that both individuals and organizations can use to submit comments, here.
Senate to Hold Hearing on Refugee Admissions Program Featuring NGO Witnesses
On March 22, 2023, at 2:30 PM ET, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety will convene a hearing entitled “Living Up to America’s Promise: The Need to Bolster the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program”. The hearing will include a leader from the resettlement community and a former refugee. It will be livestreamed here.
USCCB and Partners Respond to Proposed Fee Increases for Immigration Benefits
On January 3, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published proposed increases in fees charged for certain immigration benefits administered by the agency, as well as a series of policy changes. Included among the fee increases would be applications and petitions related to adjustment of status and naturalization, as well as forms utilized by foreign-born religious workers. The USCCB, CLINIC, and Catholic Charities USA submitted joint comments urging USCIS to reconsider many of the proposed changes.
| 
