- Last Monday, USCIS launched a new webpage explaining “Alien Registration”, the first step in fulfilling the president’s order to register all non-citizens in the United States. This process is still in the early stages, and little is known outside of what is contained on the USCIS webpage, including how registration is expected to occur or when.
Individuals are not required to do anything yet!
The last time we saw something like this was with the Special Registration program that the Bush Administration had introduced shortly after 9/11. Under that program, 83,000 individuals from predominantly Muslim countries registered, with 13,000 subsequently placed in removal proceedings.
Individuals subject to registration should speak to an attorney to see how to approach this. Registration could lead to being placed in removal proceedings, or even make individuals subject to expedited removal if they have been in the US for less than 2 years. However, failure to register may lead to criminal charges and ineligibility for future immigration status. MIRA will provide more information as we get it.
- On Saturday, President Trump signed an Executive Order making English the official language of the United States, a first in our nation’s nearly 250 year history. The EO would theoretically allow government agencies and others who receive federal funding to choose whether or not to continue providing documents and services in languages other than English. Although MIRA expects this EO to be challenged in federal court, it highlights to the need for MA to pass An Act Relative to Language Access and Inclusion.
- House and Senate GOP leaders are still at odds over forcing a radically altered federal budget through the reconciliation process. Last week, the House GOP narrowly passed a budget blueprint that calls for $4.5 Trillion in tax cuts and $2 Trillion in spending cuts while dramatically expanding spending on immigration enforcement. A Senate blueprint, passed the week before, was much narrower in scope, but still included significant increases in immigration enforcement. In order to move forward with the reconciliation process, which would allow the majority to bypass the filibuster in the Senate, the two chamber would need to pass identical budget resolutions, something that, at this point, looks to be a challenge.
- On Monday, organizations and individuals from Boston filed suit against the Trump Administration in an effort to protect Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Venezuelans. Haitian-Americans United, the Venezuelan Association of MA, and Undocublack, represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, argue that the administration’s attacks on these programs are in violation of federal law and are asking the court to block these decisions from DHS.
- The Haitian Bridge Alliance joined plaintiffs from around the country in suing the Trump Administration to block the government’s efforts to cut off categorical humanitarian parole programs, including CHNV, Uniting for Ukraine, and Operation Allies Welcome. The suit, filed in federal court on Friday, accuses that administration of violating federal not only in ending these programs, but also in blocking any beneficiaries from accessing other forms of relief.
- Last week, Representative Sylvia Garcia re-introduced the Dream and Promise Act. This bill would provide a pathway to US citizenship for most DACA recipients, other DREAMers, and those on Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure.