- A lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) challenging the new annual $100 fees asylum seekers must pay while their cases remain pending due to significant backlogs both at asylum offices as well as in immigration courts. ASAP also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the government from dismissing or denying asylum applications based on the failure to pay the new annual asylum fee. The suit challenges the agencies’ retroactive implementation of the new annual asylum fee established under HR-1 and EOIR’s failure to establish a functional payment mechanism.
- Despite the federal government shutdown affecting many government agencies, immigration court hearings appear to be taking place as scheduled for both detained and non-detained individuals. . During past shutdowns, proceedings for those detained continued while the proceedings for non-detained individuals were rescheduled.
- A new fee of $1000 for those seeking to enter the country on parole was announced in the Federal Register on October 16 and is effective immediately.. Parole has long been used to allow individuals to enter the U.S. for humanitarian purposes.
- Last week, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which oversees the immigration courts, appointed a new Director. Director Margolin served as Assistant Chief Immigration Judge with EOIR from 2020 to 2024, Assistant Chief Counsel with OPLA from 2017 to 2020, and prior to joining OPLA served in the Marines including as staff judge advocate from 1989 to 2016.
- Amidst increased ICE enforcement activities and National Guard presence in the city, the Mayor of Chicago signed an “ICE Free Zone” Executive Order to prohibit federal immigration agents from using any City-owned property.