HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST

Immigration

H.R.8070 - Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025: This bill authorizes FY2025 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, military construction, and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill authorizes appropriations, but does not provide budget authority, which is provided by appropriations legislation. Amendment # 302, Donalds (TX): Requires that people seeking protection be detained in detention facilities to the maximum extent before any person can be placed in the alternatives to Detention (ATD) program. Amendment # 403, Arrington (TX), Fallon (TX), Tenney (NY), Luttrell (TX): Requires that any person crossing the border that storms against the National Guard or a defensive border barrier is automatically ineligible for claiming asylum or requesting any other type of immigration status and must be deported within 72 hours after apprehension. Amendment # 616, Greene (GA): Authorizes funding for the use of military force at the southern border. Amendment #731, Miller-Meeks (IA): Would allow Afghans on humanitarian status who submit to additional vetting, including an in-person interview, to apply for permanent legal status. Amendment #866, Crow (CO): Extends the Afghan SIV program, provides an eligibility exemption for those injured or killed in the line of duty, requires a strategy for more efficient processing, and requires senior special immigrant visa coordinating officials across multiple departments. Amendment # 889, Buchanan (FL): Expresses that the United States should not prioritize spending more money to house undocumented immigrants over housing for American military families. Amendment #944, Titus (NV): Authorizes the office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts in the State Department for three years. Identical to H.R. 8368. Amendment #1066, Nunn (IA): Requests an additional 4,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan Allies. Amendment # 1214, Arrington (TX), Tenney (NY), Jackson (TX): Prohibits DOD funds from being used for the operation of aircraft to transport Palestinian refugees to the U.S. Amendment # 1252, Wallberg (MI): This amendment requires a report from the Secretary of Defense within 180 days and on an annual basis thereafter regarding the number of instances in which undocumented immigrants attempt to enter a military installation. H.R.7755 - Stateless Protection Act of 2024: To protect stateless persons in the United States, and for other purposes. S.3987 - Stateless Protection Act of 2024: To protect stateless persons in the United States, and for other purposes. H.R.1325 - Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023: This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide employment authorization for eligible asylum applicants. Currently, such individuals are not entitled to employment authorization but may be granted such by the Department of Justice. H.R. 3602 - End The Border Catastrophe Act: To secure the borders of the United States, and for other purposes. S.4361 - Border Act of 2024: A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for border security and combating fentanyl for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes. Refugee Protection Act of 2024 (not yet introduced): To provide for the admission and protection of refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable individuals, to provide for the processing of refugees and asylum seekers in the Western Hemisphere, and to modify certain special immigrant visa programs, and for other purposes. Destination Reception Act (not yet introduced) - Establish the Destination Reception Services Program New Arrival Services Board in the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and to authorize a grant program to provide funding for medium-term services to asylum seekers and parolees in destination States and localities. The grant program would promote self-sufficiency; reduce costs of extended emergency shelter; maximize benefit to new arrivals and host communities; provide diversion from homelessness; and promote the effective navigation and compliance of the immigration process. A Proclamation on Securing the Border and IFR: Encouraged the administration to rescind the rule. The new policy will bar access to asylum for most people arriving between ports of entry when the number of apprehensions reaches a certain level. It imposes additional uncertainties and obstacles to asylum building upon existing restrictive policies already in place. The Rule flouts domestic asylum law and the United States obligations under the Refugee Convention, and will face immediate legal challenge in the courts. Affirmative Asylum Processing: urged a number of recommendations to improve processing of affirmative asylum claims before USCIS. Asylum Ban (Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule): Encouraged the administration to terminate the rule, increase processing of asylum seekers at ports of entry. Humanitarian parole processing improvements and humanitarian parole programs: Encouraged the State Department to improve humanitarian parole process, including adjudication and ensuring that USCIS adjudicators receive special training. Asylum Processing Rule: Encouraged the administration to make amendments and crucial updates in finalizing the asylum processing rule. Requested data regarding operation of the policy. Families in Expedited Removal Program: encouraged the administration to cease use of expedited removal for families or if continuing to use this program to lengthen time deadlines for people to have meaningful access to counsel. Requested data regarding operation of the policy. Credible Fear in BP Custody: Encouraged administration to cease conducting credible fear interviews for individuals in BP custody. Requested data regarding operation of the policy. Funding to Panama for deportations: Encouraged the administration and State Department to not provide funding to Panamas government to conduct deportations, and to ensure oversight of any removals are done with observance of non-refoulement obligations. ICE Detention: Urged end to use of solitary confinement in ICE custody, reduction in bed numbers, and individualized case release consideration. Work Permit Processing: Urged the publication of a final rule to extend the automatic validity period of work permits. Haiti: Urged end of interdiction policy to screen and return Haitians interdicted at sea, end of detention of Haitians at Guantanamo, redesignation and extension of TPS, halt all deportation flights due to conditions on ground. Mali: Urged designation of TPS and Special Student Relief (SSR) due to ongoing armed conflict. Yemen: Urged the administration to provide an 18-month extension and redesignation of TPS due to the ongoing armed conflict and other extraordinary and temporary conditions preventing a safe return for Yemenis currently in the United States. Lebanon: Urged the administration to designate Lebanon for TPS due to the ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions afflicting the country.