Latest news with #AmericanImmigrationCouncil
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump tightens reins on foreign students in multifront immigration crackdown on universities
President Trump is making it harder and harder for international students and immigrants to pursue higher education in the U.S. Dreamers, foreign students seeking visas and potentially even those looking to work in the country after graduation have all found themselves caught in the crossfire as Trump seeks to curb immigration while also cracking down on colleges and universities. 'It certainly did strike me that universities kept coming up as a very attractive target, and as a place where a lot of things that might not be really noticeable for another few years are becoming noticeable just in the scope of a few months,' said Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council. The most recent Trump administration action came against Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, those who came to the country undocumented as children who are allowed to renew their status every two years to avoid deportation. The Education Department announced last week it was investigating five universities for scholarship programs they have for DACA recipients, arguing the policies are unfair to U.S. citizens. 'As we mark President Trump's historic six months back in the White House, we are expanding our enforcement efforts to protect American students and lawful residents from invidious national origin discrimination of the kind alleged here,' said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. Foreign students coming to the U.S. now must go through a new social media check when applying for a visa, which has resulted in individuals purging their online accounts of any information that could be considered controversial. For those who have been studying in the U.S. over the past six months, life has been a whirlwind. Thousands were taken off the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a reporting system that gives information about international students to the Department of Homeland Security — then later reinstated after an uproar. Multiple students and faculty have been arrested and targeted for deportation after participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with the State Department alleging they pose a risk to U.S. foreign policy. Most of the individuals have been released from custody but are still facing deportation trials. 'I think they decided to target universities, particularly after the campus protests that happened in the previous year, and they've been looking for different leverage points to be able to force the universities to act in a way that Trump officials want them to act,' said Stuart Anderson, executive director for the National Foundation for American Policy. 'One point of leverage has been research funds, because that involves a large amount of money. But another part, another part of that leverage has been international student policy, because it's something that the federal government does have power over,' Anderson added. Advocates argue universities need to be willing to step up and fight back, despite the risk of federal funding pauses that have fallen on multiple institutions. 'We need to leverage all the levers that we have at our disposal, everything from comment letters when there are proposed rules, to legal action when that's appropriate, to really understanding how we navigate these different, evolving and complicated immigration policies in a way that continues our compliance with the law and support our students,' said Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. 'It's not one type of actions that we need to take. We need to be attuned and nimble to take a variety of actions in order to support our campuses and communities,' Feldblum added. The White House did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. International students who are at universities specifically targeted by the Trump administration, such as Harvard and Columbia, have even larger concerns. The administration tried to take away Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students, though the courts have so far rejected that move. The federal government has not given up, however, and launched an additional investigation into Harvard's compliance with enrolling foreign students. Separately, Columbia last week said it would in the future tell the Trump administration if an international student is expelled, one of a list of reforms to which the school agreed in order to get federal funds unfrozen. 'The administration has already identified universities — particularly a few elite universities — as individual targets for its culture war. That going after Columbia, going after Harvard — in a lot of respects, they've already identified that these are battles that they want to pick and that they want to have publicity in picking on them,' said Lind. Advocates worry the Trump administration will also seek to end a program that allows international students to work for a year in the U.S. after they graduate or require foreign students to apply for extensions if their studies take longer than originally predicted. 'You would get, eventually, hundreds or thousands of extensions a year, potentially and it would discourage international students from coming to United States, particularly if the extensions were not approved easily or regularly or if it was going to interfere with people being able to study or continue to study,' Anderson said.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
'Carry your papers' law: What immigrants need to know
Here's what immigrants - and American citizens - need to know. 'Carry your papers' law isn't new The law requiring lawful immigrants and foreign visitors to carry their immigration documents has been on the books for decades, dating to the 1950s. The Immigration and Nationality Act states: "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him." But the law had rarely been imposed before the Trump administration announced earlier this year that it would strictly enforce it. The "carry your papers" portion fell out of use for cultural and historical reasons, said Michelle Lapointe, legal director of the nonprofit American Immigration Council. In contrast to the Soviet bloc at the time the requirement was written, "We have never been a country where you have to produce evidence of citizenship on demand from law enforcement." In a "Know Your Rights" presentation, the ACLU cautions immigrants over age 18 to follow the law and "carry your papers with you at all times." "If you don't have them," the ACLU says, "tell the officer that you want to remain silent, or that you want to consult a lawyer before answering any questions." A 'precious' document at risk Many immigrants preferred to hold their green card or visa in safe-keeping, because, like a passport, they are expensive and difficult to obtain. Historically, it was "a little risky for people to carry these precious documents such as green card, because there is a hefty fee to replace it and they are at risk of not having proof of status - a precarious position to be in," Lapointe said. But as immigration enforcement has ramped up, the risks of not carrying legal documents have grown. Failure to comply with the law can result in a $100 fine, or imprisonment of up to 30 days. ???? Attention ???? Always carry your alien registration documentation. Not having these when stopped by federal law enforcement can lead to a misdemeanor and fines. — CBP (@CBP) July 23, 2025 Immigration enforcement and 'racial profiling' U.S. citizens aren't required to carry documents that prove their citizenship. But in an environment of increasing immigration enforcement, Fernando Garcia, executive director of the nonprofit Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso, Texas, said he worries about U.S. citizens being targeted. "With massive raids and mass deportation, this takes a new dimension," he said. "How rapidly are we transitioning into a 'show me your papers' state?" "The problem is there are a lot of people - Mexicans, or Central Americans - who are U.S. citizens who don't have to carry anything, but they have the burden of proof based on racial profiling," he said. "There are examples of U.S. citizens being arrested already, based on their appearance and their race." Not just immigrants: Why some Native American citizens worry about getting caught in ICE's net American citizens targeted by ICE The Trump administration's widening immigration crackdown has already netted American citizens. In July, 18-year-old Kenny Laynez, an American citizen, was detained for six hours by Florida Highway Patrol and Border Patrol agents. He was later released. Federal agents also detained a California man, Angel Pina, despite his U.S. citizenship in July. He was later released. Elzon Limus, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen from Long Island, New York, decried his arrest by ICE agents in June, after he was released. In a video of the arrest, immigration agents demand Limus show ID, with one explaining he "looks like somebody we are looking for." In updated guidance, attorneys at the firm of Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, which has offices in Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles, advise U.S. who are concerned about being stopped and questioned "to carry a U.S. passport card or a copy of their U.S. passport as evidence of U.S. citizenship." Lauren Villagran can be reached at lvillagran@
USA Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
The Trump administration is telling immigrants 'Carry your papers.' Here's what to know.
Immigrants have long been required to carry ID proving they're in the US legally, but the rule was not enforced. Until now. Amid the Trump administration's ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration, the nation's immigration service is warning immigrants to carry their green card or visa at all times. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted the reminder July 23 on social media: "Always carry your alien registration documentation. Not having these when stopped by federal law enforcement can lead to a misdemeanor and fines." Here's what immigrants – and American citizens – need to know. 'Carry your papers' law isn't new The law requiring lawful immigrants and foreign visitors to carry their immigration documents has been on the books for decades, dating to the 1950s. The Immigration and Nationality Act states: "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him." But the law had rarely been imposed before the Trump administration announced earlier this year that it would strictly enforce it. The "carry your papers" portion fell out of use for cultural and historical reasons, said Michelle Lapointe, legal director of the nonprofit American Immigration Council. In contrast to the Soviet bloc at the time the requirement was written, "We have never been a country where you have to produce evidence of citizenship on demand from law enforcement." In a "Know Your Rights" presentation, the ACLU cautions immigrants over age 18 to follow the law and "carry your papers with you at all times." "If you don't have them," the ACLU says, "tell the officer that you want to remain silent, or that you want to consult a lawyer before answering any questions." A 'precious' document at risk Many immigrants preferred to hold their green card or visa in safe-keeping, because, like a passport, they are expensive and difficult to obtain. Historically, it was "a little risky for people to carry these precious documents such as green card, because there is a hefty fee to replace it and they are at risk of not having proof of status – a precarious position to be in," Lapointe said. But as immigration enforcement has ramped up, the risks of not carrying legal documents have grown. Failure to comply with the law can result in a $100 fine, or imprisonment of up to 30 days. Immigration enforcement and 'racial profiling' U.S. citizens aren't required to carry documents that prove their citizenship. But in an environment of increasing immigration enforcement, Fernando Garcia, executive director of the nonprofit Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso, Texas, said he worries about U.S. citizens being targeted. "With massive raids and mass deportation, this takes a new dimension," he said. "How rapidly are we transitioning into a 'show me your papers' state?" "The problem is there are a lot of people – Mexicans, or Central Americans – who are U.S. citizens who don't have to carry anything, but they have the burden of proof based on racial profiling," he said. "There are examples of U.S. citizens being arrested already, based on their appearance and their race." Not just immigrants: Why some Native American citizens worry about getting caught in ICE's net American citizens targeted by ICE The Trump administration's widening immigration crackdown has already netted American citizens. In July, 18-year-old Kenny Laynez, an American citizen, was detained for six hours by Florida Highway Patrol and Border Patrol agents. He was later released. Federal agents also detained a California man, Angel Pina, despite his U.S. citizenship in July. He was later released. Elzon Limus, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen from Long Island, New York, decried his arrest by ICE agents in June, after he was released. In a video of the arrest, immigration agents demand Limus show ID, with one explaining he "looks like somebody we are looking for." In updated guidance, attorneys at the firm of Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, which has offices in Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles, advise U.S. who are concerned about being stopped and questioned "to carry a U.S. passport card or a copy of their U.S. passport as evidence of U.S. citizenship." Lauren Villagran can be reached at lvillagran@
Axios
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" aims to deter. Research says it won't
Florida's detention camp in the Everglades, dubbed " Alligator Alcatraz," is built on a simple premise: deterrence, with state and federal officials urging migrants to self-deport rather than end up behind its walls. Why it matters: Research suggests deterrence-based policies are ineffective at stopping migrants from coming to or remaining in the U.S. Context: Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that "nobody actually has to go to Alligator Alcatraz," adding that undocumented immigrants are given the chance to "self-deport." Jeremy Redfern, communications director for Attorney General James Uthmeier, who announced the camp, went further: "It's a deterrent to stop them from coming in the first place." The Florida GOP's fundraising email described the local wildlife as " bloodthirsty," and the White House shared an AI-generated image on X showing President Trump alongside alligators in ICE hats. The big picture: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the nonpartisan American Immigration Council told Axios that state-level crackdowns may prompt some undocumented immigrants to relocate, but not leave the country. He told Axios that studies on the impact of state immigration policies have found "no evidence" of them leading to a large-scale exodus. Florida has long prided itself on being inhospitable to migrants; it was the first state to sign onto the 287(g) program, which enables police to assist in immigration enforcement, in 2002. Yet it still has one of the largest undocumented populations in the U.S. What they're saying: "The idea that you can build a detention facility to scare people into leaving the country is more fantasy than reality," Asad L. Asad, assistant professor of sociology at Stanford University, said. "Once people have settled in the U.S., like the rest of us, they go about their routines," he added. "They work, raise families and manage uncertainty as best they can." "What you will see more is the psychological fear, the psychological toll of that threat, especially in the short term." The big picture: One study found that SB 1718 — which one lawmaker said was meant to " scare" undocumented immigrants — resulted in "a psychological and economic strain" on them as well as U.S. citizens.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Entry to the US is getting more expensive
The cost of coming to the United States is going up. The recently passed legislative package (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes a new law approving fee hikes for travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) systems and new charges for migrants apprehended at the border. From a minimum $13 ESTA fee to $5,000 penalties for arrests of undocumented people, the act reshapes the financial landscape of entering the U.S. While the U.S. is trying to attract more global tourists, it's also getting serious about fees that will impact border crossing for both travelers and migrants. What is the 'visa integrity fee' for non‑immigrant visas? The visa integrity fee is a mandatory $250 fee to be paid by nonimmigrant visa applicants. It is applied in addition to any other existing visa-related fees. The purpose of the fee is to support enforcement and administrative efforts related to U.S. visa policy and border security. "Attaching an additional $250 fee has the very real potential to significantly reduce the number of people that can afford to do that," Jorge Loweree, Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, told USA TODAY. "There are hundreds of thousands of people who receive visas and permission from the Department of State to come to the U.S. every single month temporarily." The visa integrity fee does not replace or offset any other fees, like the DS-160 application fee, biometrics, or reciprocity fees, and it cannot be waived or reduced. The act also does not limit how the fee may be increased or applied across visa categories, leaving it to the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement via regulation. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement after Congress' approval of the legislative package: This legislation is a giant step in the right direction when it comes to improving America's travel infrastructure and security. Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler's experience ... The smart investments in the travel process make foolish new fees on foreign visitors and reductions to Brand USA, America's promotion arm, that much harder to swallow. Making America the world's most visited destination – and capitalizing on the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics – requires smarter policy and legislative changes that we are already pursuing. Brand USA did not provide a comment. How much is the ESTA fee to enter the US? Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress extended funding for Brand USA by reaffirming the ESTA fee structure and introducing mandatory fee hikes. Starting in fiscal year 2025, the law mandates that ESTA include "not less than $13 per travel authorization." It also links future increases to the Consumer Price Index, allowing for annual inflation-based adjustments to take effect beginning in 2026. Currently, the U.S. General Services Administration states the total cost is $21, noting that applicants will pay a $4 processing fee and a $17 authorization fee if approved. "Some of these policy decisions are incoherent," Loweree said. "You see fee hikes on one end, and on the other, claims that the goal is to increase tourism." The law also codifies a new fee for EVUS, used by certain Chinese nationals, setting a minimum at $30, or more at the discretion of DHS. Like the ESTA fee, the EVUS fee will increase annually based on inflation. There's also a separate $5,000 'inadmissible alien apprehension fee' applied to those caught between ports of entry. Who has to apply for ESTA? U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that citizens from countries in the Visa Waiver Program who don't have a visitor's visa and plan to be in the U.S. for 90 days or less apply. Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program? This story was updated to add new information.
