Immigration

A caravan of more than 1,500 Honduran migrants moves north after crossing the border from Honduras into Guatemala on October 15, 2018 in Esquipulas, Guatemala.

“Safe Third Country” Agreements with Mexico and Guatemala would be Unlawful

The Trump Administration is seeking "safe third country" agreements with Mexico and Guatemala to keep Central American asylum seekers from reaching the country - they can't meet…

Jul. 15, 2019 Susan Gzesh

A sign reading, “Government property no trespassing,” is posted at the U.S. Border Patrol station where lawyers reported that detained migrant children had been held unbathed and hungry in Clint, Texas. June 26, 2019

We Treat America’s Wartime Detainees Better Than Migrant Children

Migrant children held in temporary government custody should be detained in conditions superior to those of enemy fighters detained during wartime. Today, it appears they are not.…

Jul. 10, 2019 Ryan Vogel

Members of the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the "White Helmets", carry away a body on a stretcher following a reported government air strike in the village of Benin, about 30 kilometres south of Idlib in northwestern Syria, on June 19, 2019.

To Stem the Flow of Refugees, Address the Conflicts at Their Core

If the railing about migrants is genuine rather than politically convenient, it’s time to apply the prodigious talents, skills, and still surprisingly robust political capital…

Jul. 2, 2019 Viola Gienger

Central American migrant families arrive at a Catholic Charities respite center after being released from federal detention on June 12, 2019, in McAllen, Texas.

Top Expert Backgrounder: Children in Immigration Detention — What are the International Norms?

Vice Chair of the United Nations Committee Against Torture, Felice Gaer, writing in her personal capacity.

Jul. 1, 2019 Felice D. Gaer

The end of a section of the border wall stands on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border, with Tijuana in the background, on April 3, 2019 in Otay Mesa, California. U.S.

Journalist Watchlist Raises Specter of Civil Rights-Era Secret Surveillance

Throughout his campaign and now his presidency, historians have drawn parallels between President Trump’s treatment of the news media and the Nixon White House’s efforts to…

Jun. 19, 2019 Linda Moon

House Armed Services Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) questions witnesses during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill April 12, 2018 in Washington, DC.

What’s In the New Draft National Defense Authorization Act

"The baseline draft bill, which is also called the chairman’s mark, touches on key issues ranging from the militarization of the southern border to deterring Russia and reemphasizing…

Jun. 12, 2019 Annie Himes, Julia McKay and 1 more

Police arrest activists demonstrating against anti-immigration policies near the US-Mexico border fence at Imperial beach in San Diego county, US on December 10, 2018.

CBP’s New Social Media Surveillance: A Threat to Free Speech and Privacy

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's efforts to map out the networks and activities of American activists and journalists through link analysis and social media monitoring pose…

Apr. 26, 2019 Raya Koreh

A women participates in demonstration against U.S. President Trump's travel ban as protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following a court issued immigration ruling June 26, 2018 in Washington, DC. Her sign reads, “We will not be banned.”

The ‘NO BAN’ Act: A Needed Check on Presidential Decision-Making

The NO BAN Act ensures that presidential orders to bar or restrict people from entering the United States are the product of proof rather than prejudice.

Apr. 17, 2019 Harsha Panduranga

Venezuelans take part during a protest in front of the United Nations on January 26, 2019 in New York.

U.S. Denial of Safe Harbor Compounds Venezuela’s Crisis

Even as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens military force to achieve the regime change he’s calling for in Venezuela, his administration has accelerated deportations from…

Apr. 3, 2019 Mariam Iskajyan

Honduran father Victor walks with his daughter Katie near Metropolitan Detention Center, shortly after he was released on bond from six months in ICE custody, on October 2, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.

Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers Perpetuates the Torture of Family Separation

Abitrary detention of asylum seekers - itself a violation of international human rights law - must be ended in order to resolve the horror of family separation at the border.

Mar. 15, 2019 Anjali Mehta, Ashley Miller and 1 more

The logos of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are seen on computer terminals in a training room of the Cyber Crimes Center of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement October 13, 2009 in Fairfax, Virginia.

Homeland Security’s Intelligence Overreach: Two Cases Illustrate Risks to Civil Society

The Department of Homeland Security is deploying its intelligence apparatus against activists, journalists, and human rights lawyers, with no guard rails against abuse in place.…

Mar. 8, 2019 Faiza Patel

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up his fist after he spoke on border security at a Rose Garden event at the White House February 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in February 2019

Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…

Mar. 1, 2019 Just Security