A coalition of immigrant-rights organizations has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a controversial U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy that permits agents to enter private homes without a warrant signed by a judge, arguing that the practice violates the U.S. Constitution and undermines long-standing Fourth Amendment protections. The complaint…
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Court Sides with Homeland Security Agencies in FOIA Battle Over Reza Zarrab Records
A federal district court in Washington D.C. has granted summary judgment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components—ICE, CBP, and USCIS—in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit brought by the law firm Williams & Connolly, LLP. The firm sought records pertaining to Reza Zarrab, an Iranian,…
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Eighth Circuit Boots USCIS on Jurisdiction, Blocks Review of Asylum Seeker’s Status Denial
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed a significant win to the federal government in an immigration case, ruling that a district court overstepped its authority by reviewing the denial of an asylum seeker’s application to become a lawful permanent resident. The appellate court found that Congress intentionally barred…
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Court Denies Colombian National’s Asylum Appeal Over FARC Persecution Claims
A Colombian national seeking protection in the United States has lost her appeal after the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the denial of her applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The court found that Ginna Alejandra Gutierrez-Mikan failed to meet critical…
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Court Denies Colombian National’s Bid for Asylum and Torture Protection
A Colombian national seeking refuge in the United States has lost her appeal challenging the denial of her asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision, finding that the petitioner failed to meet…
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Ninth Circuit Upholds Firearm Ban for Illegal Immigrants, Citing Historical Tradition
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the conviction of Oscar Vazquez-Ramirez for possessing a firearm while being unlawfully present in the United States. The ruling relies on a historical analysis suggesting that regulations restricting firearm access for non-citizens are consistent with the nation’s traditions, even…
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Court Upholds $100K H-1B Fee, Citing President’s Broad Immigration Authority
A federal district court in Washington D.C. has sided with the government, denying a major business group’s challenge to a Presidential Proclamation that imposes a steep $100,000 payment requirement on employers seeking new H-1B specialty occupation visas. Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled that the President acted within the broad statutory…
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Trump Immigration Legacy Reinforced as Court Orders Due Process for Venezuelan Detainees
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has ruled that Venezuelan migrants removed from the United States under a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump were denied fundamental due-process protections, concluding that the U.S. government maintained constructive custody over the detainees even after transferring them to a notorious prison in El…
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Seventh Circuit Upholds Detention of Repeat Crosser with Serious Criminal History
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has affirmed a district court’s decision to detain Alfredo Juarez-Perez pending trial on a new charge of illegal reentry, ruling that an existing immigration detainer does not automatically eliminate the risk of flight under the Bail Reform Act. The court found…
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Ninth Circuit Clarifies Jurisdiction Over Late-Filed Asylum Claims in Ruiz v. Pamela Bondi
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently issued a significant opinion addressing its jurisdiction to review decisions regarding the timeliness of asylum applications, while ultimately denying a Nicaraguan native’s petition for review on the merits of his claims. The case centered on Christian Ruiz, whose asylum application…