US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new short documentary, titled USCIS and the Legacy of Ellis Island, about the history of Ellis Island as an immigrant processing station. The video tells the story of the federal immigration service on Ellis Island and its employees who processed over twelve million immigrants from 1892 to 1954. Featuring interviews from historians, National Park Service rangers, and an archived interview from a worker at this iconic immigration station, the documentary tells the story of Ellis Island from the perspective of those who worked there. “USCIS holds a distinctive place in history for its role in processing immigrants into the fabric of our nation,” USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna said at the premiere to agency employees. “It remains an undisputable fact that America is a nation of immigrants. As employees, we all have an essential duty in honoring and preserving that legacy.”
USCIS and the Legacy of Ellis Island
Sanctuary Cities 101
While immigration enforcement in the US has often been the subject of heated debate, the question of how immigration law should be enforced and by whom has reached a fever pitch in the year since President Trump took office. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, among others, have been labeled “sanctuary cities” based on their political and policy responses to immigration enforcement efforts by the current and past presidential administrations. In the past year, the tension between the Trump administration and these (and other) local governments has led to a struggle that is currently playing out in police stations, legislatures, and courts throughout the United States. The topic is a complicated one, and the laws around these cities are currently in flux, but we’ve put together a brief primer on so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Read moreThe Washington Post: “Federal Judge: Trump administration must accept new DACA applications”
A federal judge in Washington D.C. has ordered the government to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and allow new applicants to apply, calling the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the program for the hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children “virtually unexplained” and “unlawful." In his decision, US District Judge John D. Bates writes that the Trump administration's decision “was arbitrary and capricious because the Department failed adequately to explain its conclusion that the program was unlawful" and that "each day that the agency delays is a day that aliens who might otherwise be eligible for initial grants of DACA benefits are exposed to removal because of an unlawful agency action.” Even so, Judge Bates has stayed his ruling for ninety days to give the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) time to provide a more detailed reason for ending the program; otherwise, the judge will rescind the memo that ended the DACA program and allow for new applicants.
Read moreUSCIS to Begin Using More Secure Mail Delivery Service
In a welcome move, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced last week that beginning April 30, 2018, the agency will begin phasing in the use of the US Postal Service’s (USPS) Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service in order to mail Green Cards and other secure documents to recipients. The first phase will involve re-mailing documents—including Permanent Resident Cards (i.e., Green Cards), Employment Authorization Cards (EAD cards), and Travel Booklets—that have been returned as non-deliverable. USCIS states that applicants who have changed mailing addresses during the application process are more likely to have their secure documents sent with this new delivery service. USCIS plans to expand this signature confirmation mailing service to all secure documents in the future.
Read moreThey Believed
Paris Clouds
It seems like it's finally springtime not only in New York City but also here in Paris. Although I always find new things to do in Paris, I never get tired of the classics. Have you heard of the Eiffel Tower? It's a fairly well known local landmark. I passed it this week while on my way to find some escargots and a soufflé. (Look, I never said I was original!) Now I'm off to walk more and enjoy this beautiful springtime weather until 8pm when I will return here to get another picture of the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower!!
New York Times: “Justice Gorsuch Joins Supreme Court’s Liberals to Strike Down Deportation Law”
Last week the Supreme Court struck down a law that allowed the government to deport certain immigrants who have committed serious crimes, calling the law too vague to be properly enforced. This case was decided five to four with Justice Neil M. Gorsuch joining the court’s four more liberal members for the first time. In his concurring opinion, Justice Gorsuch writes: “Vague laws invite arbitrary power.”
Read moreNot the Way to Do It
Happy Earth Day and National High Five Day!
When we found out it was both Earth Day and National High Five Day this week, we didn't know what to do. How could we honor both the earth and high fives in one post? We didn't think it was possible. We would have to pick. And then the other would be left out, which isn't fair. There's no way that we could possibly combine the two, we thought. Oh, okay, maybe if Joseph gives high fives to trees. Yep, totally works. For more (and probably better) ideas on honoring Earth Day the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation has some wonderful recommendations, including volunteering for the Bronx River Cleanup and participating in the Tree Giveaway in Brooklyn. As for high fives, well you can give those for charity. Everyone wins!