The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) recently announced a decline in asylum applications across the EU+ region, comprising EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland, with a decrease of 11 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. This reduction interrupted a three-year trend where applications had consistently exceeded one million annually. The EUAA report…
Amnesty International has called upon the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take a definitive stance against the forced return of Eritrean refugees during the council’s 58th session, which delved into the prevailing human rights challenges in Eritrea. The organization underscored the perilous conditions that Eritrean refugees face, both in their homeland and in…
In a significant move within the legal landscape, Anjali Motgi has joined Jenner & Block as a partner in its litigation department based in Washington, D.C. This transition from her role at the Department of Justice underscores her deep expertise in various challenging legal domains. Motgi’s extensive background includes litigation under the Administrative Procedures Act,…
The recent decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to dismiss 20 immigration judges, including five from Texas, has sparked significant concern regarding the existing backlog of immigration cases. As detailed in a report, these firings include 13 judges in training and 5 assistant chief immigration judges. This move occurs amid a record high of…
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has publicly defended the recent deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China, despite widespread international condemnation. On Monday, Shinawatra asserted that the deportations were conducted in line with human rights standards, referencing images released by Chinese authorities which she claimed showed the group would be well cared for in China. Her…
Civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the transfer of immigrants to the US Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The plaintiffs, comprised of the ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), and the ACLU of the District of…
The recent deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers from Thailand to China has ignited significant concern among human rights organizations and international bodies. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has openly condemned this action, citing it as a violation of both domestic and international human rights laws. Despite repeated requests for access to the…
International scrutiny over Egypt’s treatment of Sudanese refugees is intensifying as concerns mount regarding deteriorating conditions and restrictive asylum laws that critics argue undermine refugee rights. Refugees International has issued a plea for immediate international intervention in response to alarming findings outlined in their report, “No Model of Refuge.” This report sheds light on the…
The contentious policies at the U.S.-Mexico border have yet again surfaced as a focal point of human rights concerns, following Amnesty International’s recent condemnation of the U.S. government’s actions. Amnesty’s report highlights the systemic erosion of the right to apply for asylum at this critical border, accusing the U.S. of breaching both national and international…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a statement urging the Polish government to reject a proposed bill that aims to temporarily suspend asylum rights at Poland’s border with Belarus. This legislative measure would authorize the Polish government to halt asylum applications in specified border areas for an initial period of sixty days, with the option…
A federal judge in Maryland has maintained a nationwide injunction that prevents the enforcement of former President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship. This decision is rooted in the expansive reach of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, which boasts a membership of 680,000 people spread across all 50 states. The judge asserted…
The Trump administration has initiated a significant reshuffle within the nation’s immigration courts with the termination of 20 judges, marking a controversial wave of dismissals that underscores its broader agenda of federal restructuring. This action, reported by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, includes recently hired immigration judges and several in management positions,…
The American Bar Association (ABA) has issued a statement emphasizing its unwavering support for the rule of law, responding to a series of executive orders enacted by former President Donald Trump that have sparked significant controversy. These orders, according to critics, challenge the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution, particularly concerning the separation of powers…
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights recently highlighted significant concerns about Greece’s treatment of migrants and the human rights of the Roma communities. This comes after Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty’s visit to Greece, where he engaged with various stakeholders such as Greek officials, NGOs, and affected individuals to delve into reports of migrant pushbacks,…
In a recent legal development, Judge Deborah Boardman of the US District Court for the District of Maryland has issued a preliminary injunction against former President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at terminating birthright citizenship. This injunction, granted during a hearing on Wednesday, prevents immediate enforcement of the order, which intended to end birthright citizenship…
The recent lawsuit led by immigration advocacy groups against the Trump administration’s executive order on asylum procedures at the US-Mexico border highlights significant legal and constitutional challenges. The executive order in question aims to bar migrants from making asylum claims at the southern border, arguing that the current influx overwhelms federal capacities for assessing the…
Italian authorities have repatriated 43 asylum seekers from offshore processing centers in Albania, in compliance with a decision by the Court of Appeal of Rome. This move is the latest episode in an ongoing legal saga surrounding Italy’s practices of overseas processing of asylum claims, a strategy largely managed under the auspices of the Italy-Albania…
The German parliament has narrowly rejected a contentious immigration bill, dubbed the “Influx Limitation Law,” proposed by the CDU/CSU opposition bloc. The vote ended with 349 members of parliament against the draft and 338 in favor, alongside five abstentions. The bill sought to amend § 1(1) sentence 1 of the Aufenthaltsgesetzes (AufenthG) by reinserting the…
Amnesty International has called on governments across the Americas to resist a set of immigration policies introduced by President Donald Trump that the organization labels as “harmful” and counterproductive to the safety and dignity of asylum seekers. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Americas Director, Ana Piquer, highlighted that these policies merely fabricate exaggerated…
The New York City Council, in collaboration with the New York Immigration Coalition, has launched a Community Interpreter Bank. This initiative aims to enhance language access services available to immigrants and asylum seekers by increasing the pool of interpreters available to assist them, particularly in the context of recent mass deportations taking place across various…
In a move drawing significant attention amid ongoing national immigration debates, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, in partnership with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), has launched a “Know Your Rights” campaign to educate city residents on their legal rights regarding federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The initiative comes on the heels of a viral video…
In a significant legal development, the law firm Gibbons is representing asylum seekers in a lawsuit seeking $6 million in damages, arising from the United States’ 2018 immigration policy described as “inhumane.” This case reportedly stems from various controversial measures that were implemented under this policy, which has been under intense scrutiny and criticism from…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarms about several executive orders enacted by former US President Donald Trump, citing concerns over their potential impacts on human rights both domestically and internationally. In a statement, HRW indicated that these measures, signed on Trump’s first day in office, pose significant risks to marginalized and vulnerable populations, particularly…
The United Nations has publicly called on Thailand to halt the impending deportation of 48 Uyghurs to China, citing significant risks of torture, enforced disappearance, and various forms of inhumane treatment if the deportation proceeds. This renewed appeal intensifies scrutiny on Thailand’s compliance with international human rights obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits…
With his second inauguration speech at the Capitol rotunda, Donald Trump set the stage for a series of ambitious policy goals, yet it was his subsequent address from Emancipation Hall that captured the complexity of his tenure. The dual-tone of these speeches reflects Trump’s ongoing balancing act between a statesman’s legacy and a pursuit of…