New discriminatory immigration policies are putting thousands of families in limbo by withholding benefits for individuals from 39 countries under the misguided logic of the travel ban, pausing asylum applications and revetting individuals who were previously deemed lawful. Immigrants from countries on the travel ban which includes Afghans, are particularly affected. As a result, many immigrants are already or will not be able to work, reunite with their families, or plan their future.
That’s why SAAJCO is joining Democracy Forward, The Lawyer’s Committee for Rhode Island, RAICES and Muslim Advocates to sue USCIS and DHS.
Plaintiffs in this lawsuit include Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Refugee Dream Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), African Communities Together (ACT), Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts (VAM), Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), and American Gateways.
These policies are unlawful.
Immigrants deserve fairness, stability, and due process. Not uncertainty based on where they’re from.
Under these challenged USCIS discriminatory policies, thousands of immigrants who were lawfully seeking immigration benefits have been subject to unnecessary delay for decisions on their work permits, asylum applications, lawful permanent residence status and so many other benefits
Legal Director, SAAJCO
For Afghan families, including many who came to the United States seeking safety after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, these delays have meant prolonged uncertainty over their ability to work, remain safe, and build stable lives. SAAJCO applauds today’s decision by the US District Court of Rhode Island vacating and setting aside these unlawful policies that are contrary to law, not just for individual plaintiffs but for all individuals around the country who are experiencing distress and harm due to the delay.
A coalition of immigrant service organizations and labor unions filed a lawsuit today challenging a series of sweeping new discriminatory policies by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that have effectively shut down large portions of the legal immigration system for many people already living in the United States.
In a victory for immigrant communities and the rule of law, a federal court today vacated and declared unlawful a series of Trump-Vance administration immigration policies that have halted asylum processing, frozen immigration benefits, and targeted immigrants based on nationality.
SAAJCO fights for the civil and human rights of the South Asian diaspora in the United States through legal advocacy, community engagement, and narrative power.
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