Asylum Seekers
Persecution Based on Family Ties Will No Longer Qualify as Grounds for Asylum, the Attorney General Rules
The decision could affect thousands of asylum seekers fleeing violence, particularly from Central America.
Immigration Courts Are Replacing Interpreters With Orientation Videos
The new measure is intended to reduce costs and accelerate proceedings, but even immigration judges are questioning it.
Can Mexico Qualify as a Safe Third Country?
In 1994, attorney Susan Gzesh wrote in a report that Mexico was not a safe third country. Has anything changed?
Is Trump Planning to Use Guatemala as a Wall?
Trump will meet with Guatemala's president next week, and a "safe third country" agreement is reportedly on the table.
Why Did Border Patrol Arrest Fewer People in June?
New arrest numbers highlight the difficulties experts encounter in interpreting migration patterns.
What Will Happen If Trump Speeds Up the Asylum Process?
Officials say the new plan is built to address backlog issues. But advocates say it will result in fewer people getting asylum.
Asylum Seekers Report Being Victims of Violence While Waiting in Mexico
The "Remain in Mexico" plan promised humanitarian visas and work permits. But asylum seekers are being sent back to dangerous living conditions.
The Definition of 'Refugee' Is Out of Date. And It's Leaving People Behind.
The international idea of who counts as a refugee is over half a century old. But today the lines between "refugee," "migrant," and "illegal border crosser" have all begun to blur.
Why Cutting Off Aid to Central American Countries Won't Curb Migration to the U.S.
Slashing aid is counterproductive because foreign assistance can address the root causes of migration, such as violence and poverty, argues one expert.
World Refugee Day: An Essential Reading List
We've collected highlights from our coverage of displaced people around the world.
Viewfinder: Activists Rally in San Francisco in Support of Protections for Asylum Seekers
A protester holds a sign during a demonstration outside of the James R. Browning United States Courthouse on June 11th, 2019, in San Francisco, California.
Trump Will Cut Classes and Recreation for Unaccompanied Migrant Children
A former Obama administration official says that canceling classes hurts children's mental health and could also make it harder to catch physical health issues.
'Come and See Me—My Grave Is Open': Finding Life After Deportation in Nogales, Sonora
Panchito Olachea crossed the border into the U.S. at 16, and was deported at 48. He's now building a community of deportees who, like him, won't try to cross back.
The U.S. Is Using the Tariff Threat to Push Mexico to Accept Most Asylum Seekers
The Trump team is working on a "safe third country" agreement with Mexico, which would make migrants who travel through Mexico ineligible for asylum in the United States.
The Trump Administration Is Hiding How It Decides Asylum Cases, Advocates Say
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says everything is available online. How did such a major misunderstanding happen?