Border & Immigration News
The Daily Signal provides border and immigration news, including reporting, analysis, and commentary on policy, enforcement, and political debates.
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- News
Former ICE Chief Says Border Crisis Can’t Be Solved Unless Illegal Immigrants Held
If the nation stops detaining illegal immigrants, the crisis at the border will get worse, the man who used to be responsible for enforcing the law told a House panel. “After more than three decades of enforcing immigration law, I can assure you that if we do not have the ability to detain those that…Rachel del Guidice -
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Judge Derails Trump Plan for Indefinite Detention of Illegal Immigrants
A federal judge has issued a tentative order against the Trump administration’s plan to detain migrant families for the entire duration of their court proceedings. In a major blow to President Donald Trump’s agenda to curb illegal immigration, Judge Dolly Gee of the federal District Court in Los Angeles issued a preliminary ruling Friday that, at least temporarily,…Jason Hopkins -
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Maryland Sheriff Urges Congress to Take ‘Serious Measures’ to Address Illegal Immigration ‘Crisis’
A Maryland county sheriff told members of Congress on Thursday that the United States’ immigration system has reached a “crisis point.” “We’re at a crisis point in this country,” Sheriff Chuck Jenkins of Frederick County, Maryland, said at a House Judiciary Committee hearing called “The Expansion and Troubling Use of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] Detention.”…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Give Immigration Courts These 2 Tools to Reduce the Backlog
News broke on Sept. 18 that the immigration court backlog now surpasses 1 million cases, nearly doubling in just the past two years. The immigration courts simply cannot handle the caseload, and hiring more immigration judges alone won’t fix the problem. The problem is, immigration judges don’t have the standard judicial tools that all other…GianCarlo Canaparo -
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Immigration Chief Says Rollout of New Asylum Rule to Happen in Days
The acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said a Supreme Court victory regarding asylum applicants will result in significant changes to the immigration process in a short time. Speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Ken Cuccinelli touched on what the Sept. 11 ruling will mean for the illegal immigrants who are…Jason Hopkins -
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Supreme Court Decision Allows Focus on ‘Legitimate Asylum Claims,’ Immigration Chief Says
A Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to implement a new asylum policy will help unclog the system and benefit those with “legitimate asylum claims,” one of the nation’s top immigration officials said. The new asylum policy “requires those coming to the southern border of the United States who want to seek asylum to…Jackson Elliott -
- Opinion
Reorganizing This Immigration Office Isn’t a ‘Power Grab.’ It’s Common Sense.
It seems that any change to the status quo in the immigration policy arena is going to upset someone these days, even if the changes are innocuous good governance and efficiency-driven initiatives. Take the Trump administration’s interim rule to amend the regulations related to the internal organization of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, announced…Cully Stimson -
- Opinion
Yes, Border Patrol Arrests Are Down, but Our Immigration Policies Still Need Work
The last few months have seen a significant decline in Border Patrol arrests thanks in part to attempts by the Trump administration to deter and discourage illegal immigration. But serious problems remain unsolved and more remains to be done. Following the inauguration of President Trump, illegal entries into the U.S. fell sharply, partially as a result of…David Inserra -
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Nearly 500 Illegal Aliens Released From North Carolina Jails Despite ICE Detainers
Detention centers across North Carolina have released hundreds of illegal aliens in their custody, defying detainer requests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Local authorities in North Carolina released about 500 undocumented immigrants in the past 10 months. A total of 489 detainers were ignored by state law enforcement officials, according to data…Jason Hopkins -
- Opinion
We Hear You: An Immigrant Couple Explains the Unfairness of Amnesty
Editor's note: This week we feature two letters that really grabbed our attention, from readers with compelling personal perspectives on the U.S. immigration system. Pull up a chair, and remember to write us at [email protected].—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: I couldn't agree more with Genevieve Wood in her recent commentary headlined “4 Keys to the…Ken McIntyre -
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Cuccinelli Schools Media on Immigration, Welfare, and Freedom
The left-wing media are having a field day distorting acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli’s comments regarding the famous poem emblazoned on the base of the State of Liberty. Discussing the Trump administration’s new “public charge” rule, an NPR host asked Cuccinelli whether the poem’s words “give me your tired, your poor”…Star Parker -
- Opinion
Crimes by Illegal Immigrants Widespread Across US
The decision by a California appeals court Friday overturning the conviction of an illegal immigrant who shot and killed Kate Steinle in San Francisco in 2015 once again put the national spotlight on the serious problem of crimes committed by people in the U.S. illegally. The appeals court in San Francisco overturned the conviction of Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate on…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
New Immigration Policy Causes Needless Confusion
We can’t think of a better example of how not to roll out a policy than what happened last week when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published an alert regarding the citizenship of children born overseas. The way the policy was rolled out led many to believe that the Trump administration was ending birthright…Cully Stimson -
- Opinion
Get Off the Sidelines: #StandWithICE in Sanctuary Cities
Dear fellow patriots: It’s time to stop making nice with those who are waging war on ICE. Are you sick of your neighborhoods being hijacked by law enforcement-bashing thugs who prioritize every last illegal immigrant over law-abiding families, workers, and employers? Are you sick of do-nothing politicians promising to take action while well-funded and well-organized…Michelle Malkin -
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Democratic States Sue to Block Trump From Indefinitely Holding Migrants
A coalition of about 20 Democrat-led states are suing the Trump administration over its plan to detain migrant families for the entire duration of their court proceedings. Twenty Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Monday to stop the Department of Homeland Security from implementing a rule…Jason Hopkins -
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CNN Wrong in Report of Breastfeeding Migrant, Exam Shows
CNN published a story about a breastfeeding mother apprehended in an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid, but a medical examination disputes the basic premise by finding the woman wasn't even lactating. The CNN article published Aug. 19 told the story of Maria Domingo-Garcia, a mother of three of who was among 680 illegal aliens apprehended by…Jason Hopkins -
- Opinion
New Immigration Rule Returns to a Commonsense Detainment Policy
The Trump administration is issuing a new rule Friday aimed at fixing one of the central problems facing the U.S. immigration system today. The new regulation addresses the Flores settlement and how the U.S. deals with the surge of families and children being brought to the U.S. border. Why is this such a big deal?…David Inserra -
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Enforcing ‘Public Charge’ Rule in Immigration Is Common Sense
The latest claims against the Trump administration over its enforcement of the “public charge” provision in federal immigration law are nonsensical. There is nothing “racist” or “immoral” about this requirement at all. On Aug. 14, the Department of Homeland Security published its new rule on how it will determine if “an alien applying for admission…Hans von Spakovsky -
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North Carolina Governor Vetoes Anti-Sanctuary Bill After Illegal Alien Charged With Rape
Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill that would have mandated local law enforcement officials in the state to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cooper on Wednesday vetoed House Bill 370, titled “An Act to Require Compliance with Immigration Detainers and Administrative Warrants.” If the legislation had been signed into law, sheriffs and other…Jason Hopkins -
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Trump Administration to Close Loophole Blocking Immigration Enforcement
The Trump administration is moving to close what it calls a “loophole” that has stymied enforcement of immigration laws, in a change that would allow detention of illegal immigrant minors for longer than the current 20 days. The Department of Homeland Security will seek to terminate the so-called Flores Settlement Agreement through executive action and replace…Fred Lucas