Adding Your Voice to the Fight for Immigrants’ Rights 

The violent immigration enforcement tactics from the Trump Administration are rightfully gathering wide public attention. Public attention and participation are also needed in the rulemaking process, as the Trump Administration is weaponizing administrative regulations that affect due process and eligibility for government programs. Currently, unprecedented policies are being proposed to restrict the rights and protections afforded to immigrants in the United States. These policies have the potential to break systems designed to protect fundamental rights, clear the way for reducing access to judicial review by expediting removal procedures, threaten the housing stability of mixed status families, and add additional hurdles for immigrants to lawfully work. 

Adding your voice can potentially influence the substance and the speed of the unprecedented regulations being proposed by government agencies that shape our immigration policies.  

Here are three active notices that will have an immense impact on shaping immigration policy:  

The Department of Justice has proposed an interim final rule to change the administrative appellate review process by the Board of Immigration Appeals. This would reduce the appeal window of decisions by Immigration Judges and refuse appeals unless the Board of Immigration Appeals unanimously grants it. The impacts of this rule will be felt immediately and will be severe. The comment period runs until March 9 and comments can be submitted here.  

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is seeking comment on a proposed rule that would revise HUD’s Section 214 implementing regulations to require the verification of U.S. citizenship or the eligible immigration status of all applicants and recipients of assistance, regardless of age.  These amendments would have significant implications for housing stability and the due process protections of mixed-status families. Comments may be submitted here by April 21. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking comment on a proposed rule to modify regulations governing applications for asylum and withholding of removal (asylum applications) and employment authorization based on a pending asylum application. The proposed rule would change filing and eligibility requirements for non-US Nationals requesting employment authorization and an employment authorization document (EAD) based on a pending asylum application. The changes include pausing acceptance of EAD applications from asylum applicants during periods when affirmative asylum average processing time exceeds 180 days, extending the waiting period to apply for employment authorization to 365 days, changing EAD application processing time requirements, and adding eligibility requirements. Comments may be submitted here by April 24.  

Ultimately, our democracy depends on more than just our elections. It requires continuous participation. By taking the time to comment on proposed rulemaking, Americans can contribute to a more inclusive and transparent policymaking process that upholds our values. 

If you’d like to learn more about ACS’s Notice and Comment initiative, please visit our webpage here.