Response to Threat of Raids

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) responded to the threat of immigration raids on asylum seekers this summer.

ASAP quickly shared up-to-date and accurate information with members of our online communities, swiftly disseminating Know Your Rights resources about what to do in case of an encounter with immigration enforcement and quickly answering questions from asylum seekers.

On July 11, 2019, ASAP filed a lawsuit, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project v. Barr, to demand that the government provide every asylum-seeking family picked up in a raid or detained by immigration enforcement efforts with an opportunity to go before an immigration judge before being deported. ASAP is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California, the New York American Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), and the law firm Munger Tolles and Olson in this lawsuit fighting for the basic due process rights of asylum seekers. To read more about this crucial litigation click here.

On July 12, 2019, Congressman Jimmy Panetta introduced legislation based on policy recommendations in ASAP’s repot entitled “Denied a Day in Court: The Government’s Use of In Absentia Removal Orders Against Families Seeking Asylum.” The legislation aims to prevent asylum seekers from receiving deportation orders without an opportunity to present their claims in immigration court. You can read more about this legislation here.

Finally, we updated our “Guide to Assisting Families with In Absentia Removal Orders” for pro bono attorneys in response to the government’s threat of large-scale raids against asylum seekers with in absentia removal orders. This tool includes clear guidance for attorneys on how to file emergency motions to reopen cases for families with prior orders. If you would like to obtain more information and download the updated guide, you can do so by clicking here.

ASAP is committed to ensuring that accurate information remains readily available for asylum-seeking families and that the fear of being targeted by raids does not deter anyone from accessing their basic rights. We believe that asylum seekers and the attorneys representing them should be equipped with all the necessary information to fight for the basic rights of asylum seekers to present their claims.