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Nov 17, 2021

Learning How to Ask: Why immigration advocates should care about the FOIA’s Infosystems Requirement

Today, IRAP filed a lawsuit against DHS, USCIS, and DoS under the Freedom of Information Act. Our quarrel began when IRAP asked these agencies to produce documents and the agencies did not respond. This time, however, IRAP is after more than just documents.

Blog Post

Nov 17, 2021

FOIA: “Meta-FOIA” and agency information systems

In this case, IRAP sought to compel DHS and the State Department to publish an index and descriptions of their major information systems online, so that FOIA requestors can better understand what information agencies have and how to ask for that information.

Case

Nov 15, 2021

Call to Action Following White House Report on Climate Change and Migration

On the last day of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), IRAP and 12 partner organizations sent a letter to the White House to demand concrete action to address climate displacement. The full letter, including our requests and recommendations, is available here.

Publication

Nov 9, 2021

Evacuate Our Allies Coalition Advocates Assess Latest Efforts to Protect and Welcome Afghans

On a press call today, advocates from the Evacuate Our Allies coalition discussed the latest in ongoing efforts to support recent Afghan arrivals in the United States and to protect Afghans still in danger in Afghanistan and in third countries. Speakers included affected Afghans, veterans, policy experts, faith leaders, and members of the Afghan-American community.

Press Release

Nov 8, 2021

Fulfilling America’s Promise: Options to make U.S. humanitarian protection pathways viable for at-risk Afghans

In a new report, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), InterAction, and Human Rights First lay out several options available to the Biden Administration to provide these Afghans viable humanitarian pathways out of Afghanistan and third countries and into the U.S.

Publication

Nov 3, 2021

FOIA: Refugee adjudication policies and procedures

In September 2019, IRAP filed a lawsuit seeking records withheld by the agencies that explain the current state of refugee processing, including training materials, manuals, and policies that govern officers’ evaluations of refugee applications.

Case

Nov 3, 2021

FOIA: SIV employment eligibility and the Chief of Mission process

In June 2020, IRAP filed a lawsuit to compel the release of DOS guidance regarding the adjudication of COM applications.

Case

Oct 25, 2021

IRAP Celebrates Creation of Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans

Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced the Sponsor Circle Program, a partnership with the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH) allowing individuals and community groups to directly support recently-arrived Afghans.

Press Release

Oct 21, 2021

IRAP Responds to White House Report on Climate Change and Migration

Today, the White House National Security Council (NSC) issued a report on climate change and migration, the first time multiple U.S. agencies have worked together to comprehensively assess the impact of climate-fueled displacement. In the report, the Biden administration announced the creation of an interagency policy process to “coordinate U.S. government efforts to mitigate and respond to migration resulting from the impacts of climate change.”

Press Release

Oct 14, 2021

IRAP Amicus Brief Challenges “Remain in Mexico” Policy in Mexican Supreme Court

IRAP has joined an amicus brief in the Mexican Supreme Court challenging the Mexican government's violation of international law, including core refugee protection principles, through the implementation of the U.S. Remain in Mexico (RMX) policy.

Publication

Oct 12, 2021

Our family is reunited, but the follow-to-join system is still broken

This is a guest post by the wife of Abdel Rahman Abdalla, who was a plaintiff in IRAP’s lawsuit Adam v. Pompeo.

Blog Post

Oct 8, 2021

IRAP Welcomes Increased Refugee Admissions Target, Urges Biden Administration to Ensure New Target is Met

Today, President Biden signed a new Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions (PD) setting the refugee admissions target at 125,000 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.

Press Release