Immigration strategies

Special collection

Every day, organizations worldwide are engaged in a collective two steps forward, one step back march toward improved immigration services and policies. What hard-earned lessons are these nonprofits, and the foundations that support them, learning from their persistent efforts? This collection of evaluations, case studies, and lessons learned exposes and explores the nuances of effective collaboration, the value of coordinated messaging, the bedrock of ongoing advocacy efforts, and the vital importance of long-term and flexible funding.

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Practice Advisory: USCIS’s New Refugee-Asylee Informal Marriage Guidance

June 24, 2022

On February 14, 2022, USCIS issued new guidance on recognizing informal marriages of refugees and asylees. Under the new guidance, USCIS will recognize an informal marriage when a refugee or asylee could not lawfully marry due to their flight from persecution and circumstances beyond their control or because of restrictive laws or practices in their country of origin or country of first asylum. USCIS's guidance only applies in adjudications of refugee applications (I-590's), asylum applications (I-589's), and refugee/asylee family reunification petitions (I-730's). In this practice advisory, we explain the new guidance and how legal practitioners can assist impacted refugee and asylee families.

Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Recommendations for the Upcoming U.S. Private Sponsorship Pilot for Refugees

March 15, 2022

As the U.S. Department of State draws closer to launching a private sponsorship pilot program for refugees, as stated in the President's Report to Congress on Proposed Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2022, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), and the Niskanen Center offer recommendations for the program's design.

Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Utilizing American Rescue Plan Funds to Serve Refugee and Immigrant Communities

January 12, 2022

Signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriated approximately $1.9 trillion to provide relief to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These allocations included aid for small businesses, direct stimulus funds to households, rental and income assistance, access to medical care and mental health services, and infrastructure aid. In addition, out of the roughly $1.9 trillion, $350 billion was reserved for states, localities, and tribal governments. State and local governments have broad discretion in how they can utilize state and local fiscal recovery funds (SLFRF) to alleviate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.One of the primary goals of ARPA is to encourage investment in communities hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, underserved and underprivileged communities of color, such as immigrants and refugees. State and local governments have an unprecedented and unique opportunity to address the inequalities laid bare during the pandemic by investing in programs and services that address longstanding needs in these underserved communities.This guide is intended to assist immigrant and refugee advocates and service providers in identifying potential funding opportunities through ARPA. Several states and localities have either not yet allocated any SLFRF resources at all or have only partially allocated such funds. Some states and localities are still collecting feedback from communities on how such funds should be dispensed. Therefore, there remain opportunities for advocates to mobilize and request ARPA funds to be directed towards refugee and immigrant support programing.

Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Rebuilding the U.S. Refugee Program for the Future: 22 Recommendations for 2022

January 11, 2022

Refugees seeking resettlement to the U.S. experience major barriers that cause delays, confusion, and, ultimately, a failure to fairly adjudicate their claims for protection. This report by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) offers 22 recommendations to address current challenges and improve the refugee resettlement program in 2022 and onwards. The proposals include several of the goals set forth by President Biden in his February 4, 2021 executive order relating to refugees (the "Refugee EO") and can help the Biden administration meet its commitment to resettle 125,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). Importantly, though, this report urges the Biden administration to look to the future of resettlement. Improving the capacity, efficiency, and transparency of USRAP this year will ensure the program can continue to be a life-saving protection tool for refugees, advance U.S. strategic interests overseas more fully, and strengthen the resiliency of local communities across the country

Fulfilling America’s Promise: Options to Make U.S. Humanitarian Protection Pathways Viable for At-Risk Afghans

November 9, 2021

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

Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Families in Limbo: What the Biden Administration Can Do Now to Address Unreasonable Delays in Refugee and Asylee Family Reunification

March 9, 2021

This report outlines how the "Follow-to-Join" process has been hampered by actions taken by the Trump Administration and how the Biden Administration can improve the process. It compiles information that IRAP has learned in litigation, as well as through individualrepresentation of clients in the refugee admissions process, engaging in policy advocacy, and pursuingFreedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Refugees & Asylum Seekers