Center for Migration Studies of New York

A survey of European #voters who participated in the European #elections on June 6-9 found that the economy, followed by international conflicts, topped the issues of most concern, with #immigration placing a close third. Far right parties gained seats in the European Parliament, in part because of the increase in the number of #asylumseekers to #Europe in recent years. The European Union adopted a new #migration and asylum pact in May, in part to address the concerns of their constituents on the issue.

In this week’s #MigrationUpdate, the Department of Homeland Security re-designates and extends Temporary Protected Status (#TPS) for 309,000 #Haitians; #Sudan faces a severe #famine, with 9 million individuals displaced from their homes; #Australia doubles student #visa fees to curb net #migration to the country; and CMS releases a recording of its latest #webinar assessing the US #Refugee Admissions Program. Click the #link to read and #subscribe to our weekly #newsletter!

Following the announcement of a new executive action to protect #immigrant families, the #Biden administration worked to promote their new policy by contrasting it with the cruel family separation policies of the #Trump administration. On June 18, President Biden provided parole to as many as 500,000 #undocumented #immigrants married to US citizens, allowing them to apply for permanent residency and citizenship without leaving the US. The president also made it easier for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (#DACA) recipients to apply for employment visas.

#Canada, which has prided itself on being welcoming to #refugees, has increasingly detained #asylumseekers, causing human right groups to condemn the practice. While the average stay for an asylum-seeker in Canadian jails is 16.5 days, about 7 percent are detained for 99 days or longer. One asylum-seeker was jailed for 11 years. Canadian authorities argue that those detained have not been identified or are considered a security threat, while human rights groups have found that certain asylum-seekers are profiled because of their nationality.

Catholic #immigration advocates strongly supported President Biden's recent executive action protecting immigrant families. Kevin Appleby, Senior Fellow at CMS, said the move was consistent with Catholic teaching, as it promoted family unity and marriage. In a statement, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, TX, chairman of the USCCB Committee on #Migration, also supported the action, stating that it helps “thousands of American families who have grappled with the fear of separation for a decade or more.” Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc, also backed the action, stating that it provided a “dose of hope for many of our immigrant brothers and sisters.”

The #Summer 2024 edition of the International #Migration Review (IMR) is now available! This edition is thematically sorted into four sections. The first section has articles about #migrants and the #COVID-19 pandemic. The second section discusses immigrant integration and well-being in #Europe. The third section is about investigating patterns of South American migration and the borderlands. The fourth section examines state control and regulation of migrants and asylum-seekers. Lastly, this edition includes seven #book reviews, which are free to access.

In his weekly audience on June 19, Pope Francis said that nations should welcome #refugees to their countries, urging them to welcome, promote, accompany, and integrate them. The Holy Father's remarks were made to commemorate #WorldRefugeeDay on June 20. According to a recent report by UNHCR, there are 43.5 million refugees globally.

In an opinion piece, Kevin Appleby, Senior Fellow at CMS, writes that the focus on #border control by both presidential candidates ignores that #immigrants are needed to fill crucial jobs in the US economy in the months and years ahead. Appleby argues that #immigration reform legislation is needed to fix a broken system, but that it is unlikely that either President #Biden or former President #Trump will discuss the issue in detail.

On June 19, #UnitedNations High Commissioner for #Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said that the conflict in #Sudan, which has gone unabated since April 2023, will lead to more suffering and displacement in the months ahead if a #peace agreement is not reached. To date, more than 9 million people are displaced from their homes because of the conflict, with two million refugees having fled to neighboring countries. Grandi cited a “perfect storm” of tragic events, including the war, flooding, and a looming famine, which threaten the Sudanese people.

On June 20, the US Citizenship and #Immigration Service (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended work authorization permits for recipients of Temporary Protected Status (#TPS) from #ElSalvador, #Honduras, #Nepal, #Nicaragua, and #Sudan. The extension protects them from unscrupulous employers as they reapply to extend their TPS status.