Immigration

Texas Governor Hires 'Border Czar' to Accelerate Wall Construction

Mike Banks, a recently retired Border Patrol agent, will work with the Texas National Guard and state troopers to find ways to deter people from crossing the border illegally.

  • By Uriel J. García, The Texas Tribune

What the Mayors Discussed When They Met With Biden

Immigration and how cities are spending federal funding were among the topics that came up during the White House meeting.

  • By Kery Murakami

'We Need a Plan': Mayors Want Biden to Take Action On Migrant Crisis

Democratic and Republican mayors are pushing for major reforms. New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke to Route Fifty about his efforts to coordinate with other city leaders on the issue.

  • By Kery Murakami

Overwhelmed With Migrant Arrivals, NYC has Planned Tent Shelter to be Built in a Bronx Flood Zone

Road leading to the isolated Orchard Beach parking lot has been dubbed by locals “Lake Orchard.”

  • By Sahalie Donaldson

GOP Governors Bus Migrants to Blue Cities, but Many Exit in Red States

Many migrants sent to Washington, D.C., and New York are disembarking before they arrive.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

Dozens of State and Local Officials Press Biden to Increase Refugee Resettlement in US

“We can and must do more," they say. The Biden administration pledged to ramp up resettlements. But even with deepening humanitarian crises unfolding in Ukraine, Afghanistan and other nations, refugee admissions fell to a historic low in fiscal 2021.

  • By Daniela Altimari

Texas Governor Escalates Feud with NYC Mayor by Sending Buses of Migrants to City

The move follows New York City Mayor Eric Adams' refusal to accept Gov. Greg Abbott’s invitation to visit the Texas border towns where migrants are crossing into the U.S.

  • By Sara Dorn

The Biden Administration’s Plea to ‘Sanctuary’ Cities Gets a Cool Reception

The Department of Homeland Security is trying to foster greater cooperation with local governments on immigration enforcement following the strained relations of the Trump years.

  • By Kery Murakami

Report: Immigrants Could Help Revive the Middle Class

Allowing more foreign-born people into the U.S. could help solve the country’s labor-force challenges and catalyze upward mobility for American-born workers, according to Brookings.

  • By Andre Claudio

2020 Census May Have Missed More Than 1.6M Residents

New research from the Urban Institute found that minorities were likely underrepresented in the population count, leaving some states with a windfall of federal funding while others came up short.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Afghans Steered to States with ‘Help Wanted’ Signs, Pro-Immigrant Bent

A steel mill and a chocolate factory are among the businesses desperate to hire Afghans.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

More Central American Children Could Rejoin Parents in the States

Over 130,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the southern border illegally since October.

  • By Kristian Hernández, Stateline
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The States Where Afghan Evacuees Will Resettle

Forty-six states will receive Afghan evacuees, including special immigrant visa holders who assisted the United States military.

  • By Andrea Noble

The States Offering to Help Resettle Afghan Refugees

Governors in both parties say their states are ready to assist displaced people who helped the U.S. and are fleeing the Taliban.

  • By Bill Lucia

Providing ‘Sense of Belonging’ to Undocumented Immigrants

Community identification cards allow immigrants and others in vulnerable populations access to IDs and help them build relationships with law enforcement, according to the Policy Executive Research Forum.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Converted Texas Prison Gets First Immigrant Detainees

Border-crossing immigrants are being arrested by Texas troopers on state charges like trespassing, and they’re starting to trickle into a prison emptied to house them.

  • By Lomi Kriel and Jolie McCullough

Can Greg Abbott Actually Build Trump's Border Wall?

The governor wants to finish the wall that Donald Trump began on the Texas-Mexico border, but he'll have to overcome the same hurdles that impeded the ex-president's efforts.

  • By Mandi Cai and Uriel J. García, The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott is Using a Disaster Declaration to Help Fund a Border Wall. Democrats Say It’s an Overreach of Executive Powers.

The disaster declarations give the governor broad power to suspend state laws and regulations that hinder a jurisdiction’s recovery from a disaster and to allow the use of available resources to respond to the disaster.

  • By Cassandra Pollock and James Barragán, The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott Wants to Build a Border Wall, but Does Texas have the Ability — or Money — to do so?

Critics have denounced Abbott's proposal as "political theater" that won't pass legal muster. But the two-term Republican governor says it's time to secure the border.

  • By Heidi Perez-Moreno and James Barragán, The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas Will Build a Border Wall, but Doesn’t Yet Give Details on Cost or Location

The governor suggested more details would be released next week. The announcement Thursday of several initiatives is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Abbott, a Republican, and Democratic President Joe Biden's administration.

  • By Heidi Perez-Moreno, The Texas Tribune

One-Fourth of Low-Income Immigrant Households Avoided Public Benefits in 2020

Despite financial hardships brought on by the pandemic, some households did not seek benefits because of concerns due in part to the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule.

  • By Andrea Noble