This week in immigration news – December 17, 2020

Immigrant advocates urge Biden to quickly rectify the trauma of family separation

Immigrant advocates have met with the Biden transition team and are urging the President-elect to take steps to address the harms that were caused in 2018 when President Trump and his administration separated parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Tony Pham, interim director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to step down

Tony Pham will be stepping down after five months as interim director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. His tenure was met with criticism, for example, the decision to install billboards in Pennsylvania warning about the ‘dangers’ of sanctuary cities.

Supreme Court puts off ruling on Trump census case to exclude undocumented immigrants

The Supreme Court this past Monday declined to make a decision on the Trump administration’s attempts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the U.S. Census. The census is responsible for apportioning political representation to Congress and funding key programs across the country.