This week in immigration news – November 14, 2019

Leaked emails written by White House Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller between 2015-2016 were examined this week by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch section.

This time period spans Miller’s time as an aide for then-Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, to his time as a senior policy advisor for the Trump administration.

Of the more than 900 emails that were reviewed by Hatewatch, 80% related to race or immigration. The emails contained conspiracy theories, white nationalist talking points, and strategies for amplifying stories on Black or Hispanic crime.

On November 12, the Supreme Court began listening to the oral arguments that could decide the future of DACA.

Since DACA became policy in 2012, it has protected nearly 800,000 undocumented young people from deportation by providing them deferred status in two-year increments. The Court is reportedly considering ruling against the program and siding with the Trump administration, which attempted to rescind the program in September 2017.

A new proposal from the Trump administration would hike fees for immigrants who are seeking to adjust their immigration status.

For example, citizenship fees would increase from $750 to $1,170 for most immigrants. The proposal also includes a charge of $50 for an asylum application. There has previously been no charge for asylum applications.