Top Stories During the 116th Congress


(Last Updated: Saturday, August 3, 2020 at 11:59 am EDT)
ThisWeekInImmigration.Com's "Top Stories" page presents a chronological listing and links to all of the site's write-ups on legislative and political actions on immigration-, refugee-, or human trafficking-related policy during the current Congress.
August 2020
August 3, 2020
Congress in Holding Pattern as House, Senate, and Administration Negotiators Attempt to Fashion ​COVID-19 Legislative Relief Package:  After a busy week last week, during which the House passed four bills and Congress held six hearings that either focused or touched on immigration or refugees, Congress will be in a bit of a holding pattern during the week of August 3, 2020, with much of the action taking place behind the scenes.
August 1, 2020
Little if Any Talk about Immigration Seems Likely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning ​​Public Affairs Programs:  Given the guest lineups for the five major Sunday morning public affairs programs, it would appear that there will be little if any discussions about immigration on this week's programs.
July 2020
July 27, 2020
Congress Faces Heavy Schedule of Migration-Related Legislative Action in the Coming Week: After a busy week last week, during which Congress took up and passed six immigration- or refugee-related bills, Congress moves into overdrive during the week ahead.   Together, the House and Senate will hold numerous hearings that either focus or touch on immigration or refugee law and policy during the week of July 27th.  And one chamber of Congress plans to take up three of the four regular appropriations bills that fund  the federal government's immigration-, refugee-, border security-, and interior immigration enforcement-related agencies, programs, functions, and activities during the week.   
July 25, 2020
Little if Any Talk about Immigration Seems Likely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning  ​​Public Affairs Programs: Given what is known about the guest lineups for the five major Sunday morning public affairs programs, it would appear that there will be little if any discussions about immigration on this week's programs.
July 20, 2020
Congress To Take on a Heavy Agenda of Migration-Related Action as the House and Senate Return to the Nation's Capitol: The full U.S. House of Representatives and full U.S. Senate return this week from their respective two week-long Independence Day recesses, with a full schedule of immigration-related legislative activity, including hearings, markups, and floor activity.
July 17, 2020
The Appearance of President Trump on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning ​Public Affairs Programs Makes it a Certainty that the Subject of Immigration Will come Up:  President Trump has sat down for an interview with Fox News's Chris Wallace, and that interview will take up the entire hour of Fox's "Fox News Sunday" program, virtually guaranteeing that there will be some discussion about immigration during this weekend's Sunday public affairs programs.
July 13, 2020
Migration-Related Spending Bills and Oversight Hearings on DHS Operations Dominate the Week Ahead: As far as the week beginning July 13th is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in immigration, refugee, homeland security, or human trafficking policy, the week's legislative schedule includes two hearings (both occurring in the House); three markup sessions (all occurring in the House); and no floor action that either will or could touch on one or more of those subjects.  
July 12, 2020
Only Two Allusions to Immigration or Xenophobia Occurred During This Weekend's Major Sunday ​Morning Public ​Affairs Programs: The only mentions alluding to immigration, immigrants, or xenophobia during the July 12, 2020, Sunday public affairs programs this came from the panel on FOX's Fox News Sunday, which commented on President Trump's confusing announcement on a forthcoming executive action he plans to take on immigration and DACA; and NBC's Kristen Welker, who commented on President Trump's base's support for building the wall.​
July 11, 2020
Discussions about Immigration Unlikely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: A sneak peek at the guest lists for the upcoming July 12, 2020, editions of each of the five major broadcast and cable Sunday public affairs programs appears after the jump, along with previews of the likely or possible discussions on those programs about immigration and, refugees.
July 10, 2020
President Trump Promises a Forthcoming Executive Action on Immigration and DACA: President Trump on Friday floated a somewhat confusing picture of an executive action on immigration he is considering taking in the coming weeks.  At times he called the forthcoming action as a bill that he would sign.  At other times he referred to it as an executive order.  And at still other times he referred to it as an executive order bill.  The President also at times suggested that the action would include a "road to citizenship" for individuals protected by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  But he also in the same sentence indicated that the action would not include any protections for persons currently protected by DACA.  The President's remarks were made during a wide-ranging Friday, July 10, 2020, interview with Telemundo's Jose Diaz-Balart.  The exchange between them on immigration was previewed Friday evening on MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily,"
July 6, 2020
House Appropriations Panel Approves FY '21 State, Foreign Operations Spending Bill Containing Substantial Coronavirus-Related Increases ​in Refugee Spending:  A House panel has approved substantial coronavirus-related increases in funding for refugees, aimed principally at overseas refugee and overseas humanitarian assistance, The refugee-related spending provisions include more-or-less level base funding for those areas.  However, they include a total of $2.25 BILLION of additional coronavirus-related funding.
July 6, 2020
Migration-Related Spending Bills Take Center Stage in House Committees as Both Chambers Leave Washington for ​Two Week-Long Recesses: As far as the week beginning July 6 is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in immigration, refugee, homeland security, or human trafficking policy, the week's legislative schedule includes one hearing (occurring in the House); five markup sessions (all occurring in the House), and no floor action that either will or could touch on one or more of those subjects.  And the .White House schedule for the week includes planned meetings on Wednesday and Thursday between President Trump and Mexican President Manuel López Obrador.
July 5, 2020
Only One Mention of Immigration or Xenophobia Occurred During This Weekend's Major Sunday ​Morning Public ​Affairs Programs: News coverage of the newly intensifying COVID-19 pandemic and of the 2020 presidential campaign crowded out coverage of almost any other issue on the five top Sunday public affairs news programs this week, leaving little room for any discussions or comments about immigration, refugees, xenophobia on the July 5, 2020 editions of those programs.
July 3, 2020
Discussions about Immigration Unlikely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning ​Public Affairs Programs: For the second week in a row, it appears that discussions about immigration, refugees, or xenophobia will likely be scarce-to-non-existent during the coming weekend's Sunday public affairs programs.
July 2,, 2020
Trump Administration Says No to Providing COVID-19 Assistance to ​Mixed Status 
July 1, 2020
Federal Court Strikes Down ​Trump Asylum Ban: A Trump-appointed federal district judge in Washington, DC has issued an opinion striking down a Trump Administration rule requiring migrants seeking to enter the United States to first seek asylum in countries they travel through on their way.  Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued his order and its accompanying opinion late in the evening on Tuesday. June 30, 2020, concluding that the ban failed to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) governing how agencies should implement rules.  The Administration had issued the ban in July of 2019 in an effort to prevent Central American migrants fleeing violence in their countries from seeking asylum in the United States, 
June 2020
June 29, 2020
Defense Authorization Bills in House and Senate Highlight Possible Immigration Action in Congress During the Week Ahead: While neither bill contains any contentious immigration provisions at the moment, consideration by the full Senate and by the House Committee on Armed Services of their respective Fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Acts highlight the possible action on immigration in Congress during the week beginning June 29, 2020.
June 29, 2020
Immigration Services Agency Warns of Massive Furloughs as it Seeks a $1.2 BILLION Infusion of Supplemental ​Funds for Fiscal Year 2020: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) component of the Department of Homeland Security is seeking $1.2 BILLION in supplemental fiscal year 2020 funding, warning that unless it receives the funds by August of 2020, it will have to furlough two-thirds of its 20,000 employees, a number totaling 13,400 persons.  The agency asserts that it would "would repay these funds by adding a 10% surcharge to applications."   
June 29, 2020
Five Recent Court Rulings on Immigration Place the Subject in ​the ​​Judicial Spotlight: For nearly two years, immigration stakeholders and policymakers awaited action in the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on the legality of the Trump Administration's September 2017 attempt to end the popular Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).  As late June of 2020 approached, the pro-immigrant advocacy community braced itself for what it thought would certainly be a decision affirming the Administration's authority to rescind DACA.  However, in a totally unexpected decision, on Thursday, June 18, 2020, SCOTUS ruled that the Administration improperly moved to rescind DACA, saving, for now at least, the hundreds of thousands of young people brought to the United States illegally while they were children. 
June 28, 2020
No Discussions about Immigration and Xenophobia Occur on This Weekend's Major Sunday ​Morning Public Affairs Programs: While last week's decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) provided an opening for talk about immigration during the June 28, 2020, editions of those programs., this week returned to form, with the programs once again being exclusively composed of discussions about the those three dominating stories.
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June 27, 2020
Discussions about Immigration Unlikely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: Now that the Supreme Court of the United States has issued its decision on  the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), it seems likely that the issues of immigration, refugees, and xenophobia will take a back seat to other issues during the June 28, 2020, editions. of the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs.
June 26, 2020
Senate Passes Toomey-Van Hollen Bill to Sanction Chinese Authorities ​Over Hong Kong:: The U.S. Senate has passed legislation containing provisions that would deny or cancel visas to businessmen from China involved in persecuting freedom of expression in Hong Kong.  The Senate acted on Thursday, June 26, 2020, in connection with S. 3798, the “Hong Kong Autonomy Act”, passing the measure by unanimous consent.
June 25, 2020
House Passes ​Policing Reform Legislation Containing Several Provisions Relevant to ​Immigration Enforcement: The full U.S. House of Representatives has passed a broad measure aimed at reforming the way federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies engage communities of color.  The House acted on Thursday, June 25, 2020, in connection with H.R. 7120, the "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020", approving the measure by a bipartisan vote of 236-181, with all participating Democrats and three of the chamber's 184 participating Republicans voting in favor of the bill.  An uncertain fate awaits Thursday's House action, however.  One day earlier, the Senate rejected an attempt to take up a competing bill that had been written by Senate Republicans.  And the White House has signaled that President Trump would veto H.R. 7120 if it was presented to him.
June 23, 2020
Trump Administration Extends and Expands General Suspension of Immigration Through ​the End of 2020: Citing the economic collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House has extended through the end of 2020 restrictions on immigration that it first imposed earlier this year, expanding them to also include foreign workers that often are hired by high technology companies and other employers. The announcement, implemented in a June 22, 2020, presidential proclamation, continues the suspension of most immigration to the United States that was first announced in an April 22, 2020 presidential proclamation.  However, it expands the previously announced suspension so that it also includes workers on H-1B visas, which are most often used for employing foreign nationals in the technology sector, but also in academia and health care. 
June 22, 2020
Dueling House and Senate Policing Bills Highlight the Congressional Agenda During the Week Ahead: Now that the Supreme Court of the United States has issued its long-awaited ruling on the legality of the Trump Administration's efforts to rescind the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, immigration policymakers and stakeholders have slowly begun to turn their attention back to the more mundane aspects of immigration law and policy making in Washington, such as poring through and examining the contents of appropriations and authorization bills and writing questions to be asked by legislators during tedious oversight hearings.
June 21, 2020
Discussions about Immigration and Xenophobia Occur on All Five of This Weekend's Major Sunday ​Morning Public ​Affairs Programs:  Because of last Thursday's decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from rescinding the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), there was plenty of talk about immigration and xenophobia during the June 21, 2020, editions. of the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs.
June 20, 2020
Trump Suggests He Will Try Again in the ​Coming Days to Rescind DACA: President Donald J. Trump and members of his Administration on Friday suggested that, notwithstanding a decision against him by the Supreme Court of the United States (the Court), his Administration will soon make another attempt to rescind a popular program that has protected as many as 800,000 young persons who have lived in the United States most of their lives after being brought illegally to the country as children. 
June 19, 2020
The Supreme Court's Decision on DACA Makes it Likely that Discussions about Immigration Will Be Included on This Weekend's Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: News coverage of the events surrounding the killing of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Atlanta, Georgia, and the widespread protests and civil unrest that those killings spawned, have begun to recede, leaving room for reporting on other major stories, such as the resurgence in the United States of the COVID-19 pandemic, legislative efforts to reform policing, and the 2020 presidential and congressional elections.  Add to that mix the June 18, 2020, decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from rescinding the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), and it seems likely that there will be discussions about immigration during the June 21, 2020, editions. of the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs.
June 19, 2020
House Judiciary Committee Approves ​Policing Reform Legislation: The House Committee on the Judiciary this week approved a broad measure aimed at reforming the way federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies engage communities of color.  The Committee acted on Thursday, June 18, 2020, in connection with H.R. 7120, the "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020", approving the measure on a party-line vote of 24-14. Thursday's Committee action sets up the bill for consideration by the full House of Representatives next week and a potential conference with a competing Senate bill.
June 18, 2020
Supreme Court Rules that Trump Improperly Attempted to Rescind the DACA Program, ​Allowing it to Continue in Effect For Now: In a totally unexpected decision, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Trump Administration improperly moved to rescind the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals  program (DACA), permitting the program to continue, for now.  The Court issued its   5-4 opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., on Thursday, June 18, 2020, throwing the ball into the hands of the Trump Administration to decide if it will make another attempt to end the popular program.  
June 17, 2020
President Signs Bill to Protect the Human Rights of Uyghurs: President Trump has signed legislation addressing the human rights situation facing Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.​  The President quietly signed the measure into law on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, just hours before leaks from a book authored by his former National Security Advisor alleged that Trump had expressed to the President of the Peoples Republic of China his support for the imprisonment of more than a million Uyghurs in Chinese concentration camps.
June 15, 2020
Congress Inches Back Into the Arena with Several Proceedings Touching on Immigration Matters Scheduled for the Coming Week: No floor action on measures touching on immigration law or policy is anticipated in either the House or the Senate during the week beginning June 15, 2020; the full U..S. House of Representatives will not be in legislative session during this period, and while the full Senate will be in session, its work will involve the consideration of a public lands bill and the consideration of several presidential nominations.
June 14, 2020
Another Police Killing of an African American Snuffs Out Almost All Discussions of Immigration During the ​June 14 Sunday Public Affairs Programs: Just when news coverage of events surrounding the killing of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers and the widespread protests and civil unrest that the killing has spawned had begun to recede, the late Saturday night killing of Rayshard Brooks by police in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia thrust the issue of African Americans dying at the hands of police officers in the United States back into prominence on the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs.  This left little room for discussions about other matters, including discussions about immigration, refugees, or ethnicity,  Indeed, the only illusion came in a segment on demographics and the Republican party during NBC's "Meet the Press" program.
June 12, 2020
Little Discussion about Immigration, Refugees, or Ethnicity Likely on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: News coverage of the events surrounding the killing of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers, and the widespread protests and civil unrest that the killing spawned, have begun to recede, leaving room for reporting on other major stories, such as the resurgence in the United States of the COVID-19 pandemic, legislative efforts to reform policing, and the 2020 presidential and congressional elections.  Accordingly, it is possible that there will be room on at least some of the June 14, 2020, editions. of the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs for coverage of other issues, including room for discussions about immigration, refugees, or ethnicity, 
June 8, 2020
No Legislative Action on Immigration- and Refugee-Related Matters Scheduled for the Coming Week: No immigration business is scheduled in Congress during the week beginning June 8, 2020.  While the full Senate will be in session during the week, it will be considering nominations and is not expected to take up any significant legislation.  The full House will not be in legislative session during the week, although several committees are holding hearings on matters having nothing to do with immigration, refugees, or human trafficking.​
June 7 2020
Powell, Rice, and Carson All Either Mention or Allude to Immigrants or Immigration During This Week's ​Sunday Public Affairs Programs: For the second consecutive week, discussions about events surrounding the killing of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers, and the widespread protests and civil unrest that the killing has spawned, dominated the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs.  This left little room for discussions about immigration, refugees, or ethnicity,
June 5 2020
Acting DHS Secretary Wolf Among Guests on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning ​Public Affairs Programs​:: Events surrounding the killing of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers, and the widespread protests and civil unrest that the killing has spawned, continued to dominate the news over the last week.  Given that, it is likely that the June 7, 2020, editions. of the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs will again be dominated by that subject, leaving little room for discussions about immigration, refugees, or ethnicity, 
June 5, 2020
Trump Boasts About Border Wall Progress and Accuses Democrats of Wanting Open Borders During ​Rose Garden ​Press Availability: President Trump today boasted about progress he says is being made constructing the border wall he has promised to build between the United States and Mexico and charged Democrats in Congress  with wanting open borders.  The President's remarks came during a June 5, 2020, press availability in the White House Rose Garden as he prepared to sign the "Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020" into law.
June 1, 2020
Trump Threatens the Use of the U.S. Military, along with ICE, CBP, and  Other Federal Personnel to Help Quell Civil Unrest ​​in Interior of the U.S.: In an extraordinary scene, President Donald J. Trump  declared from the White House Rose Garden on June 1, 2020, that he will use the U.S. military in the interior of the United States to engage in actions against U.S. citizens. According to the President, he is acting in an effort to quell widespread civil unrest that has broken out throughout the country in reaction to the killing by a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer of an unarmed black man during an attempt to arrest him.
May 2020
May 31 2020
Coverage of Civil Unrest In the Wake of Minnesota Killing Crowds Out Discussion of Immigration on​ Sunday Public Affairs Programs: The widespread violence spawned by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota dominated the May 31, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, immigrants, refugees, or human trafficking during the programs this week.
May 30 2020
House Leaves Washington for Virtually all of June, Leaving Little Action for the Week on Immigration- and Refugee-Related Matters​: Little immigration business is scheduled in Congress during the week beginning June 1, 2020.  While the full Senate will be in session during the week, it will be considering nominations and is not expected to take up any significant legislation.  The full House will not be in legislative session during the week.  While several remote hearings are scheduled in the House, none of them are likely to touch on immigration, refugees, or human trafficking.
May 30, 2020
Little Discussion about Immigration, Refugees, or Ethnicity Likely on This Weekend's Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: Two stories: have dominated the news this week: the widespread violence spawned by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the continuing health and economic impact on the United States of the COVID-19 disease.  Given that, it is unlikely that the five venerable Sunday morning public affairs programs will address the subjects of immigration, refugees, or ethnicity in a big way during their May 31, 2020, editions. 
May 29, 2020
Trump Suspends Entry of Some Chinese Students and Researchers into the United States: President Trump has suspended the entry of certain groups of Chinese students and researchers into the United States.  The President announced the suspension in a Friday, May 29, 2020, statement made on the White House lawn while surrounded by he Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and others.  He implemented the announcement in a presidential proclamation that he signed on that same day.   
May 28 2020
Trump Boasts About Border Wall Construction and His Brazil Travel Ban During Oval Office Press Availability:: President Trump yesterday boasted about the progress and effectiveness of the border wall he is building between the U.S. and Mexico, praised the government of Mexico for deploying troops along its border to control illegal immigration, praised the effectiveness of his efforts to close the border between U.S. and Mexico, and extolled the virtues of his travel ban with Brazil.  The President's remarks came during a May 28, 2020, press availability following an Oval Office briefing he and the First Lady received on 2020 hurricane preparations.
May 27, 2020
House Clears for the President's Consideration a Bill to Protect the Human Rights of Uyghurs:: The full U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation addressing the human rights situation facing Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.​  This week's House action occurred in connection with S. 3744, the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020",  Ignoring hints of a possible presidential veto, the House passed the bipartisan measure on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, by a vote of 413-1, clearing it for the President's consideration by a veto-proof majority.
 
May 26, 2020
Trump Falsely Accuses the state of California of Sending Mail-In Ballots to the Undocumented ​and other Noncitizens: President Trump falsely accused the Governor of California today of sending election ballots to the undocumented  and other noncitizens,  The President's accusation was made on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at the end of a White House press availability about seniors and diabetes.  His comment on the matter was in response to one of four questions asked by reporters that either were about immigration or that prompted a response from him about the subject.
 
May 25, 2020
A Light Schedule of Immigration-Related Business Likely During the Week Ahead as Policy Watchers Await Supreme Court Decision on DACA:  Little legislative action on immigration is expected to take place during the week beginning May 25, 2020.. The Senate is out of town for its week-long Memorial Day recess, leaving the House behind for a workweek that is abbreviated by Memorial Day on Monday and a quick exit upon the close of business on Thursday.
May 24, 2020
Administration Imposes Travel Ban on Most Persons Traveling to the United States ​From or Through Brazil: The Trump Administration has imposed a temporary ban on travel to the United States from most persons who have recently resided in or transited through Brazil.  The travel restrictions were announced late in the evening on Sunday, May 24, 2020, after the President signed a White House proclamation on the matter.
May 24, 2020
There was Little Talk About Immigration on the May 24th Sunday Public Affairs Programs: The COVID-19 disease and the economic collapse it has induced dominated the May 24, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact, plus the sparsity of guests who have Latino or immigrant backgrounds on the five venerable public affairs programs, meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, refugees, or human trafficking this week.
May 23, 2020
Little if Any Discussions about Immigration Likely  on This Weekend's  Sunday Morning Public Affairs Programs: Given the dominance of the COVID-19 disease and the economic collapse it has induced in the news, it is unlikely that any of the five venerable Sunday morning public affairs programs will address the subject of immigration during their May 24, 2020, editions.
May 18, 2020
Possible Supreme Court Decision on DACA and Behind-the-Scenes Jockeying on COVID-19 Relief Legislation Highlight the Week Ahead: Little if any legislative action on immigration is expected to take place during the week beginning Monday, May 18, 2020, as the U.S. House of Representatives is not scheduled to be in legislative session while the Senate is expected to concentrate on nominations before leaving Washington at week's end for a two week-long recess,
May 15, 2020
House Passes $3 Trillion COVID-19 Legislative Package Containing Provisions Providing Relief to Immigrants and other Migrants in the United States: The House of Representatives has passed a sweeping $3 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package that contains among its many provisions several that would provide relief to immigrants and other migrants in the United States who have been negatively impacted by the disease.  The House-passed measure constitutes a reversal of fortunes for immigrant advocates compared to previously enacted COVID-19 bills that ignored the needs of immigrants.  However, at best, the House-passed measure and its immigration provisions face a difficult future in the Senate and a veto threat from the White House.
May 14, 2020
Senate Passes Rubio-Menendez Bill to Protect the Human Rights of Uyghurs: The full Senate this week passed legislation addressing the human rights situation facing Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other refugees and asylum seekers to the People’s Republic of China.​  This week's Senate action occurred in connection with S. 3744, the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020",  The Senate passed the bipartisan measure by unanimous consent on Thursday, May 14, 2020.
February 2019
February 10, 2019
Consideration of a FY '19 Border Security and Consolidated Appropriations Agreement and the Confirmation of a New Attorney General Highlight the Coming Week's Capitol Hill Immigration and Refugee Action: The highlight of the coming week's immigration- and refugee-related legislative action is expected to be consideration of the much anticipated conference agreement on Fiscal Year 2019 border security funding.  If reached, the agreement, will likely carry with it negotiated versions of all of the seven un-enacted Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bills,  If enacted, it will prevent another partial government shutdown that otherwise will occur at Midnight on Friday, February 15th.
February 8, 2019
House Passes "Victim-Centered" Anti-Human Trafficking Bill:  The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed legislation intended to assist human trafficking victims by encouraging more victim-centered approaches to arrests, prosecutions, and the provision of services and assistance to persons who are or who may be the victims of human trafficking.  Yesterday's House floor action occurred in connection with H.R. 507, the "Put Trafficking Victims First Act of 2019", The House passed the measure by a vote of 410-1, with the sole Member voting against it being Representative Justin Amash (R-MI).
February 6, 2019
It was More of the Same on Immigration for Trump  in His Third Address to a Joint Meeting of Congress:  President Donald J. Trump adhered to familiar themes on immigration during his second State of the Union Address, which he delivered on Tuesday, February 5th from the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives.  The President devoted more than one-fifth of his Address to the subject, painting immigrants as criminals, drug traffickers, and job-stealers, And he renewed his oft-repeated demand that Congress fund the construction of a wall along stretches of the border between the U.S. and Mexico,  Notably absent from his Address, however, was an announcement that he had repeatedly hinted at during the days leading up to Tuesday night; He did not announce that he was declaring a national emergency and commandeering previously appropriated funds so he could build his proposed wall.
February 4, 2019
Trump Likely to Stress Immigration in His Third Address to a Joint Meeting of Congress:  President Donald J. Trump is scheduled this week to make his second State of the Union Address and his third address, overall, before a joint meeting of Congress.  The text of his remarks was not available at the time of this writing.  However, it is anticipated that he will use the occasion as an opportunity to continue the harsh rhetoric he has often employed against immigrants and immigration, generally, and to renew his call for the appropriation of funding for the construction of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
February 3, 2019
State of the Union Address, Examination of the Administration's Family Separation Policy, and Deliberations on Border Security Funding Highlight the Coming Week's Capitol Hill Immigration and Refugee Action:  The immigration- and refugee-related highlight of the week-to-come will be the delivery by President Trump of his second State of the Union Address, as well as the delivery by former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams of the official Democratic response. 
February 1, 2019
Negotiators Stake Out Positions in First Meeting of House-Senate Conferees on Border Security Funding:  Senators and Representatives of both parties staked out their opening positions but dealt with little substance during the first meeting of a House-Senate conference committee that has been established to strike a deal on border security funding.  The meeting was held on Wednesday, January 30th and was followed throughout the remainder of the week by the preparation of a formal offer from House Democrats that rejects President Trump's call for funding for a wall and a declaration from the President that the whole thing was "a waste of time."
January 2019
January 31, 2019
House Armed Services Committee Oversight Hearing on Department of Defense Border Operations:  The House Committee on Armed Services held a hearing last week titled, “Department of Defense’s Support to the Southern Border,"  during which it examined the deployment of U.S. troops on the U.S. southwestern border, as well as the President’s threat to declare a national emergency as a way of diverting funds from the Department of Defense in order to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. 
January 29, 2019
Conference Committee Working on Border Security Funding Schedules First Meeting:  Formal House and Senate negotiations are set to begin tomorrow over the President's demand that Congress appropriate more than $8 BILLION in additional Fiscal Year 2019 funding  for border security, a demand that famously includes a request for a $5.7 BILLION appropriation for construction of a wall along the border between the United States and Mexico.
January 28, 2019
House Passes Bill Mandating a Study of the Contribution of Cryptocurrencies to Human and Drug Trafficking:  The full U.S. House of Representatives has passed a measure that would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the contributions that cryptocurrencies make to human trafficking.  House floor action occurred on Monday, January 28, 2019, in connection with H.R. 502, the “Fight Illicit Networks and Detect Trafficking Act” or the FIND Trafficking Act”, which was introduced in the House by Representative Juan Vargas (D-CA).
January 28, 2019
A Sigh of Relief Can Be Heard in the Halls of the U.S. Capitol Complex as the House and Senate Face the First Calm Week of the 116th Congress:  What initially looked like a light week of immigration- and refugee-related congressional activity suddenly turned heavy as the week dawned, with Democrats basking in the glow of the deal they cut late last week to reopen the shuttered departments, agencies, and functions of the federal government without having to appropriate a penny for the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico..that President Trump has demanded that they fund.
January 25, 2019
Congress Establishes a Process for Congressional Consideration of Trump Border Wall Funding Request:  The House of Representatives and Senate on Friday passed differing versions of a short-term measure providing continued funding for the Department of Homeland Security.  In actuality, though, Friday's floor action was intended more to provide a vehicle for Congress to negotiate a deal between itself and President Trump on border security funding. 
January 25, 2019
Congress Clears Short-Term FY ’19 Continuing Appropriations Resolution Reopening Shuttered Federal Functions:  Congress today cleared for the President’s consideration a short-term continuing appropriations resolution (CR) funding the shuttered operations of the federal government through February 15, 2019.  The congressional action had the effect of re-opening the government without funding President Trump's proposed wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, an outcome that the President repeatedly asserted he would not accept..
January 24, 2019
House Passes Yet Another FY ’19 Continuing Appropriations Measure:  The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed a short-term continuing appropriations resolution that would fund the operations of the shuttered departments, agencies, and functions of the federal government through February 28, 2019.  Yesterday's House floor action occurred on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, in connection with H.J. Res. 28, a joint resolution making short-term continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2019 for the closed functions. 
January 20, 2019
Trump Proposes “Compromise” that would Reopen Government, Fund Border Wall, and Enact Temporary Protections for DACA and TPS Beneficiaries:  President Donald J. Trump yesterday proposed a plan to re-open the shuttered departments, agencies, and functions of the federal government.   The President's plan would require Congress to appropriate $5.7 BILLION in Fiscal Year 2019 funds to construct 234 miles of a "steel barrier system" along the U.S. border with Mexico.  It would, as well, require Congress to appropriate approximately $3 BILLION in additional Fiscal Year 2019 funds for other border security related projects and activities. 
January 17, 2019
House Agrees to Two Pro-Immigrant Amendments in First Direct Floor Votes on Immigration During the 116th Congress:  The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday agreed to two pro-immigrant amendments in the first direct floor votes on immigration today of the 116th Congress.  Yesterday's House floor action occurred in connection with H.R. 268, a bill making supplemental appropriations for disaster assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019,  The measure also would make continuing appropriations for the shuttered departments and agencies of the federal government, through February 8, 2019. 
January 7, 2019
Funding Standoff Continues as House Passes FY ’19 “Minibus” Appropriations Bill That Senate Pledges to Ignore: The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the first of two measures designed to halt the current budget impasse by providing full-year funding for eight shuttered federal departments and agencies for fiscal year 2019.  Last  week’s House floor action occurred on Thursday, January 3, 2019, in connection with H.R. 21, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, which the House passed by a vote of 241-190.  Notwithstanding last week’s House action, however, the partial shutdown of the federal government seems no closer to being ended, given the President’s posture and assertions by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that he does not intend to bring the House-passed measure before the Senate for its consideration.
January 7, 2019
Border Wall Funding Standoff Continues as House Passes Short-Term FY ’19 DHS Continuing Appropriations Resolution:  The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the second of two measures designed to halt the current budget impasse by providing short-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security through  February 8, 2019.   Last week’s House floor action occurred on Thursday, January 3, 2019, in connection with H.J. Res. 1, a Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Homeland Security short-term continuing appropriations measure (CR), which the House passed by a vote of 239-192.   Notwithstanding last week’s House action, however, the partial shutdown of the federal government seems no closer to being ended, given the President’s posture and assertions by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that he does not intend to bring the House-passed measure before the Senate for its consideration.
January 3, 2019
House and Senate to Convene First Session of the 116th Congress Amidst Border Security-Inspired Partial Shutdown of the Federal Government's Operations:  The First Session of the 116th Congress convenes on Thursday, January 3rd, with Democrats holding a 235-199 majority in the House and Republicans holding a 53-47 organizational majority in the Senate. 
Under normal circumstances, much of the work during the first few weeks of a new Congress centers on ceremonial and organizational activities.  However, with more than one-fourth of the federal government shut down due to a dispute between Congress and the President over immigration-related funding priorities, policy matters -- and immigration policy matters, specifically -- have been thrust into the forefront of the opening days of this Congress.