Immigration and Border Issues

WASHINGTON— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Members requested information from State Child Welfare Agencies to determine if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been using these agencies in border states to separate asylum-seeking mothers from their newborn infants, who are United States citizens. According to news reports, agencies have been asked to take custody of newborn babies after DHS attempted to detain their mothers or send them to Mexico under the “Remain in Mexico” policy as a deterrent to persuade other migrants to not enter the United States. In one case, a Honduran mother was almost detained and sent to Mexico while her newborn infant child continued to receive care in the intensive care unit. This troubling practice is not currently tracked as family separations by DHS. CHC’s letter to child welfare agencies is the first step in creating data and accountability for these previously unrecorded family separations.

WASHINGTON— Congressional leaders, led by CHC Chairman Castro and CHC Freshman Representative Escobar, called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to meet with them to further discuss the establishment of the Ombudsman for Immigration Detention and appointment of a new ombudsman. The Fiscal Year 2020 funding omnibus provided $10 million for the creation of this new office, which will fulfill specific functions, ranging from establishing a redress process for misconduct at the Department of Homeland Security to making recommendations to improve detention facilities. The new office of the Ombudsman is especially critical given that the Trump Administration continues to expand detention of immigrants and face reports of inhumane conditions and misconduct within DHS facilities. In fiscal year 2020 thus far, 10 immigrants have died in ICE custody. The previous fiscal year in total included 8 deaths in ICE custody.

WASHINGTON— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and CHC Immigration Task Force Chairwoman Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38) called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to prepare plans for managing the spread of COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, within DHS and HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities. The members also called on both departments to share plans for resource management, release of detainees, and treatment of individuals exhibiting symptoms.

WASHINGTON— The Congressional Tri-Caucus – which represents over half of the Democratic Caucus and includes the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) – called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to suspend immigration enforcement activities around hospitals and medical clinics in order to prioritize public health as communities across the country are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks. The members further request that DHS suspended implementation of the public charge rule in order to protect public health and for the agency to provide timely communications about any USCIS office closures.

WASHINGTON— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and CHC Immigration Task Force Chairwoman Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38) called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to answer for the death of an American citizen, James Paul Markowitz, while in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. CBP and DHS have provided little information on the circumstances surrounding his death in the month since the tragedy.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, February 27, 2020, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), CHC members, doctors and lawyers working on the US-Mexico border and affected families will discuss the impacts of the Trump Administration’s anti-asylum policies, including such policies as “Remain in Mexico”, metering at ports-of-entry, the expansion of “safe third country” agreements; and two new programs—Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR) program and the Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP)—which rush asylum seekers through the credible fear process without meaningful access to legal counsel. Doctors, lawyers, and impacted individuals will provide first-hand accounts of how devastating the Trump Administration policies are on immigrants and asylum seekers.

WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court 5-4 decision on Hernandez v. Mesa:

WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued the following statement marking the implementation of President Trump’s public charge rule: