Management

Biden Announces More Resources for the Border as He Aims to Further Restrict Illegal Crossings

The administration will also expand humanitarian programs, though staffing shortfalls could hurt implementation.

Oversight

Supreme Court Rules to Keep Title 42, the Pandemic-Era Policy to Quickly Turn Away Migrants, for Now

The court ordered the Biden administration to continue enforcing the policy while Texas and other states that want to keep the Trump-era rule in place prepare their legal arguments.

Oversight

Anticipating a Surge in Border Crossings Amid Cold Temperatures, El Paso Declares a State of Emergency

With Title 42 ending next week, El Paso officials expect the number of migrants crossing the border could double. Declaring a state of emergency should open more options to provide migrants shelter from below-freezing temperatures.

Management

Expected Migrant Increase to Put Already Strained Federal Border Resources to the Test

With the policy known as Title 42 coming to an end, the Biden administration is turning to employees already "stressed beyond anything they have ever experienced."

Management

Mayorkas in El Paso: U.S. Immigration System Is Broken

As El Paso struggled to cope with a growing migration crisis, the DHS chief said immigration and asylum systems were broken, but provided few public details of the administration’s plans to fix things.

Oversight

Supreme Court Wrestles Over Biden’s Immigration Enforcement Policy

The Biden administration instructed immigration agents to focus on deporting undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of felonies or pose a danger to public safety. Texas filed a lawsuit saying the change was illegal.

Workforce

An Appeals Court Seems Skeptical of Both Sides in Immigration Judges Union Case

A three-judge panel questioned attorneys for the National Association of Immigration Judges on whether their appeal was premature, and grilled FLRA lawyers on whether the union can seek redress through administrative channels.

Management

Border Patrol Reports 2.4 Million Migrant Arrests at Southwest Border This Year, the Most Ever

The historic pace of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has fueled Republicans’ focus on the crisis, but despite the efforts of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, the number of encounters in Texas has increased.

Management

Do U.S. Border Officials Ask Travelers if They’ve Had Abortions?

An Australian tourist alleged that a border official asked about her abortion history. The ACLU and other advocates are more concerned agents aren’t meeting the health needs of pregnant immigrants and infants in border facilities.

Management

The Biden Team Struggled to Implement New Immigration Policies Due to Poor Interagency Coordination

The administration was looking for quick solutions to handle historic upticks in migrants crossing the border.

Oversight

Migrant Children at Fort Bliss Shelter Faced Distress, Long Release Waits

Inspector General report shows operational challenges within the Office of Refugee Resettlement and its contractor-run shelter in 2021

Management

Border Patrol Agents Cut Corners on Migrant Processing as Numbers Spiked

DHS remains ill-prepared for properly handling unusually high numbers of migrants, IG says.

Tech

Border Agency Deactivates Regional Twitter Account that Promoted Homophobic Tweet

The agency shut down the Twitter account for its West Texas regional office, saying “unauthorized and inappropriate content” was posted on the account on Saturday.

Workforce

Immigration Judges Say the FLRA Made Up Rules to Decertify Union

In its appeal in federal circuit court, the National Association of Immigration Judges accused the Federal Labor Relations Authority’s then-Republican majority of already deciding to decertify the union before considering arguments in the case.

Management

Shelter Sickness: Migrants See Health Problems Linger and Worsen While Waiting at the Border

U.S. immigration policies, an increasing number of migrants, and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to the growth of the Mexican shelter system, in which people are getting sick and medical care is limited.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: Criminal Referrals at the Border and Immigration Policy

Syracuse University's Austin Kocher joins the podcast to his latest immigration research.

Workforce

An Immigration Judges Union That Was Busted by the Trump Administration Is Seeking A New Election

The National Association of Immigration Judges is pursuing two tracks to becoming recertified as a federal employee union and recognized by management at the Justice Department.

Workforce

AFGE Will Split from Its ICE Union Over Ideological Divide

A union council representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees has been agitating to become independent, although the move presents risks for the group.

Oversight

The Justice Department is Investigating Texas’ Operation Lone Star for Alleged Civil Rights Violations

Emails obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune confirm that federal authorities are probing discrimination claims involving Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar border initiative.