Citizenship Clinic. After hosting four information sessions, we are now getting ready for our first citizenship clinic of the year this coming Saturday, April 12! If you know someone who is interested in becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, please share this newsletter with them. People who were unable to attend an information session can still show up to the clinic and try to receive help. We have the capacity to serve the first 75 people in line. Details are included below and can also be found here.
  • The state Senate passed a proposal that would require some Texas sheriffs to enter into agreements with the federal government. SB 8 / HB 5580 would also give grants to sheriff’s offices in counties with fewer than 1 million residents that enter into agreements with ICE. The grants would help cover costs a county would incur as part of a 287(g) agreement, such as detaining a person in jail. The bill also allows the state Attorney General’s Office to sue a sheriff if the state believes that a sheriff is not complying with the law. 
  • Voting rights advocates are concerned about a bill making its way through the Texas Legislature. SB 16 / HB 5337 would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote -  some are concerned that this could disenfranchise more than a million Texans by making it more difficult, and potentially more expensive, to access elections.
  • After a six-week federal funding freeze that decimated refugee services in Texas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released $47 million to the Texas Office for Refugees, the state’s refugee services designee. The future of refugee resettlement in Texas remains unclear - the funding freeze caused a reduction or suspension of services for refugees that may be difficult to recover from.
  • The Department of Homeland Security has asked local governments and nonprofit organizations that received federal grants to identify immigrants they have housed, suggesting in a letter that they may have violated human smuggling laws. In the letter, the acting administrator of FEMA asked that local governments and organizations that have received a grant from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program respond within 30 days with a list of the names and contact information for immigrants they have assisted. 
  • The Trump administration deported over one hundred immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling. The immigrants were deported after Trump’s declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. After this practice was challenged by a lower court, the Supreme Court recently ruled that Trump can invoke this wartime powers law to continue the deportations.
  • At the end of March, a federal judge in San Francisco blocked the Trump administration's efforts to revoke TPS for thousands of Venezuelans. The revocation would have resulted in the loss of work authorization and deportation.
  • Almost 300 international students have had their visas revoked and could face deportation. Several international university students have been abducted by immigration agents or had their legal status questioned, beginning with Mahmoud Khalil who was targeted for his Palestinian solidarity organizing efforts. 
  • Migrants who were temporarily allowed to be in the U.S. by using a Biden-era online appointment app (CBP One) have been told to leave the country “immediately,” officials said earlier this week. More than 900,000 people have been allowed to enter the country using the CBP One app since January 2023. They were generally allowed to remain in the U.S. for two years with authorization to work under a presidential authority called parole. 
  • The Internal Revenue Service has reached an agreement with immigration authorities to share tax information about some immigrants who are in the U.S. without authorization, marking a major change in how tax records can be used. Under the terms of the deal, ICE officers can ask the IRS for information about immigrants who have final orders of removal or are under criminal investigation, including for the crime of failing to leave the country after 90 days. 
Tuesday, April 22 @ 2:00 PM CST
Uplifting Language Access Strategies for Inclusive Communities
 
In celebration of Language Access Month, please join NPNA's Cities and Counties for Citizenship + the Language Access Working Group for a webinar that uplifts language access strategies and best practices from leading immigrant rights organizations and localities across the country. This webinar will highlight the vital role local government and organizations play in advancing language access, ensuring all individuals, regardless of language, have access to full inclusion. Register here.
Thursday, April 24 @ 10:30 AM CST
Immigration Actions in First 100 Days of Trump Presidency
 
During his campaign, Donald Trump pledged swift and sweeping actions on immigration enforcement and policymaking more broadly. From his first day back in office, President Trump and his team began delivering on their promised “shock and awe,” with policies ranging from a halt to refugee resettlement and dramatically widened immigration enforcement in the U.S. interior to an effort to end birthright citizenship. On this webinar, MPI analysts will assess the most consequential actions taken during the first 100 days, detail the litigation picture, and analyze some of the early effects of policies on communities across the United States. Register here.
Monday, April 28 @ 11:00 AM CST
Immigrant Services Network of Austin Monthly Meeting (HYBRID)
Carver Library - 1161 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
 
ISNA is a working group of diverse community stakeholders and immigrant service providers operating together to coordinate efforts, increase public awareness, and inform policy in order to better serve the immigrant community. We share information with each other, and we educate and outreach to the community at large. We come together in order to have a stronger, broader voice on immigrant issues.
 
You can join the meeting online here:
Wednesday, April 30 @ 6:00 PM CST
Equity Action Team Meeting
Street-Jones Building - 1000 E. 11th Street, 4th Floor Conference Room
 
For the April meeting, Texas Immigration Law Council will provide an overview of immigration policy updates and Know Your Rights guidance. Please RSVP here so that we can get an accurate head count for food. Spanish interpretation available.
miércoles 30 de abril a las 6:00 PM
Asamblea del Equipo de Acción para la Equidad
Edificio Street-Jones - 1000 E. 11th Street, 4o piso
 
Para la reunión de abril, Texas Immigration Law Council presentará un resumen de las actualizaciones de la política migratoria y orientación sobre sus derechos. Por favor, confirme su asistencia aquí para que podamos obtener un recuento preciso de personas para la comida. Tendremos interpretación al español disponible.

This Immigrant Legal Protection Resource Guide is intended to support organizations, legal service providers, and allied partners working to protect and defend immigrant communities from threats and attacks. This guide has materials and models from partners across the country, organized by different areas such as Rapid Response, Know Your Rights, and Resources for Educators & Schools.

The Care Practices Guide aims to support resiliency, mental health, and collective care for people organizing and communities building power and movements together to endure through the most challenging times and long term. This guide will explore a basic understanding of the intersections of trauma, oppression, and well-being. It is meant to be a resource for mental health education; it includes practices you+ your team can engage in or individually with each other and your community. 
TxILC has created summary analyses of the recent federal and state executive orders focused on immigration, examining their unique impact on Texas communities and legal practice. Each executive order is broken down with targeted sections on practical implications and key takeaways for both practitioners and community members. Given the significant implications these orders have for Texas specifically, we've focused on providing state-specific context and guidance throughout our materials. These resources are available in the TxILC resource library.
The new Ready to Stay resource hub aims to provide immigrants and advocates with the latest information on immigration laws and trusted resources. Ready to Stay, anchored by leading immigrant organizations with reach across 50 states, serves as a national resource by centralizing the creation and curation of legal resources, community education tools, and capacity building training opportunities that will increase coordination and resources across the field. 
brandon.kroos@austintexas.gov
brandon.kroos@austintexas.gov
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