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Support for Citizenship. We hosted our first citizenship clinic of the year this past April 12th, in collaboration with American Gateways, Texas AFL-CIO and Congressman Greg Casar's Office. A huge thanks to the organizations that were also part of our mini resource fair! Stay tuned for more details about our fall clinic, taking place on Saturday, September 13th at the Asian American Resource Center. In the meantime, we've included a "save the date" below for your reference. |
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- ICE deported a mother and her three children, two of whom are U.S. citizens, following a traffic stop last week near Dobie Middle School in north Austin. The father was also detained separately and ultimately deported.
- Unaccompanied children in the Houston area have been receiving "welfare checks" from immigration officials. Welfare checks have traditionally been handled by social workers who work with nonprofit organizations. These actions are sparking fears of a crackdown on unaccompanied children and the adults sponsoring them and prompting alarm about what some are calling “backdoor family separation”.
- More than 170 international students across the University of Texas System schools faced the “revocation of student visas or immigration status changes” as of early April, a UT System official confirmed. However, in late April, the Trump administration abruptly moved to restore thousands of international students’ ability to study in the United States legally. Immigration officials insisted they could still try to terminate that legal status despite a wave of legal challenges.
- A federal judge ruled that immigration enforcement actions can be carried out at places of worship despite a lawsuit filed by religious groups over the new policy. The plaintiffs included more than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans.
- Starting in April, the U.S. Department of Treasury is requiring money exchanges like Western Union along the U.S.-Mexico border to document every cash transaction between $200 and $10,000. That means customers will have to provide their social security number or other identification info. Someone who’s not a U.S. citizen or resident must show a passport, green card or other official document.
- In late April, the Supreme Court paused the deportation of immigrants potentially subject to the Alien Enemies Act. Since then, two more federal judges recently blocked the Trump administration’s use of deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, saying the wartime power shouldn’t be used.
- The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, a little-known police and investigative force for the USPS, recently joined a Department of Homeland Security task force geared toward finding, detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants, said employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional reprisals. Postal inspectors recently participated in a drug enforcement and immigration raid in Colorado Springs towards the end of April, leading to the arrest of 100+ people.
- President Trump recently signed two more executive orders addressing immigration. One targets "sanctuary jurisdictions" that limit or refuse to cooperate with federal officials’ efforts to arrest undocumented immigrants. The other executive order seeks to enforce existing rules requiring professional truck drivers to be proficient in English. The order requires the Transportation Department to place any driver who cannot speak and read English “out of service.”
- The First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump administration's request to allow it to revoke the lawful status of hundreds of thousands of people who had been allowed to enter the U.S. through the CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela) program. However, no new requests for CHNV humanitarian parole will be processed.
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The Trump administration is offering a cash stipend and travel home to undocumented immigrants who willingly leave the United States, officials said on Monday. The policy, which will offer $1,000 and a flight home to each immigrant who leaves, is part of the Trump administration’s push to persuade immigrants to leave as a way to help the president meet lofty immigration promises.
- The Trump administration ended a legal program in all but three states for immigrants with mental illness or cognitive disabilities. Attorneys said the end of the representation leaves some of the most vulnerable immigrants in danger. The program ended in every state except for Arizona, California and Washington, where it was originally established as part of a legal settlement. Immigration legal groups are suing to have the services restored through the terminated program known as the National Qualified Representative Program.
- The Supreme Court will hear arguments on May 15 regarding President Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship, a right long upheld under the 14th Amendment. Trump’s executive order, issued on his first day in office, has been blocked by multiple courts as unconstitutional. Lower courts and legal scholars say the issue is firmly settled, with citizenship granted to anyone born on U.S. soil.
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Friday, May 9 @ 12:00 PM CST
Know Your Rights: Interacting w/ Law Enforcement & Immigration Officials
The ACLU of Texas will be hosting virtual bilingual Know Your Rights presentations to equip and empower all Texans with important information on our constitutional rights to protect ourselves and our families during encounters with law enforcement or immigration enforcement officers, whether we are at home, at the workplace, or formerly sensitive locations. Spanish/English interpretation will be available at every training.
*Registration is not required for these events, so participants will not be required to provide our organization with their names or emails.
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Friday, May 9 @ 12:30 PM CST
Community Wellness Orientation Training
Join the USCRI Texas Refugee Wellness Team for a dynamic Community Wellness Orientation session designed for anyone working with diverse populations across Texas. This free, interactive training helps providers and staff understand the impact of forced migration and displacement on mental health, with a special focus on cultural humility. The training will not be recorded and shared out. CEUs available for social workers. Please register here. |
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Saturday, May 10 @ 10:00 AM CST
Refugee Mother's Day Arts & Craft Bazaar
North Austin YMCA - 1000 Rundberg Lane, Austin, TX 78758
The North Austin YMCA will transform into an international bazaar on Saturday, May 10th as the Y partners with Global Impact Initiative (GII) to host a Refugee Mother’s Day Artisan Bazaar. The free community event features the work of refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Cuba and others who have recently settled in Austin. The artisans will be showcasing hand-made goods including jewelry, handbags, dresses, leather goods, candles, decorative cushions, paintings and fresh-baked pastries, treats and traditional foods (Come hungry!). One hundred percent of proceeds go directly to the vendors. Learn more here.
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Monday, May 12 @ 11:00 AM CST (new date due to Memorial Day holiday)
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:
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Wednesday May 14 + Wednesday May 28, 2025 @ 12:00 PM CST
Immigration Briefings
Please join the Immigrant Legal Resource Center for Immigration Briefings 2025. The ILRC will be hosting 1-hour briefings every other week during the first six months of 2025 to provide legal service providers and advocates updates about changes to immigration policy and practice. These Immigration Briefings will provide overviews of new announcements and policies to keep everyone working in the field updated and informed. Please note that these sessions will not be legal trainings or case rounds, but a space to learn more about critical developments. Register here. |
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Tuesday, May 20 @ 3:00 PM CST
The 2025 H-1B Registration ("Lottery") Is Over. What's Next?
This info session is for DACA beneficiaries and undocumented individuals who are pursuing work visa sponsorship through the H-1B process. Immigration experts will provide an update on the 2025 H-1B registration (“lottery”) process and help participants understand next steps for pursuing sponsorship based on whether or not they have been selected. The discussion will also outline the next steps toward obtaining a green card after returning to the U.S. in H-1B status. While this session won't provide individual legal advice, it will share general information, guidelines, and insights from other visa applicants that will help participants feel more prepared to make decisions that are right for them. Register here. |
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Thursday, May 22 @ 6:00 PM CST
Know Your Rights: Interacting w/ Law Enforcement & Immigration Officials
The ACLU of Texas will be hosting virtual bilingual Know Your Rights presentations to equip and empower all Texans with important information on our constitutional rights to protect ourselves and our families during encounters with law enforcement or immigration enforcement officers, whether we are at home, at the workplace, or formerly sensitive locations. Spanish/English interpretation will be available at every training.
*Registration is not required for these events, so participants will not be required to provide our organization with their names or emails.
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May 1 - May 30 (accessible between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, MON - FRI)
"Sus Puertas Nunca Serán Cerradas": Ritualizing the Faith of Migrant Decedents in the Texas Borderlands through Forensic Photographs
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (McMillan Memorial Building, Top Floor) - 100 E. 27th Street, Austin, TX 78705
Join us for a powerful and reverent exhibit presented by Arte de Lágrimas: Refugee Artwork Project and Operation Identification (OpID). This collaborative installation honors the sacred traces of faith found among migrant decedents at the U.S.-Mexico border - through forensic photographs of religious tattoos and portable religious items. These objects are not simply artifacts; they are enduring symbols of resilience, spiritual depth, and hope in the face of violence and trauma.
About the Collaborators:
Arte de Lágrimas, co-founded by Nohemi Cuéllar and Rev. Dr. Gregory Cuéllar, brings to light the stories and faith expressions of migrants and asylum seekers through art as a means of healing and resistance. Operation Identification (OpID), based at Texas State University, is a humanitarian effort to identify and repatriate the remains of migrants found near the South Texas border.
Content Advisory:
This exhibit contains sensitive forensic material related to the deaths of migrants. Viewers are encouraged to engage with care and at their own pace.
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Saturday, May 31 @ 10:30 AM CST
Equity Action Team Meeting
Gus Garcia Rec Center - 1201 E Rundberg Ln, Austin, TX 78753
We are excited to have you for our in-person May 2025 EAT meeting! We'll connect over a light meal, and then get our meeting started by 11:00 AM. *Spanish interpretation will be provided at this meeting. Please RSVP here.
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sábado 31 de mayo a las 10:30 AM
Asamblea del Equipo de Acción para la Equidad
Gus Garcia Rec Center - 1201 E Rundberg Ln, Austin, TX 78753
¡Gracias por asistir a nuestra reunión del Equipo de Acción para la Equidad! Conviviremos y compartiremos una comida ligera e iniciaremos la reunión a las 11:00 AM. *Tendremos interpretación en español. Confirma tu asistencia aquí. |
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Saturday, June 7 @ 11:00 AM CST
World Refugee Day Celebration
Bullock Texas State History Museum - 1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
Established by the United Nations in 2000 and first celebrated on June 20, 2001, World Refugee Day raises awareness of the plight of refugees throughout the world. The Austin celebration, sponsored by the Bullock Museum and member organizations of the Austin Refugee Roundtable, celebrates new American citizens and recognizes the courage and resilience of refugee families and individuals.
The commemoration begins with a naturalization ceremony in the Texas Spirit Theater, where refugees will be sworn in and become U.S. citizens. The public is invited to view the ceremony, but seating is limited. Following the ceremony, there will be a celebratory reception in the Grand Lobby. Join us for free samples of world cuisine, live music, and activities for families!
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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.
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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.
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