The United States is witnessing one of the most dynamic policy periods in the immigration arena, with the Trump administration moving to reshape many facets of the immigration system with the use of its executive powers. The administration's marked activity on the immigration front contrasts sharply with Congress, which has been largely unable to tackle substantive change to the immigration system over nearly two decades.
While the administration has been significantly focused on the border, this report examines a range of policy areas that have not been at the forefront of debate but deserve greater information sharing with the public and policymakers. “This period of significant action by the executive branch, which has surfaced a real questioning of long-held immigration policies and practices, presents a new opportunity for lawmakers to inject policy ideas of their own into what has been prolonged, often stagnant, legislative debates,” the report states.
The Board of Immigration Appeals has been unusually active in 2026 — and not in ways that comfort most immigrants or their attorneys. From a landmark DACA ruling that sent shockwaves through immigrant communities to sweeping procedural reforms that were partially struck down in federal court, the...