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Category: Immigration
July 18, 2025
Immigration
UK

Hundreds of Migrants in Taxpayer-Funded Hotels Charged With Rape and Other Crimes.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hundreds of asylum seekers housed in taxpayer-funded hotels have been charged with criminal offences, including rape, robbery, and theft, according to court records.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Migrants staying in 105 asylum hotels across the United Kingdom, with cases involving at least one in every 100 migrants appearing before magistrates this year.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The cases were monitored during the first six months of 2025 across courts in Britain.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Women are being raped and sexually assaulted and even police officers attacked. We just need to deport them all immediately upon arrival.” – Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp

🎯IMPACT: The findings highlight concerns over migrant crime, with calls for more deportations and stricter border control measures.

IN FULL

Court records reveal that at least 339 migrants housed in taxpayer-funded hotels have appeared before British magistrates so far this year, charged with offences ranging from rape and robbery to assault to theft. The data shows that at least one in every 100 migrants in these accommodations has faced court proceedings.

Among the cases, 29 were related to sexual crimes, including seven alleged rapes and one proven incident of exposure. A further 64 cases involved violence-related offences such as assault, grievous bodily harm (GBH), and possession of weapons. For instance, an Ethiopian migrant was remanded in custody after allegedly trying to kiss a 14-year-old schoolgirl just eight days after arriving in Britain.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the government’s handling of illegal immigration, stating, “Women are being raped and sexually assaulted and even police officers attacked. We just need to deport them all immediately upon arrival, whether to Rwanda or elsewhere.” He added that illegal immigrants crossing the Channel are “Twenty-four times more likely to wind up in prison than average.”

However, while illegal immigration has worsened under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, the boat migrants crisis, initially exposed by Nigel Farage, began and steadily worsened under Philp’s Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024.

Image by Carlosgg1961.

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July 18, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Radical Views of Suspect in Anti-ICE Sniper Ambush Uncovered.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents captured Benjamin Song, a suspect accused of shooting at U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, following an extensive manhunt.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Benjamin Song, 32, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, and law enforcement, including the FBI Dallas Field Office.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Song was captured on Tuesday, in Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The FBI has worked tirelessly to arrest everyone associated with the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center.” – FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock

🎯IMPACT: Song faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a public servant, aiding terrorism, and engaging in organized crime, with a bond set at $15 million.

IN FULL

Benjamin Song, 32, was apprehended by the FBI Dallas Field Office on Tuesday following a manhunt that included a $25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Song is accused of shooting at federal officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas on July 4. The ambush resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck.

Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, apparently has a history of social media posts containing anti-police, anti-Israel, and anti-Trump rhetoric. His posts on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @BubbleBreakBS include statements like “Do you want to end mass shooting? Abolish the police,” and attacks on both Republicans and Democrats, including President Donald J. Trump and former President Joe Biden.

A GoFundMe campaign tied to Song referenced his involvement in activism from Hong Kong to San Francisco and claimed he was a member of the Socialist Rifle Association. The campaign raised over $3,000 for his legal defense after a 2020 arrest on other charges.

According to the Facebook group, “Behind the Masks,” which documents the lives of those who participated in the Free Hong Kong Movement, “Ben Song, a 26-year-old Uber driver from Arlington, Texas who has been a political activist since he was 13, was moved by Hong Kong’s fight for freedom and flew from the US to show his support.” The group describes him as “half Korean and half Japanese” rather than Chinese, however.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently reported an 830 percent increase in assaults on ICE agents compared to last year. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urged politicians to condemn violence against law enforcement, stating, “This new data reflects the violence against our law enforcement in cities across the country in the last few weeks.” Senior Democrats have been demonizing ICE for weeks, with Minnesota Governor and 2024 vice presidential candidate Tim Walz going so far as to compare them to Adolf Hitler’s Gestapo.

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July 18, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Immigration
UK

Police Run Over Anti-Immigration Protester After Migrant Sex Attack.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Social media footage shows British police striking an anti-migration protester with their van amid protests against an asylum seeker accused of three counts of sexual assault.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Essex Police, anti-immigration protesters, far-left counter-protesters, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incidents occurred in Epping, England, on July 17.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[W]e’ll make sure that those people feel the full force of the law,” Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said of the protesters.

🎯IMPACT:  The protests are just part of a larger trend as local people across Europe demonstrate against migrant crime, with some demonstrations turning violent. 

IN FULL

An anti-immigration protester was run over by a British police van in Epping, England, during a demonstration against an alleged sexual assault committed by a migrant living at a local hotel at taxpayers’ expense. Police are also alleged to have directly aided leftist counter-protesters.

The incident took place on July 17 amid a protest outside the local Bell Hotel, where counter-protesters from the far-left group “Stand Up to Racism” were also present. According to footage posted on X, Essex Police not only mobilized to protect the leftist counter-protesters but also aided them by transporting them away in police vans.

Police say some protesters became violent when confronted by officers, with two arrests after men wearing masks allegedly assaulted eight officers. “[W]e’ll make sure that those people feel the full force of the law,” Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said following the clashes. None of the officers sustained serious injuries.

Essex Police said that they not only saw resistance outside the Bell Hotel but were also confronted with “significant hostility” in Epping town center and were forced to call on London‘s Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police (BTP) for aid.

The protests come after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with three counts of sexual assault on July 17. A resident of the Bell Hotel, Kebatu, came illegally to the United Kingdom less than a month ago, on June 29.

The protests are part of a larger trend across Europe in which locals have become enraged to the point of violence over migration-background men sexually harassing or raping local girls and women, or committing other heinous crimes. In Northern Ireland, similar protests were seen in Ballymena last month after two teenage migrants allegedly tried to rape a local girl. At least 17 police officers were injured after being attacked by protesters, who also targeted the homes of migrants in the town.

Notably, British police tend to take a far more hands-off approach when dealing with Muslim, ethnic minority, and far-left protesters; allowing Muslims to riot in Birmingham last year on the basis that “community leaders” told them they could “police themselves,” for instance, and allowing climate extremists to block roads on multiple occasions.

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July 18, 2025
Immigration
World

Europe Wants to Start Sending Migrants Back to Syria and Afghanistan.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: European Union (EU) interior ministers—whose roles are roughly equivalent to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary’s—declared that deportations to Afghanistan and Syria must be permitted.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner, and ministers from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark, and Czechia.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The declaration was made at the Zugspitze Summit in Germany in July.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These are all enormously important steps toward a credible asylum policy in Europe,” said Gerhard Karner.

🎯IMPACT: The declaration pushes for faster return mechanisms for irregular migrants and strengthens Frontex’s mandate.

IN FULL

At the mountaintop Zugspitze Summit in Germany, European Union (EU) interior ministers pushed for deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, both now relatively stable as a result of victories by the Taliban and al-Qaeda Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), respectively.

The interior ministers advocated for stricter migration policies across the EU, where migrant crime is an increasing concern. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt led the summit, which also included representatives from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark, Czechia, and EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.

The group underscored the importance of streamlining and accelerating the process for deporting migrants, saying deportations to Syria and Afghanistan “must be possible.” Their statement also urged an enhanced role for Frontex, the European Union border agency, to support EU nations in deporting migrants to designated hubs in third countries. The Trump administration in the U.S. is implementing a similar policy, deporting migrants who cannot be sent home immediately to third countries such as Swaziland and South Sudan.

Germany carried out its first deportation of convicted criminals to Afghanistan since 2024 on the same day as the summit, with Austria having recently conducted a similar deportation to Syria—the first EU deportations to the country since the former Assad government was overthrown by HTS.

Image by Shark1989z.

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July 18, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Dem-Backed Illegal Charged With Staging ICE ‘Kidnapping’ to Solicit Donations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Mexican illegal alien backed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) has been charged with allegedly staging her own “kidnapping” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to solicit donations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, her daughter, Karen Bass, and federal law enforcement agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Los Angeles, California, with events unfolding in June and July 2023.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public.” – U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli

🎯IMPACT: The scheme diverted valuable law enforcement resources, according to HSI Special Agent Eddy Wang.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old Mexican illegal alien residing in South Los Angeles, with conspiracy and making false statements after she allegedly orchestrated her own “kidnapping” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to gain sympathy and solicit donations. The alleged conwoman had received the public backing of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D), who said in a July 1 social media post, “She’s a mother from LA—taken out of her car on her way to work, and then held in a warehouse as officers hoped she would ‘self-deport.’ No hearing. Just fear. This doesn’t make anyone safer.”

A press conference by Calderon’s attorneys and relations claimed she was abducted by uniformed men in unmarked vehicles on June 25. Attorney Stephano Medina alleged that Calderon was held by “bounty hunters” who attempted to coerce her into signing self-deportation documents. However, an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleges Calderon and others staged the incident as a hoax, with her daughter setting up a GoFundMe page to raise $4,500.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched an inquiry after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a missing persons report. Investigators found inconsistencies, including calls Calderon allegedly made from “borrowed phones” that were traced back to her own number. Surveillance footage also contradicted claims of a forced abduction, showing Calderon calmly leaving the scene in a sedan without alerting nearby officers.

HSI agents eventually located Calderon in Bakersfield, California, where she continued to claim she had been “kidnapped.” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli criticized the false narrative, stating, “Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public.”

HSI Special Agent Eddy Wang emphasized the resource strain caused by the hoax, noting, “The real cost of a fraud like this is the amount of fentanyl not seized, child predators not removed from the communities, and human trafficking victims not rescued.”

Calderon faces up to five years in federal prison for each charge.

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July 17, 2025
Crime
Immigration

ICE Agent Dragged for a Block By Illegal Immigrant.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal immigrant allegedly dragged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with his van for an entire block during an attempted escape in Dallas, Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Honduran national Jose Melgar-Rivas and ICE officers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred in Dallas, Texas, with details posted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Attacks on our officers will NOT be tolerated. This resulted in multiple injuries to the officer’s body and ended with Jose Melgar-Rivas in cuffs.” – ICE via a post on X.

🎯IMPACT: The officer sustained multiple injuries, and Melgar-Rivas now faces charges of assaulting a federal officer alongside his existing removal order.

IN FULL

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was dragged for an entire block by a van driven by Honduran national Jose Melgar-Rivas during an attempted detention in Dallas, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detailed the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

According to ICE, Melgar-Rivas attempted to flee by accelerating his vehicle, dragging the officer and leaving him with severe injuries, including bruising and friction burns. The DHS highlighted the case as an example of the growing danger federal officers face, noting an 830 percent increase in assaults on ICE personnel between January 21 and July 14 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. The agency attributed this rise in part to inflammatory rhetoric from “sanctuary” politicians, which incites hostility toward ICE agents.

“Attacks on our officers will NOT be tolerated,” ICE stated on X. “This resulted in multiple injuries to the officer’s body and ended with Jose Melgar-Rivas in cuffs.”

Melgar-Rivas, who already had a final order of removal, now faces additional charges of assaulting a federal officer.

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July 17, 2025
Immigration

These GOP Lawmakers Are Pushing Amnesty, ‘Dignity’ for Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: At least 11 GOP legislators are backing a de facto amnesty bill, The Dignity Act, which would increase immigrant inflows and grant multiple paths to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) is leading the effort, alongside other GOP House lawmakers and some Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bill was announced on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t think that we should be arresting [illegal immigrants] who have been in the country more than five years, don’t have a criminal record, are good for the economy, and they are needed in construction, hospitality, and agricultural,” said Rep. Salazar.

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the bill would harm American workers, weaken the GOP coalition, and benefit businesses relying on cheap foreign labor.

IN FULL

Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) and at least 10 other GOP legislators are pushing The Dignity Act, a controversial immigration bill that includes multiple paths to amnesty for illegal immigrants. Despite Salazar’s denial of the term “amnesty,” the bill offers legal status to various immigrant populations, including individuals who have illegally voted in federal elections.

The bill also revives past proposals, such as President Joe Biden’s “Labor Neighbors” program and President George W. Bush’s 2001 “Any Willing Worker” plan, which would open the door to an unlimited influx of foreign workers. Among its provisions, the bill proposes creating immigration centers in Latin America and granting O visas to STEM PhD graduates from U.S. universities, allowing them to remain in the country.

Notably, Rep. Salazar’s legislation has cropped up several times in Congress, with a previous iteration, mostly backed by Democrats, being introduced in January this year. The National Pulse, at the time, provided a breakdown of the bill, which was then and is now tantamount to an amnesty measure.

Critics argue Salazar’s bill prioritizes business interests over American workers. It has drawn support from GOP lawmakers Don Bacon (R-NE), Mario Rafael Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Young Kim (R-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), and David Valadao (R-CA). A number of Democrats, including Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), are also supporting.

However, pro-American legislators, including Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), are pushing back, denouncing the proposal as a “wage-cutting, coalition-breaking giveaway.”

Image by World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

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July 16, 2025
William Upton
Crime
Immigration

Businessman, Police Chiefs Indicted for Obtaining Visas for Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors have filed a 62-count indictment against a Louisiana businessman and four senior law enforcement officials over an alleged scheme to use false police reports to obtain U-Visa status for illegal immigrants who paid them tens of thousands of dollars.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Local Louisiana businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel; Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora; Michael “Freck” Slaney, Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office in Oakdale; and unnamed illegal immigrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment was revealed on July 16, 2025; the scheme is alleged to have taken place from at least December 26, 2015, until July 15, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), “[T]he defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges; up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge; and Patel faces up to 10 years on the bribery charge. In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. “

🎯IMPACT: The federal charges raise questions regarding the legitimacy of U-Visa status and the potential for the program’s abuse.

IN FULL

The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana has moved to indict three local Louisiana police chiefs, a city marshal, and a prominent business leader over an alleged immigration fraud scheme that gamed the U nonimmigrant status (“U-Visa”) system.

According to the 62-count indictment, local Louisiana businessman Chandrakant Patel—also known as “Lala”—conspired from at least December 26, 2015, until July 15, 2025 with Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora; and Michael “Freck” Slaney, Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office in Oakdale to fabricate crimes in which illegal immigrants or legal immigrants with expiring status would be named as victims or witnesses. This allowed the immigrants to falsely obtain a U-Visa, allowing them to remain in the United States legally.

Federal prosecutors allege that illegal and legal immigrants would contact Patel either directly or through an intermediary to request to be named as “victims” in false police reports, paying Patel tens of thousands of dollars for the criminal act. Subsequently, after payment, Patel would proceed to contact either Doyle, Slaney, Dixon, or Onishea in order to have a false police report, usually regarding armed robbery, created with the immigrant’s name listed as the victim or witness. This would then allow the immigrant to file an application for a U-Visa, with the police report nearly guaranteeing they would secure status.

Notably, the U nonimmigrant status or U-Visa was created in 2000 through Congress’s adoption of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. The law’s intent is to aid law enforcement investigations by granting the ability to provide certain legal protections to illegal immigrants who are either victims or material witnesses to a crime—effecively removing the threat of deportation in exchange for their cooperation.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), “[T]he defendants each face a sentence of up to 5 years in prison on the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges; up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge; and Patel faces up to 10 years on the bribery charge. In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. “

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July 16, 2025
Immigration
News

Illegal Border Crossings Plunge to Another Record Low.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Illegal border crossings fell to their lowest level in June, with no parole releases of illegal immigrants, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol agents, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 2025, along the U.S.–Mexico border and nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “From shutting down illegal crossings to seizing fentanyl and enforcing billions in tariffs, CBP is delivering results on every front.” – CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott

🎯IMPACT: Record-low illegal border crossings and increased drug seizures underscore efforts to secure the border and combat cartel activities.

IN FULL

According to new data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Tuesday, illegal crossings at the U.S. border dropped to an unprecedented low in June. The agency reported 25,228 encounters nationwide, marking a decrease from May’s 29,478 and setting a new record for the lowest monthly total ever documented by CBP.

Border Patrol also recorded a historic drop in apprehensions, with only 8,024 apprehensions nationwide in June, down from 10,357 the previous month. Of those, 6,072 occurred along the southwest border, reflecting a 15 percent decline from the 7,183 apprehensions in March. The agency also logged its lowest single-day total ever on June 28, with just 136 apprehensions.

For the second month in a row, CBP confirmed that there were zero parole-style releases of illegal immigrants along the southwest border, signaling a shift in policy enforcement.

In contrast to the decline in crossings, drug seizures across the country increased by 13 percent in June compared to May. Methamphetamine confiscations, in particular, saw a dramatic surge of 102 percent, which officials attribute to ongoing crackdowns on cartel smuggling operations.

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott emphasized the agency’s determination in a statement, saying:
“From shutting down illegal crossings to seizing fentanyl and enforcing billions in tariffs, CBP is delivering results on every front.” He added that the agency remains committed to protecting the nation “with relentless focus” under President Donald J. Trump’s administration.

Since retaking office on January 20 for a second term, President Trump has signed multiple executive orders to strengthen immigration enforcement. Among them is a directive to build additional border barriers, prosecute unlawful entrants, and take aggressive action against drug and human trafficking.

In April, the White House issued a memo allowing the U.S. military to assume control over federal lands near the U.S.–Mexico border. The order covers the Roosevelt Reservation—a federally owned 60-foot-wide strip along the border in parts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. It authorizes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to secure the zone and impose access restrictions as needed to prevent illegal activity.

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July 16, 2025
Immigration
Lawfare

Judges Back Green Card Migrants Against Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) lacks the authority to unilaterally revoke a green card, citing a violation of Congress’s authority and the separation of powers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The case involved Mohammad Qatanani, a New Jersey-based imam, and the DOJ’s Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The government’s position is antithetical to ‘the basic concept of separation of powers.’ … We therefore reject it.” – Circuit Judge Arianna Freeman

🎯IMPACT: The decision upholds Qatanani’s status as a lawful permanent resident and limits the DOJ’s authority to revoke green cards without adhering to what the court claims are procedures laid out by Congress.

IN FULL

A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) lacks the power to unilaterally revoke a green card, stating that such actions violate Congress’s authority and the principle of separation of powers. The case involved Mohammad Qatanani, a New Jersey-based imam with alleged ties to Hamas, who has been seeking permanent residency in the United States for over two decades.

Judge Arianna Freeman, appointed by former President Joe Biden and writing for the majority of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals panel, argued, “The BIA exceeded its authority when it attempted to undo Qatanani’s adjustment to LPR status by using an agency regulation in a manner inconsistent with the procedures set out by Congress in the [Immigration and Nationality Act].” She further stated, “The government’s position is antithetical to ‘the basic concept of separation of powers.’ … We therefore reject it.”

Qatanani, who was admitted to the U.S. on a work visa in 1996, applied for permanent residency in 1999. Despite two favorable rulings by immigration judges in 2008 and 2020, the BIA vacated the earlier decision and attempted to order his removal. The court found that the BIA acted beyond its authority, particularly as the DOJ had failed to appeal the 2020 ruling within the required 30-day period.

Judge Paul Matey, a Trump-appointed judge, dissented, arguing that the petition should have been denied. He noted, “For more than a quarter century, five Presidents and 10 Attorneys General have objected to Mohammad Qatanani’s presence in our Nation.” Matey added that the court lacked jurisdiction to review the Executive’s discretionary decisions on status adjustments.

The ruling could have significant implications for lawful permanent residents, as its far-reaching language restricts the DOJ’s ability to retroactively revoke green cards without adhering to the court’s interpretation of legislative text passed by Congress. It is likely to be appealed.

Image by ACE603.

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