DHS to Serve as Lead Federal Agency Coordinating Efforts to Resettle Vulnerable Afghans
President Biden has directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to have his department serve as the lead agency coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked on behalf of the United States.
Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that Robert J. Fenton, Jr. will lead the interagency Unified Coordination Group. The Unified Coordination Group will report directly to Secretary Mayorkas and will include a broad range of services throughout the resettlement process, from initial immigration processing, COVID-19 testing, and isolation of COVID-positive individuals for anticipated quarantine, to resettlement support for individuals who are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. The resettlement support will include initial processing at pre-designated U.S. military bases prior to being resettled into communities.
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DHS Statement on Safety and Immigration Enforcement During Hurricane Ida
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Release Date: August 27, 2021
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is closely monitoring the impact of Hurricane Ida. Our highest priority remains the preservation of life and safety.
Absent exceptional circumstances, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not conduct immigration enforcement at locations where disaster and emergency relief related to this storm is being provided, such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.
DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.
Read this statement translated into various languages.
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CRCL Officer Participates in USCIS National Webinar on TPS for Haiti
On August 20, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) hosted a national stakeholder engagement regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. CRCL Officer Katherine Culliton-González provided opening remarks during the webinar, sharing her concern for the people of Haiti who have been devastated by recent disasters including the 7.2 magnitude earthquake. In her remarks, Officer Culliton-González highlighted the importance of TPS status for Haiti; shared information about CRCL mission and priorities; and discussed current efforts taking place across DHS on immigration reform and racial justice, including the new DHS Equity Task Force led by CRCL to advance racial equity, combat discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, and condemn racism and xenophobia.
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CRCL Leads Listening Session on Afghanistan
August 20, 2021, CRCL Officer Katherine Culliton-González hosted with the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman a listening session with Afghan American stakeholders and nonprofit organizations on the current crisis in Afghanistan. Over 30 community-based organizations participated, along with leadership from several other DHS offices. Officer Culliton-González thanked attendees for joining the meeting and expressed her concern over the unfolding situation in Afghanistan.
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DHS Issues New NTAS Bulletin
On August 13, 2021, the Secretary of Homeland Security issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding the current heightened threat environment across the United States. The Homeland continues to face a diverse and challenging threat environment leading up to and following the 20th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks as well as religious holidays we assess could serve as a catalyst for acts of targeted violence. These threats include those posed by domestic terrorists, individuals and groups engaged in grievance-based violence, and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences. These actors are increasingly exploiting online forums to influence and spread violent extremist narratives and promote violent activity. Such threats are also exacerbated by impacts of the ongoing global pandemic, including grievances over public health safety measures and perceived government restrictions.
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