(Im)migration Recap: Dec. 15-20

[NewsReporter]

VOA - World News

Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, and why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.

American citizenship for Liberians
The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act approved by the U.S. Congress includes a provision to put thousands of Liberian immigrants on the path to American citizenship.

US Citizenship Path for Thousands of Liberians Tucked in Spending Bill

Liberian immigrants without permanent legal status in the United States will be eligible to apply for green cards and eventual US citizenship under the terms of a defense spending bill passed by the US Senate

Trump administration taken to court again
A lawsuit filed by civil rights groups is decrying the Trump administration's "weaponization" of the U.S. immigration court system and accusing the Justice Department of creating a "deportation machine" and subverting long-standing laws governing the treatment of immigrants in America.

Trump Administration Taken to Court Again on Immigration Policies

New lawsuit alleges DOJ created 'deportation machine'

Facebook
Facebook vowed to prevent efforts to use its services to interfere with the 2020 U.S. Census, guarding against the posting of misleading information and prohibiting advertisements that portray taking part in the census as "useless or meaningless."

Facebook to Tackle Efforts to Interfere With 2020 US Census

Social media giant says aim is to counter postings of misleading information about when and how to participate, who can participate and what happens to people who do

Asylum guidelines
The Trump administration proposed a regulation to bar immigrants convicted of a new list of crimes from claiming asylum. The proposal must go through a public comment period before it is finalized.

Trump Administration Seeks to Bar Convicted Immigrants From Asylum

Immigrants convicted of illegally reentering the US, driving drunk or committing domestic violence will be barred from claiming asylum under a new regulation proposed by the White House

U.S. deports convicted German killer
This week the U.S. government deported a German man convicted in the high-profile killings of his girlfriend's parents in the U.S. 35 years ago. The crime stunned the Virginia community where it happened and prompted decades of media obsession.

US Deports Convicted German Killer

Jens Soering spent decades behind bars for his part in the 1985 deaths of his girlfriend's parents

Flu vaccines for migrants
Members of Congress urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection to change its decision not to vaccinate migrants against the flu. A letter sent Monday by 65 Democratic legislators to Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan expressed "disappointment and alarm about the failure of CBP to provide recommended flu vaccinations to migrants in its custody."

US Legislators Urge CBP to Provide Flu Vaccines for Migrants in Custody

CBP reportedly has said it will not vaccinate migrants in detention because people are typically held in the agency's custody for three days or less, and those who are sent to other federal agencies will receive vaccinations later

From the Feds
Repatriation initiative: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Mexican Ministry of the Interior announced the continuation of a joint agreement between both governments to return Mexican migrants to the interior of Mexico.

Letter of intent to increase security: The U.S. and Panamanian governments signed a letter promising greater security cooperation.