Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
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Articles by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social)
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick reichlinmelnick.bsky.social did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt The NYPD just released surveillance video of the ICE shooting (which occurred off camera). Two men in civilian clothes run up to a car with guns drawn. One second later, one man begins smashing the butt of his gun into the driver’s side window. The driver appears to panic and hit the gas. 2026-10-10T01:12:39.556Z Enable JavaScript to use Bluesky. Learn more about Bluesky at bsky.social and atproto.com.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social)
This is a heavily interactive web application, and JavaScript is required. Simple HTML interfaces are possible, but that is not what this is. Learn more about Bluesky at bsky.social and atproto.com. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick reichlinmelnick.bsky.social did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt NEW: DHS's Inspector General releases a scathing report about the Everglades detention camp known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The OIG finds that the now-closed camp, violated multiple ICE standards.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social)
This is a heavily interactive web application, and JavaScript is required. Simple HTML interfaces are possible, but that is not what this is. Learn more about Bluesky at bsky.social and atproto.com. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick reichlinmelnick.bsky.social did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt This is absolutely WILD. Here's the dashboard video posted by @fritschner.bsky.social. Fast forward to about 1 minute.
Immigration in the Trump era, with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
On Friday, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick — senior fellow at the American Immigration Council and one of the people I’ve turned to often over the past 14 months (and long before then) — joined Law Dork to talk about a very busy week in immigration news. From developments coming out of litigation over the Trump administration’s extreme immigration enforcement efforts to upcoming U.S. Supreme Court arguments, Reichlin-Melnick provided keen insights into what’s going on and what’s ahead of us.
Lawfare Daily: What To Expect on the Immigration Front in Year 2 of Trump's Second Term
Lawfare Senior Editor Eric Columbus talks with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council to discuss what is—and isn’t—likely to look different in the upcoming year of Trump administration immigration policy. After a whirlwind year, ICE and CBP have a lot more resources than at the dawn of the administration—but also a lot more opposition. How will it all shake out? To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare.
Thread by @ReichlinMelnick on Thread Reader App
🚨HOLY CRAP. The Trump admin just took a SLEDGEHAMMER to due process, largely eliminating the Board of Immigration Appeals process and MANDATING DISMISSAL of ALL appeals (which cost $1,000 thanks to OBBBA) filed after March 9 unless a majority of the BIA votes to hear the case. The goal is clear; mass deportations over due process. An order of removal does not become "final" until the Board of Immigration Appeals denies an appeal.
Trump's Fundamentally Anti-Democratic Immigration Strategy
Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -48:22 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, has fundamentally altered our country’s treatment of immigrants: the lack of due process for detainees, ICE’s reliance on masks, urging the president to make up a need for the military to infiltrate our cities. This is not fixing immigration or making Americans safer, and is fundamentally anti-democratic.
ICE is out of control: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on raids, detention, and deportation
ICE raids have increased in frequency and aggression in the past few weeks, especially in Chicago where agents raided an apartment building with a helicopter in the middle of the night. Not only are ICE tactics becoming more militarized, they’ve become shockingly indiscriminate ever since SCOTUS effectively legalized racial profiling.
ICE Is About to Get More Money Than It Can Spend
Interview by Alex Caring-Lobel Donald Trump’s ambitious budget reconciliation bill includes tax breaks for the rich, the single largest cut to food stamps as hunger hits a two-decade high, and a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid. Given this bevy of unpopular policy, it’s little wonder why few politicians have singled out the bill’s historic budget for immigration and border enforcement.
Investigating claims ICE is removing people with Hispanic last names from databases
In June 2025, a claim that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was erasing people with "Hispanic last names" from databases circulated across social media. The claims stem from a viral video shared by TikTok user @jac0gfitness on June 23, 2025. In that video, the TikTok user, who said he has a Hispanic name, described a traffic stop where officers said they could not find any record of him despite giving them his identification and Social Security number.
President Trump’s New Travel Ban: What You Need to Know
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. Eight years ago, President Trump made history by invoking an obscure authority, section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, to “suspend the entry” of nationals of multiple Muslim-majority nations.
Opinion | Trump’s new offer to undocumented immigrants is a bait-and-switch Original
When it comes to immigration, President Donald Trump’s second term is getting off to a rocky start. Despite promising the “largest deportation operation in history” and forcing thousands of other federal law enforcement officers to drop their normal work and join forces with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, deportations are nowhere near the record levels he has threatened.
House Reconciliation Bill Would Supercharge Immigrant Detention and Effectively Eliminate Asylum for Most
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. On April 30, the House Judiciary Committee advanced a budget reconciliation bill which, if signed into law, would represent the single biggest increase in funding to immigration enforcement in the history of the United States.
In Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case, Trump Administration Escalates Its War on Due Process
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system.
These Men Were Deported to El Salvador With No Due Process. Their Stories Show Why an Investigation Is Necessary
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. In the weeks before March 15, the Trump administration’s preparations for a major operation kicked into high gear. Venezuelan men attending routine check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ended up leaving in handcuffs.
GOP Budget Reconciliation Plan —Cutting Essential Programs To Supercharge Deportations
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. Early Friday morning, the Senate is expected to begin the process for passing a budget reconciliation bill, a somewhat obscure Congressional procedure which allows a funding bill to pass both houses of Congress with only a simple majority threshold — avoiding a 60-vote filibuster obstacle in the Senate.
The Laken Riley Act Would Give States Sweeping Power Over Immigration Policy
Posted by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick | Jan 8, 2025 | Enforcement, Interior Enforcement, Legislation, Reform, State and Local Who runs the U.S. immigration system? If the Senate passes the Laken Riley Act this week, the answer might not be Congress or the president. The bill, already passed in the House, would hand state attorneys general, like Ken Paxton in Texas, veto power over large swaths of federal immigration policy.
A new immigration bill named for Laken Riley gives states unprecedented veto power Original
Jan. 8, 2025, 7:54 PM UTC Who runs the U.S. immigration system? If the Senate passes the Laken Riley Act this week, the answer might not be Congress or the president. The bill, already passed in the House, would hand state attorneys general, like Ken Paxton in Texas, veto power over large swaths of federal immigration policy.
The Laken Riley Act Would Give States Sweeping Power Over Immigration Policy
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. Who runs the U.S. immigration system? If the Senate passes the Laken Riley Act this week, the answer might not be Congress or the president. The bill, already passed in the House, would hand state attorneys general, like Ken Paxton in Texas, veto power over large swaths of federal immigration policy.
Mass Deportations Livestream! Get Your Mass Deportations Livestream!
Are you disturbed by the once and future president’s batshit-insane plan to mass deport a million gazillion people? You are not alone! Live from the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 10 a.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, is holding a hearing titled “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy.” Way to put all of the spoilers right there in the title, DD.
Temporary Protected Status: What’s Up With That?
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. On October 17, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Secretary Mayorkas was designating the country of Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
The Current State of the Border: Crossings Remain Low While Pressure Builds in Southern Mexico
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. It was only 10 months ago when the U.S. set record highs at the border, with roughly 250,000 migrants taken into Border Patrol custody in December 2023. But today, border apprehensions are running steady at their lowest level in four years, with just 54,000 Border Patrol migrant encounters in September.
Some lawmakers claim deporting immigrants will bring down housing costs. They’re wrong.
There’s no doubt that we need to change our broken immigration system. And there’s no doubt that we need more housing. But while some politicians are trying to tie immigration to our housing crisis to justify extreme policies like mass deportation, the available evidence tells a much different story. Some politicians try to make the United States’ housing shortage — estimates of the deficit run anywhere from 4 million to 7 million homes — a simple equation of supply and demand.
New Report Shows the Devastating Costs of Mass Deportation
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. As politicians debate the fate of millions of undocumented immigrants living in communities across the country, a new report details the devastating costs mass deportations would inflict on the United States and its economy.
Immigrants are making Ohio great. Let’s talk about that.
20 years ago, Springfield, Ohio, had a problem. Like many communities in the Rust Belt, it seemed like good times were a thing of the past. Once a manufacturing hub, the city had been losing population for decades, with rising unemployment and falling incomes. City leaders set about turning to turn things around, developing a strategy to lure businesses of all kinds to the city. By all accounts, this strategy has been a success.
Unpacking Myths About Noncitizen Voting - How Heritage Foundation’s Own Data Proves It’s Not a Problem
Over the last decade, many politicians have called for overhauling the United States’ election systems by mandating strict voter ID for both registering to vote and actual voting. Many have justified this stance by either claiming the U.S. election system is vulnerable to fraud, or that fraud is already a common occurrence.
Why Are Border Crossings at Their Lowest Level in Four Years?
Border crossings are at their lowest in four years. Is the Biden administration’s executive action working as intended—or is there another factor at play? Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border spiked to a record 250,000 in December 2023, but they’ve been falling since then. Beginning in January 2024, a crackdown by Mexico with the goal of “wearing out” migrants has made it harder for people to get to the U.S. border. As a result, border apprehensions have dropped every month of 2024 so far.
Biden Announces Immigration Protections for Up to 550,000 Spouses and Children of US Citizens
On June 18, the Biden administration announced two major new policies which may help provide streamlined paths to legal status for certain long-time undocumented immigrants. The first policy will allow undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens who have been in the country to apply for “parole in place,” a protection against deportation which will also allow many to access an easier path to permanent resident status.
Biden’s New Changes to the Asylum Process: What You Need to Know
On June 4, President Biden issued a sweeping order under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act claiming that allows him to “suspend the entry” of most migrants who cross the border between ports of entry, echoing a similar order issued by President Trump in November 2018.
The Stakes of Immigration with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on Apple Podcasts
We’re excited to share the first conversation in our WITHpod 2024: The Stakes series. For the first time since 1892, we have an election in which both candidates have presidential records, which provides a unique opportunity to cut through messaging and rhetoric and culture war flotsam and actually take a hard look at what each man has actually done as president.
Trump 2.0: A second term would see him pick more and uglier fights on immigration
This op-ed is part of a series exploring what a second term would look like for either President Biden or former President Trump. Four years after he was elected on the promise to “build the wall,” Donald Trump left office with border apprehensions at their highest level in a decade, most of his immigration regulations stymied in court and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) still struggling to reach the deportation highs of the early Obama years.
What does the looming government shutdown mean for our immigration system?
After weeks of failed negotiations on spending, Congress has less than a week left to avert a potential government shutdown. Members of the House Republicans’ Freedom Caucus have refused to pass any spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless it contains HR2, their massive overhaul of border and asylum laws, at a minimum.
Testifying on the Positive Economic Contributions of Immigrants in the U.S. and the American Immigrant Workforce
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, our Policy Director, testified before Congress to explain the positive economic contributions of immigrants in the U.S. and the ongoing challenge that the U.S. faces addressing the underfunded and outdated humanitarian protection system. The testimony explains: The positive economic impact of all immigrants, including refugees, undocumented immigrants, TPS beneficiaries, and their families.
Commentary: Abbott’s performative cruelty at the border
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, For the Express-News July 28, 2023 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has turned the state into the object of nationwide outrage. A whistleblower for the Texas Department of Public Safety recently alleged that troopers at the border had been ordered to send migrant families with small children back into the Rio Grande, forcing them to brave the dangerous currents and risk being swept away.
Providing Perspective on the Application of Immigration Law at the US Southwest Border
The American Immigration Council appeared before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Sub-committee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement to address the question of whether the Biden administration is faithfully executing the law. The testimony explains how immigration officials are imbued with significant enforcement discretion and explains that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are required to carry out both enforcement laws and humanitarian protection laws.
Newly Introduced Border Bill Would Create More Chaos at the Border, Not Less
With the pandemic-related expulsion policy “Title 42” set to expire May 11, the House GOP introduced its first large-scale border and immigration package on Monday. The bill combines three separate bills into one, including a bill effectively ending asylum which previously passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. The package, which is set for a vote the same day Title 42 ends, would transform the U.S. immigration enforcement system and end the universal right to seek asylum.
Immigrant Workers Who Report Labor Violations Will Be Protected Under This New Policy
Immigrant workers who are the victims of labor exploitation are often faced with a difficult choice. They can either stay quiet out of fear of deportation or come forward to report coercive conduct. Looming over that choice is the possibility that the employer may retaliate by calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or take other adverse action, which could threaten the immigrant’s ability to remain in the United States.
Reducing border migration goes beyond anything Biden can do alone
Beginning in 1994, the United States formally adopted a strategy of “prevention through deterrence,” building up infrastructure and increasing penalties for crossing. Border Patrol agents have since installed hidden cameras along the border, deployed stationary blimps and drones in the air, and built camera towers whose feeds are constantly monitored by artificial intelligence. Today, nearly all irregular crossings are detected and recorded, and “gotaways” are the exception, not the rule.
Fact Check: Migrants Aren’t the Ones Smuggling Fentanyl Into the United States
There is no doubt that fentanyl is a major problem inside the United States. Over the last decade, rising availability of fentanyl has caused a spike in overdose deaths across the nation. In 2021, almost 90% of opioid overdose deaths were linked to fentanyl. The criminal networks that produce and distribute fentanyl are vast and hard to pin down.
By a 5–4 Vote, the Supreme Court Let a Lone Judge Block Biden’s Power Over Deportations
Jurisprudence Texas Republicans currently insist that the United States is not allowed to exercise mercy toward undocumented immigrants, but must instead carry out the most draconian consequences possible.
Florida and Texas Escalate Their War on Migrants
Since President Biden took office, he has faced attacks on his handling of the border from Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida. Both states brought lawsuits against Biden’s efforts to reverse Trump administration policies, with varying degrees of success. But in the last few weeks, the attacks have escalated. Florida plans to open a grand jury probe into families of migrant children and Texas ordered National Guard troops to drive migrants to the border.
Florida and Texas Escalate Their War on Migrants
Posted by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick | Jul 8, 2022 | Abuses, Border Enforcement, Enforcement “This article was originally published by, Immigration Impact.” Since President Biden took office, he has faced attacks on his handling of the border from Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida. Both states brought lawsuits against Biden’s efforts to reverse Trump administration policies, with varying degrees of success. But in the last few weeks, the attacks have escalated.
Immigrants, business, economy, Title 42, Remain in Mexico
IMMIGRATIONSupreme Court: Biden Can Terminate “Remain in Mexico” Program Published 29 June 2022 Almost a year after the Supreme Court allowed a federal judge in Texas to order the Biden administration to restart the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) policy, also known as the “Remain in Mexico program, the Supreme Court on Thursday, 30 June, ruled in the Biden administration’s favor, allowing President Biden to end MPP.
Commentary: Migrant deaths in San Antonio show urgent need for reform
In March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invoked this antiquated law to suspend all normal immigration processing of migrants crossing the border. Under this emergency authority, known asTitle 42, the Department of Homeland Security shut the ports of entry to asylum-seekers and began “expelling” migrants taken into custody by the U.S. Border Patrol. Title 42 has reshaped border processing, and created arbitrary and inconsistent outcomes for migrants.
In Blow to Asylum, House Appropriations Committee Greenlights Title 42
The House Appropriations Committee on Friday passed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill for Fiscal Year 2023, as part of the year-over-year process that Congress undertakes to fund the government. Although the bill contains several pro-immigrant measures, much of that progress was overshadowed by a successful last-minute amendment targeting asylum.
In Blow to Asylum, House Appropriations Committee Greenlights Title 42
Posted by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick | Jun 27, 2022 | Border Enforcement, Enforcement “This story was originally published by, Immigration Impact“ The House Appropriations Committee on Friday passed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill for Fiscal Year 2023, as part of the year-over-year process that Congress undertakes to fund the government.
After a Harsh Supreme Court Decision on Immigrant Rights, Advocates and Lawyers Have Two Key Questions
What good is a court if it can’t stop the government from breaking the law? And what good is a right if the courts are not allowed to enforce it? After the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision, written by Justice Sameul Alito , in Garland v. Gonzalez on Monday, these are the questions that immigrant rights advocates are now asking themselves. For immigrants, 1996 is an infamous year.
Biden’s New Asylum Rules Go Into Effect On A Limited Basis
The Biden administration’s overhaul of the asylum system went into effect for the first time on May 31, but only a limited basis. According to guidance published by the Department of Homeland Security, the rule will initially be applied to several hundred asylum seekers per month.
Federal Judge Blocks Termination of Title 42: What You Need to Know
Just three days before Title 42 was set to end on May 23, a federal judge in Louisiana blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from ending the controversial policy. With the court order in place, Title 42 is unlikely to be lifted for months, possibly years. As a result, the border remains in a state of constant confusion, with a patchwork of different policies that affect migrants in inconsistent ways, driving up repeat border encounters and fueling human suffering.
What is President Biden’s Plan for Ending Title 42?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in early April that it would end Title 42, the pandemic border policy that allowed immigration officials to rapidly “expel” migrants over 1.7 million times. However, the CDC delayed the termination until May 23 to give the U.S. Department of Homeland Security time to prepare for an expected increase in people seeking asylum after Title 42 ends. Now, a new plan put out by the Biden administration shows how DHS is preparing to respond.
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