Federal rhetoric targets 'temporary refugees'
Conservative federal voices this week called for immediate removal of so‑called “temporary refugees,” a shift that could destabilize people on TPS or deferred programs and intensify local legal needs. Organizers in Vermont are being urged to brace legal clinics and accompaniment systems for sudden status changes. (thefederalist.com)
The Federalist opinion piece urging removal of so‑called “temporary refugees” was published March 20, 2026 and is credited to John and Andy Schlafly. (thefederalist.com) The Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift lower‑court injunctions affecting roughly 350,000 Haitians and about 6,000 Syrians whose protections were challenged. (abcnews.com) The Department of Homeland Security/USCIS still maintains active DED and TPS processes, including a memorandum extending Deferred Enforced Departure for certain Liberians through June 30, 2026. (uscis.gov) Vermont’s Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP) was cofounded in 2021, incorporated in 2023, and moved to staffed operations in 2024 to provide legal services and technical assistance for noncitizens. (vaapvt.org) Vermont Law & Graduate School’s Center for Justice Reform Clinic runs a multi‑semester clinic that places JD and master’s students into removal‑defense and immigration projects. (vermontlaw.edu) The Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund has raised more than $250,000 toward a $1 million goal to expand counsel for detained and at‑risk noncitizens, administered by United Way of Northwest Vermont. (visaverge.com) A statewide expansion of immigration legal services into southern and central Vermont was announced January 29, 2026, increasing regional capacity for deportation defense and bond assistance. (vtdigger.org) Federal legislative counters include the SECURE Act reintroduced June 18, 2025 by Sen. Chris Van Hollen with 30 Senate co‑sponsors proposing a path to permanent residency for qualified TPS and DED recipients. (vanhollen.senate.gov)
