NBC Bay Area: Sarah and Hannah discussing disparities in asylum approval rates

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Read the full article here.

A national analysis reveals huge differences in asylum approval rates depending on which immigration court hears the case. While cities like San Francisco and New York grant more than half of all requests, places like Atlanta or Houston approve only 10–20%. This disparity—possibly influenced by bias and a lack of judicial independence—has profound consequences for real people. The contrast between two Honduran women with nearly identical stories—one granted asylum in San Francisco, the other denied in Atlanta—shows how the fate of those seeking protection can depend more on their ZIP code than on their suffering.

Teen Vogue: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Says the City Won’t Hold New ICE Detainees

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Read the full article here.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order that prevents the city jail from accepting any new ICE detainees. 

She made the decision in response to the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy, arguing that Atlanta should not be complicit in human rights abuses. 

Although some worry that detainees will be transferred to private facilities, Bottoms insists the real solution is comprehensive immigration reform. 

Her move reflects Atlanta’s identity as a “welcoming city” and supports more humane, long-term immigration policies.

Creative Loafing and the Center for Civic host first annual “Social Studies” discussion

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Center for Civic Innovation held this year’s first Social Studies discussion in April, 2017. The topic was undocumented immigration, featured in Creative Loafing’s cover story “In the Shadows” about metro Atlanta “Dreamers.”

Read the full article here.

decaturish.com – ICE agent questions Decatur resident in driveway

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Read the full article here.

An ICE agent approached a Decatur resident in their own driveway and questioned them, raising concerns among neighbors about immigration enforcement happening in residential areas. The incident prompted discussions about residents’ rights, the legality of such encounters, and the community’s response to increased ICE activity.

LA Times – Immigrant Raid Effects

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Read the full article here.

Immigration raids by ICE across several U.S. cities caused a wave of fear among immigrant communities. 

ICE said the operations targeted people with criminal records, calling them “routine enforcement,” but many immigrants and advocates saw them as part of a tougher crackdown under President Trump. 

Advocacy groups responded quickly, setting up legal clinics and sharing information on social media to help people know their rights. 

At the same time, there was confusion about who was being targeted, and some detained individuals, or their families, claimed they did not have criminal records.

AILA Presents Sarah Owings with the 2017 Advocacy Award

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Read the press release here.

In 2017, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) presented its Advocacy Award to Sarah Weston Hayes Owings and Ruby Lichte Powers. The award recognizes their outstanding work promoting AILA’s federal legislative priorities and advocating for fairer immigration policies.

Sarah Owings is an immigration attorney known for her strong advocacy in deportation defense, humanitarian cases, family-based petitions, and asylum.
Ruby Powers is the founder of Powers Law Group in Houston, a board-certified immigration attorney recognized for her public advocacy, media work, and leadership in the immigration field.

Together, they were honored for their dedication to advancing immigration reform and protecting the rights of immigrants.

Sarah Interviewed on GPB about the Travel Ban.

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On January 30th, Sarah was interviewed on GPB about the travel ban ordered by President Trump and the resulting protest at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Listen to the interview here.

CNN: Attorneys: travel ban fight is ‘a marathon’ with no end in sight

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Read the article here.

In response to the revised travel ban issued by the Trump administration in March 2017, hundreds of lawyers and activists across the United States mobilized quickly to challenge the measure, providing volunteer legal assistance at airports and filing lawsuits alongside organizations like the ACLU to denounce it as discriminatory. At the same time, civil rights groups, affected states, and major tech companies joined the legal fight, while protesters in multiple cities highlighted the human impact of the order, which separated families and blocked the entry of people with valid documents.