Today the Consular Accountability Project has sued the State Department in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee challenging its policy of refusing to consider evidence of unjust visa denials based on false gang membership claims. https://t.co/oXcY8JJn0z

If your visa was denied or revoked due to Charlie Kirk-related speech, the Consular Accountability Project (@ConsularActProj) is interested in representing you pro bono.

Hard to overstate significance of this release. President of the United States brought the full weight of state power on this one young man and his wife and infant child. But he held strong, never sacrificed his principles, and is now at liberty. A lesson for us all.

CAP fights this legacy of exclusionary consular policies, that has hardened under Trump. With new travel bans, intensified vetting, daily deportation quotas, and aggressive enforcement, barriers to refuge and family reunification grow higher than ever. 8/8

Today, the fate of the St. Louis echoes in ongoing consular practices that lack transparency and accountability, contributing to visa denials and family separations under the guise of security or legal technicalities. 7/8

The St. Louis’s forced return to Europe—where many passengers later perished in the Holocaust—stands as a stark reminder of how consular decisions shaped lives. The “Voyage of the Damned” underscores the human cost of rigid policies and bureaucratic indifference. 6/8

Historian Laurel Leff notes that from 1933 to 1945, the U.S. could have admitted 350,000 additional refugees within existing quotas. Yet consular officials denied visas to hundreds of thousands, often ignoring unfilled quotas and using their broad discretion to restrict entry 5/8

While some consular officers showed courage by bending rules to save lives, most adhered rigidly to policies that effectively sealed the fate of refugees aboard the St. Louis. Their discretion, largely unchecked by courts or public oversight, had deadly consequences. 4/8

The complex visa process, combined with no special provisions for refugees, meant many fleeing persecution faced insurmountable barriers at consulates. 3/8

The 1924 Immigration Act set restrictive national quotas, and by 1939, the German-Austrian quota was nearly filled. Despite availability, consular officers denied visas to many refugees, including those on the St. Louis, prioritizing bureaucratic rules over humanitarian need. 2/8

On June 6, 1939, the MS St. Louis, carrying over 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, was forced to leave U.S. waters after Roosevelt’s State Dept., under strict quotas, denied them entry. This episode highlights the deadly consequences of consular decision-making. 1/8

Only 3 days left: Visa policy, from revocations to SEVIS terminations and First Amend., has changed dramatically in 100 days. Sign up now for a must-attend #MCLE event for immigration attorneys and advocates: https://t.co/LxmjXDDb5Q

Hello attorney friends, all ticket fees go to helping us litigate pro bono for clients confronting visa denials and the "doctrine of consular nonreviewability." Consider attending and informing your colleagues!

Only 1 week left before "Trump’s First 100 Days: Seismic Shifts in Visa Policy"! Gain vital insights from top experts on visa policy, from revocations & SEVIS terminations to First Amend. and beyond. Secure your spot now: https://t.co/mRrdz0EdsB #ImmigrationLaw #MCLE

In just 10 days, join our online MCLE event on #visapolicy changes under Trump for immigration lawyers and advocates. Get expert insights on SEVIS revocations, First Amendment challenges, and more. Register now: https://t.co/pmwktlCyGG

Which Trump-era change in #VisaPolicy has impacted your practice the most? Join the conversation and get expert guidance at our May 22 MCLE event. Register now: https://t.co/pmwktlCyGG

"They’re rounding up people without regard for who they are, whether they have cancer, whether they’re US citizens, whether they can’t remove them. It doesn’t have anything to do with border security or with law enforcement.” - Becca Heller, IRAP https://t.co/ZgtwpdUOrV

Join us for a crucial discussion on the seismic shifts in visa policy during Trump's first 100 days! Don't miss out on this online MCLE event happening Thursday, May 22nd. Register Now: #TrumpVisaPolicy #MCLE #VisaChanges #ImmigrationLaw https://t.co/LxmjXDDIVo

"The case is a potentially landmark legal challenge, as the Trump admin has expanded use of tattoo evaluations & other flimsy evidentiary claims as a means to ramp up its deportation machine. Rivas’s green card was initially denied under the Biden admin." https://t.co/d22ZSR3pMB

This is our first litigation-please consider donating to support our work! We are very grateful for the support of co-counsel at the American Immigration Council and Neal & Harwell, PLC. https://t.co/jgWHc3tFZY