AILA Correspondence with the Government
Read letters that AILA has sent to government officials about pressing immigration -related issues, as well as coalition letters to government officials that AILA has signed.
Browse the AILA Correspondence collection
AILA Sends Urgent Request to USCIS Regarding Pending I-485s for Approved EB-5 Beneficiaries
AILA, with the support of the EB-5 Investor Committee, has submitted an urgent request to USCIS for the adjudication of pending and approvable Forms I-485 for approved EB-5 Form I-526E beneficiaries in the reserved immigrant visa categories by September 30, 2024.
AILA Requests EB-5 Processing Improvements
AILA sent a letter to USCIS identifying ongoing technical and customer service issues related to the EB-5 process and requesting technology updates, better coordination between the Immigrant Investor Program Office and other USCIS offices, and other administrative fixes to the EB-5 program.
AILA Requests Clarification on Bona Fide Terminations for E-3 and H-1B1 Employees
AILA sent a letter to the CIS Ombudsman requesting a formal process for employers to notify USCIS of terminating E-3 and H-1B1 workers, where no USCIS petition was filed. Currently, the lack of guidance risks penalties, and AILA seeks clarification to resolve this issue for employers.
AILA and Partners Request USCIS to Accept Prior Editions of Form I-914
AILA and partners sent a letter to USCIS requesting that it accept prior editions of Form I-914 through at least 10/28/24 given that the new edition was issued with no notice or grace period. On 8/30/24, USCIS indicated it would accept the prior edition through 9/30/24.
AILA Sends Recommendations for Executive Action and Regulations on Immigration
AILA sent a letter to the White House with recommendations for executive action and regulations on immigration to ensure that the positive policy changes made during the Biden Administration are codified or otherwise made permanent.
AILA and Other Organizations Urge DHS to Take Immediate Action on Pending EADs
AILA and 204 other organizations urge DHS and USCIS to take immediate action to issue work authorization to as many immigrants as possible before the end of this Administration and outline several immediate solutions to address the issue.
AILA Sends Letter to Ensure Consistency and Fairness in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Cases
AILA sent a letter to DOJ and DHS urging reform to the legal standard governing ineffective assistance of counsel claims in immigration matters.
Former Immigration Judges Strongly Support the Strengthening Immigration Procedure's Act of 2024
The Round Table of Former Immigration Judges applauded Senator Murphy for introducing the Strengthening Immigration Procedures Act of 2024, which would bring the standard needed to prove ineffective assistance of counsel in immigration cases into alignment with every other area of law.
Senators Sent Letter to DHS and DOS Urging TPS for Lebanese Nationals
Senators sent a letter to DHS and DOS urging the designation of Lebanon for TPS for Lebanese nationals present in the United States due to escalating armed conflict in the region. AILA endorsed the letter.
AILA Sends Recommendations to Biden Administration on TPS for Haiti
AILA sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging protection for Haitian nationals impacted by the instability and violence in Haiti, recommending among other immigration actions, that TPS for Haitians be extended and redesignated. The current designation is set to expire on August 4.
AILA Joins Letter Urging USCIS to Provide a Minimum of 60-Day Comment Period on NPRM on Mandatory Bars in Fear Screening
AILA joins other advocacy organizations in requesting a minimum of 60 days for public comment after DHS proposed a new rule governing fear screenings by asylum officers and establishing an atypical, abbreviated thirty-day comment period.
AILA and Partners Request USCIS to Accept Prior Edition of I-914 Forms Through March 31, 2025
AILA, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and Freedom Network USA sent a letter urging USCIS to accept the prior edition of the I-914 form through March 31, 2025, after it indicated that starting June 3 it would only accept the April 1, edition.
AILA Submitted a Statement to the House Judiciary Committee on H.R. 7909
AILA submitted a statement for the record in opposition to the proposed H.R. 7909, the “Violence Against Women By Illegal Aliens Act.” H.R. 7909 will do nothing to protect people from experiencing domestic violence (DV) and will cause actual harm to DV survivors.
Senators Send Letter Urging Appropriators to Include Funding for Case Management Alternative to Detention
Senators, led by Senator Merkley, sent a letter to the subcommittee on Homeland Security Senate Committee on Appropriations requesting the committee's FY2025 proposal include $100 million for the Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP). AILA supported this request.
AILA Writes to USCIS Requesting Data and Statistics
AILA's Asylum and Refugee National Committee wrote a letter to USCIS with suggested data and statistics for publication on its website.
AILA Signs Letter Urging Congress to Fund Legal Representation and Due Process Protections
AILA and over 100 immigrant rights groups have signed a letter urging congressional appropriators to allocate funds in the FY2025 appropriations funding bill to address the critical gaps in legal representation and due process protections for noncitizens in removal proceedings.
Request for USCIS to Accept Prior Edition of I-918 Forms Through March 31, 2025
AILA joined other immigration groups in sending a letter to USCIS requesting that the agency accept the prior edition of I-918 forms through March 31, 2025.
AILA Receives Response from USCIS Regarding Letter on Biometrics for U and T Visa Applicants Abroad
Response from USCIS regarding AILA and partners' letter advocating for the agency to immediately implement biometrics policies that would allow for continued adjudication of U and T petitions for applicants abroad.
AILA Sends Letter on Social Security Process for Asylees
AILA's Asylum and Refugee National Committee sent suggestions to the Social Security Administration for improvements to the Social Security Number application process for asylum seekers and asylees.
AILA Sends Letter to Congress with Recommendations on FY2025 Appropriations
AILA sent a letter to Congressional leadership recommending that they prioritize adequate funding for the immigration system in the FY2025 appropriations necessary for establishing a more efficient system.
AILA Joins Sign-on Letter Urging Extension and Redesignation of TPS for Haiti
AILA joined the Haitian Bridge Alliance and 480 other organizations in a letter to the White House, DHS, and DOS requesting an extension and redesignation of the Republic of Haiti for TPS and a moratorium on deportations to the Republic of Haiti.
AILA Sends Letter to White House with Recommendations for Executive Action and Regulations
AILA sent a letter to the White House with ten recommendations it could take immediately via executive action and regulations on immigration.
AILA and Partners Send Letter Urging End to Solitary Confinement in ICE Detention
AILA and partners sent a letter to the White House and DHS urging an immediate and public commitment to ending solitary confinement in ICE detention.
AILA Sends Letter to White House Urging Action to Manage Migration at the U.S. Southern Border
AILA sent a letter to the White House urging action to manage migration at the U.S. southern border, but also expressing concern by reports indicating the administration plans to implement a national border expulsion authority and raise the legal standard for credible fear interviews.
AILA Sends Letter to USCIS and ICE Regarding Forms I-9
AILA sent a letter requesting that USCIS and ICE develop and publish joint guidance on the use and acceptance of Forms I-9 created using the fillable .pdf hosted on USCIS's website.