Recent AILA Press Releases

Press Releases
Legislation Purporting to Enhance Public Safety Will Instead Guarantee Chaos in the Courts and Denial of Due Process
In this statement, AILA President Kelli Stump and ED Ben Johnson responded to the passage of the Laken Riley Act by Congress, noting that the “legislation will not ensure or improve public safety... it fails to offer any substantive policy solutions that would have any positive measurable effect.”
Press Releases
AILA Responds to Initial Plans for Executive Orders on Immigration from Trump Administration
AILA President Kelli Stump and ED Ben Johnson respond to today's announced immigration policy changes by President Trump and highlight key concerns with several policies including proposed use of military force, reinstituting Remain in Mexico, and ending birthright citizenship among others.

Have a press inquiry?

Contact a member of AILA’s Communications team to be connected to a network of national spokespeople and recognized immigration law experts.
CONTACT US

Browse the Press Room collection
276 - 300 of 559 collection items
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Civil Rights Coalition Files Emergency Motion to Halt Implementation of President Trump’s Immigration Ban

Litigators from the Justice Action Center, AILA, and Innovation Law Lab are filing an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Trump Administration’s recent immigration ban; the TRO would protect underage children protected under Doe v. Trump.

4/25/20 AILA Doc. No. 20042501.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

President Focuses on Irrational Policy Instead of Choosing to Strengthen America

AILA denounced President Trump’s decision to temporarily block access to immigrant visas with some exceptions, with AILA President Marketa Lindt noting, “We don’t need to suspend immigration, we need to strengthen and improve our immigration system to respond to the challenges of our times.”

4/23/20 AILA Doc. No. 20042335.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Urges Rational Response on COVID-19 and Immigration Policy; Condemns Divisive Presidential Tweet to Suspend Immigration

AILA responds to President Trump’s tweet announcing his plan to suspend immigration by urging the White House and agencies to implement rational, policy-based measures that promote the public health and economic interests of our country rather than resort to distraction and political theater.

4/21/20 AILA Doc. No. 20042106.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Class Action Lawsuit Seeks to Challenge USCIS’s Unlawful Denial of H-1B Petitions Filed by American Businesses

AILA joined the Council and the law firms Van Der Hout, LLP, Joseph & Hall P.C., and Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC in filing a nationwide class action lawsuit today challenging USCIS’s pattern and practice of arbitrarily denying H-1B petitions for market research analysts positions.

4/16/20 AILA Doc. No. 20041635. Business Immigration, H-1B & H-1B1 Specialty Occupation
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Temporary Restraining Order Requested to Stop Dangerous EOIR and ICE Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AILA and our partners moved for an emergency Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against EOIR and ICE to protect the health of immigration attorneys, immigrants, and the public from the impact of dangerous and unconstitutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

4/8/20 AILA Doc. No. 20040831. Asylum, Detention & Bond, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Files Lawsuit Against USCIS Seeking Maintenance of Status for Nonimmigrants, Extended Immigration Benefit Deadlines

AILA Director of Federal Litigation Jesse Bless and AILA President Marketa Lindt detail the importance of AILA’s complaint against USCIS seeking the immediate suspension of immigration benefit deadlines and the maintenance of status for nonimmigrants in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

4/3/20 AILA Doc. No. 20040331.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Lawsuit Seeks Halt to Dangerous and Unconstitutional Policies Endangering Immigration Attorneys, Clients, and the Public During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In a lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, AILA and our partners demanded that DOJ EOIR and ICE take immediate necessary actions to prioritize the health and safety of attorneys and clients at risk from the COVID-19 pandemic.

3/30/20 AILA Doc. No. 20033090. Detention & Bond, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Citing Coronavirus Risks and a New Irresponsible Policy for Immigration Courts, Groups Urge Protecting the Health and Safety of Government Employees,

AILA and the American Immigration Council, with over 100 other organizations, sent a letter to EOIR and ICE calling for the prioritization of the health and safety of government employees, detained individuals, and their legal representatives amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

3/23/20 AILA Doc. No. 20032331. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Immigration Judges, Prosecutors, and Attorneys Renew Call for Immediate Closure of All Immigration Courts

AILA, NAIJ, and AFGE #511 (ICE Professionals Union) all say that it is urgent for the public’s safety that DOJ immediately close all 68 immigration courts operated by EOIR. AILA's Second Vice President Jeremy McKinney states, “All live in-person hearings need to be immediately suspended.“

3/22/20 AILA Doc. No. 20032200. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Lawsuit Seeks to Uncover Problematic Board of Immigration Appeals’ Hiring Procedures

AILA and the Council filed federal litigation on March 17, 2020, to compel DOJ to release records about the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s hiring procedures for appellate immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals members.

3/19/20 AILA Doc. No. 20031937. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

New Rule Seems Designed to Halt Valid Immigration Court Petitions By Drastically Hiking Fees

AILA expressed serious concerns about a new proposed rule that would detrimentally impact individuals seeking a fair day in immigration court by drastically increasing fees required for forms submitted to EOIR.

2/28/20 AILA Doc. No. 20022800. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Ninth Circuit Defends Asylum in Two Rulings

AILA welcomed two Ninth Circuit decisions; one again halts the “Migrant Protection Protocols,” and the second ensures that the administration cannot block someone from seeking asylum solely due to where they presented themselves, either at a port of entry or elsewhere within the United States.

2/28/20 AILA Doc. No. 20022838. Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Bipartisan Legislation Underscores Need for Transparency and Accountability Within USCIS

AILA welcomes the Case Backlog and Transparency Act of 2020 introduced in the House to hold USCIS accountable for severe case processing delays and an ever-growing immigration backlog.

2/26/20 AILA Doc. No. 20022637.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans Assist Aspiring Citizens Through Citizenship Day Events

AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans, are proud to sponsor the dozens of naturalization clinics in cities and towns across the country as part of the 14th AILA Citizenship Day, taking place on Saturday, February 1, 2020.

1/31/20 AILA Doc. No. 20013131. Naturalization & Citizenship
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Condemns Trump Administration’s Expansion of Discriminatory Travel Ban

AILA leadership condemned the Trump administration’s expansion of its travel ban to include nationals from Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan , Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

1/31/20 AILA Doc. No. 20013136. Admissions & Border
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

New Trump Administration Policy Attempts to Turn Consular Officers into Pregnancy Police and Creates a Back-Door Health Care Ban

AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson details several concerns with the new “birth tourism” rule and notes, “Given the limited information provided in the rule and the failure to provide sufficient notice and comment to the public, litigation is almost certainly on the horizon.”

1/30/20 AILA Doc. No. 20013037. Consular Processing
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Disappointed in Supreme Court Stay of Injunction of Public Charge Rule

AILA expressed disappointment and concern at the 5-4 Supreme Court decision to stay the current nationwide injunction of the “public charge” rule. The administration can now, temporarily at least, implement the Public Charge Final Rule everywhere but Illinois, while underlying litigation continues.

1/27/20 AILA Doc. No. 20012705.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Civil Rights Coalition Successfully Blocks Trump Administration’s Latest Attempt to Implement Health Care Ban

AILA and our litigation partners welcomed the Ninth Circuit’s 2-1 decision to refuse the federal government an administrative stay pending appeal of the preliminary nationwide injunction in Doe v. Trump.

12/20/19 AILA Doc. No. 19122061. Consular Processing
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Bipartisan Bill Brings Needs of Farmworkers and Farmers to the Forefront

AILA President Marketa Lindt and AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to the passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. 5038) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Civil Rights Coalition Successfully Enjoins Presidential Health Insurance Proclamation

AILA and our litigation partners obtained a preliminary nationwide injunction in Doe v. Trump, thereby ensuring that the administration’s attempt to ban immigrants based on their ability to obtain health insurance will not be implemented while litigation continues.

11/26/19 AILA Doc. No. 19112661. Consular Processing
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

New Rules Would Create Potentially Insurmountable Hurdles to Immigrants and Asylum Seekers

AILA responds to two proposed rules that will detrimentally impact individuals who are seeking to legally live and work in the United States; the first proposes to substantially heighten application and petition fees, and the second implicates the employment authorization process for asylum seekers.

11/14/19 AILA Doc. No. 19111433.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Civil Rights Coalition Halts Implementation of Presidential Proclamation Requiring Health Insurance

Today, litigators from AILA, the Justice Action Center, and the Innovation Law Lab, with Sidley Austin LLP providing pro bono assistance, successfully halted implementation of the administration’s attempt to ban immigrants based on their ability to obtain health insurance upon arrival to the U.S.

11/2/19 AILA Doc. No. 19110290. Consular Processing
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

Civil Rights Coalition Files Lawsuit to Halt Implementation of Presidential Proclamation’s Healthcare Ban

Today, litigators from AILA, the Justice Action Center, and the Innovation Law Lab, with Sidley Austin LLP providing pro bono assistance, are filing suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon to halt implementation of the administration’s 10/4/19 healthcare ban for immigrants.

10/30/19 AILA Doc. No. 19103006.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Welcomes Injunctions on Public Charge Rule

AILA welcomed the various injunctions against the implementation of the Public Charge Final Rule. AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson quoted one order which states, "DHS's new definition of 'public charge' is likely to be outside the bounds of a reasonable interpretation of the statute."

10/11/19 AILA Doc. No. 19101106.
AILA Public Statements, Press Releases

AILA Files Lawsuit to Halt Last-Minute Form Changes as Administration Seeks to Implement Public Charge Rule

Today, AILA filed suit in U.S. District Court to immediately enjoin USCIS from moving forward with its arbitrary and capricious plan to stop accepting the current versions of various forms on or after October 15, 2019, despite having failed to publish necessary revised and new forms.

10/7/19 AILA Doc. No. 19100733.