Recent AILA Press Releases
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House Committee Ramps Up Bipartisan Concern Over Crisis Delays at USCIS
The House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship held a hearing at which representatives called administration officials to account for the crisis-level case processing delays at USCIS and heard from stakeholders including AILA President Marketa Lindt.
AILA: Administration’s New Rule Is the Latest Attempt to End Asylum
As DHS and DOJ attempt to prevent migrants who have not applied for protection in a third country from seeking asylum, AILA Second Vice President Jeremy McKinney offered solutions that would make our asylum system more efficient and live up to our values, noting “This rule isn’t one of them.”
AILA: AG Attempts Power Grab over Immigration Appeals
The administration published a rule which would authorize the attorney general (AG) “to singlehandedly designate Board of Immigration Appeals decisions as precedent—and do so literally overnight, bypassing the necessary legal procedures and without any checks and balances.”
Congress Should Pass the Northern Triangle and Border Stabilization Act
AILA welcomed the introduction of H.R. 3524, the “Northern Triangle and Border Stabilization Act” which offers comprehensive solutions to address the violence and instability in Central America while also increasing the federal government’s capacity to manage the situation at the southern border.
AILA Responds to Emergency Border Spending Bills
AILA responded to the passage of House and Senate bills to provide humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers at the U.S. southern border.
AILA: Raids Targeting Families Would Sow Fear and Solve Nothing at Border
AILA issued a statement in response to widespread reports that ICE will be conducting mass round-ups of vulnerable families. Marketa Lindt, AILA President, noted, “Conducting raids on families would sow more fear and confusion without bringing order to the border region.”
AILA Elects New Officers for 2019–2020
Today, Marketa Lindt was installed as AILA’s President at AILA’s Annual Conference and the following officers were elected: Jennifer Minear as President-Elect, Allen Orr as First Vice President, Jeremy McKinney as Second Vice President, Farshad Owji as Treasurer, and Kelli Stump as Secretary.
AILA Presents the Roundtable of Former Immigration Judges with the 2019 Advocacy Award
AILA will recognize the Roundtable of Former Immigration Judges with the 2019 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA’s advocacy agenda. The roundtable will accept the award this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents the Irish International Immigrant Center with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award
AILA will recognize the Irish International Immigrant Center of Boston, MA, with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award for outstanding efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion excellence in the immigration legal profession this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Sui Chung with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award
AILA will recognize Sui Chung, of the Immigration Law & Litigation Group in Miami, FL, with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award for outstanding efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion excellence in the immigration legal profession this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia with the 2019 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award
AILA will recognize Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Director of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Penn State Law, with the 2019 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Ronald Klasko with the Founders Award
AILA recognizes H. Ronald Klasko, of Philadelphia, PA, with the Founders Award, which is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy. He will receive the award this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents the Somali 92 Volunteer Team with the 2019 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award
AILA will recognize the Somali 92 Volunteer Team with the 2019 Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award for outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Betsy Lawrence with the 2019 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
AILA will recognize Betsy Lawrence, Counsel for the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, with the 2019 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law.
AILA Presents Jodi Goodwin with the 2019 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award
AILA will recognize Jodi Goodwin, of Harlingen, TX, with the 2019 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field. The award will be presented this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Jacob Soboroff of NBC/MSNBC with the 2019 Media Leadership Award
AILA will recognize NBC/MSNBC’s Jacob Soboroff with the 2019 Media Leadership Award, given to individuals whose efforts in the media most accurately depict immigration and immigrants. The award will be presented this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Recognizes Michael K. Mehr with the 2019 Sam Williamson Mentor Award
AILA will recognize Michael K. Mehr with the 2019 Sam Williamson Mentor Award in acknowledgment of his outstanding efforts and excellent counsel to immigration attorneys by providing mentoring assistance. The award will be presented this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents the Pereira Litigation Team with the 2019 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award
AILA will recognize the Pereira Litigation Team with the 2019 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
AILA Presents Victor Nieblas Pradis with the 2019 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award
AILA will recognize Victor Nieblas Pradis with the 2019 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, in recognition of outstanding service, over a period of years, in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA.
AILA Presents David Wilks with the 2019 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award
AILA will recognize David J. Wilks, of Miller Mayer LLP, Ithaca, NY, with the 2019 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for his outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law. He will receive the award this week during AILA’s Annual Conference in Orlando
House Passes the American Dream and Promise Act
AILA applauds the passage of the American Dream and Promise Act in the House of Representatives.
Tariffs Hurt Americans, Won’t Stop Asylum Seekers
AILA leadership recommended solutions to restore order to the border region, in contrast to President’s Trump’s planned new tariffs on Mexican imports to the United States, calling for improved “processing of migrants without sacrificing fundamental humanitarian values and damaging our economy.”
Moving on Dream and Temporary Protected Status Is the Right Path
AILA urged Congress to move forward legislation to offer permanent legal status for “Dreamers” – young people brought to America as children – and the thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders whose protections have been put in jeopardy.
President’s Speech Short on Details of Workable Immigration Plan
AILA leaders Anastasia Tonello and Benjamin Johnson responded to President Trump's new plan to reform America’s legal immigration system which, if implemented, would prioritize merit-based immigration and reduce family-based immigration.
Bipartisan Group of 38 Senators Calls USCIS to Account for Crisis-Level Processing Delays
A bipartisan group of 38 senators led by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent two letters to the administration, calling it to account for the crisis-level case processing delays at USCIS and demanding an assessment of how USCIS’s own policies contribute to this trend.