Recent AILA Press Releases
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AILA Recognizes Susan G. Roy with the 2024 Sam Williamson Mentor Award
AILA recognizes Susan G. Roy with the 2024 Sam Williamson Mentor Award, in acknowledgment of her outstanding efforts and excellent counsel to immigration attorneys by providing mentoring assistance.
Audio Recording of Press Briefing Held June 6, 2024, Regarding Implementation of Border IFR
Unofficial transcription and audio recording of AILA's press briefing held on June 6, 2024, regarding the implementation of the recent border IFR.
AILA Presents Tracy Harper and Patrick Taurel with the 2024 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award
AILA recognizes Tracy Harper and Patrick Taurel with the 2024 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field.
AILA Presents Caitlin Dickson with the 2024 Media Leadership Award
AILA recognizes Caitlin Dickson of Yahoo News with the 2024 Media Leadership Award, given to individuals whose efforts in the media most accurately depict immigration and immigrants.
Stuck Between Congressional Inaction and Border Realities, President Biden Issues New Proclamation and Rule on Asylum
AILA ED Ben Johnson responded to the Biden Administration’s new proclamation and rule aimed at preventing migrants entering the U.S. between ports of entry from accessing asylum, noting that “the powers of the Executive Branch alone are insufficient to address the challenges at the border.”
AILA Presents Laila Ayub and Maria Aftab Kari with the 2024 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award
AILA recognizes Laila Ayub and Maria Aftab Kari with the 2024 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for their outstanding contributions made as young lawyers in the field of immigration and nationality law.
AILA Presents the Muñoz Litigation Team with the 2024 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award
AILA recognizes the Muñoz Litigation Team with the 2024 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law.
AILA Executive Director Welcomes Anti-Trafficking Effort, Urges Focus on Real Threats
AILA ED Ben Johnson states DOJ’s anti-trafficking and smuggling plans are exactly where DHS and DOJ “should focus efforts to reduce crime and improve border management” but flags concerns with “the agencies’ plan to increase prosecutions of people for improper entry or re-entry after removal.”
AILA Presents Alberto M. Benitez with the 2024 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award
AILA recognizes Alberto M. Benitez of George Washington University Law School with the 2024 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award.
Audio Recording of May 30, 2024, Press Briefing with Rep. Stanton and AILA and Council Border Policy Experts
Listen in on the press briefing featuring Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ), AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson, AILA Senior GR Director Greg Chen, and American Immigration Council Senior Fellow Dara Lind as they discussed possible border solutions in the broader immigration context.
AILA Presents Rex Chen with the 2024 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
AILA recognizes Rex Chen with the 2024 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law.
AILA Presents Paulina Reyes-Perrariz with the 2024 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award
AILA recognizes Paulina Reyes-Perrariz with the 2024 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award for outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights.
AILA Presents Allen Orr with the 2024 Advocacy Award
AILA recognizes Allen Orr with the 2024 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA’s advocacy agenda.
AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Shares Insights on Asylum Rule Notice
Greg Chen responds to the advance copy of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would give authority to asylum officers to apply existing security and terrorism related bars during the initial screening process for credible fear.
AILA President Welcomes Biden Administration’s Moves on Ethiopian TPS as well as DED and Special Student Relief for Palestinian Nationals
AILA President Farshad Owji responded to the Biden Administration’s recent actions to extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia and to introduce additional measures for certain Palestinian nationals.
AILA: Automatic Extension of Work Permits Will Help American Economy, Workers, and Families
AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Sharvari Dalal-Dheini welcomed the news that USCIS will modify the period of automatic extensions of work permits for up to 540 days; this change was one of the ten policy recommendations AILA recently made to the Biden Administration.
AILA Executive Director: SCOTUS Wrong to Allow TX SB4 Implementation
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the U.S. Supreme Court allowing Texas to implement SB.4, saying it "threatens to create chaos."
AILA Executive Director Urges Biden Administration to Offer Haitians Safety in this Time of Turmoil
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson urged the Biden Administration to take immediate action as Haiti faces immense challenges and use “all of the tools in the executive branch’s toolbox” to help offer security and safety to those affected, including extending and redesignating TPS for Haitians.
AILA Executive Director Responds to Release of President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the release of the FY2025 budget from the Biden Administration, noting that in addition to what is included, “more funds could and should also be directed to improve the entire immigration system.”
AILA Releases New Edition of Immigration and Crimes Resource
AILA proudly releases the 10th edition of Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted the resource is “packed full of analysis” and is “vital for anyone whose practice touches on the intersection of immigration and criminal law.”
House Republicans Vote to Impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary
AILA’s Ben Johnson and the American Immigration Council’s Jeremy Robbins responded to the vote held February 13, in which House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a vote of 214-213 following a failed attempt last week.
AILA Executive Committee Shares Open Letter Regarding Efforts to Impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
As the House Republican majority moves forward with their efforts to impeach the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the Executive Committee of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) shared the following open letter.
AILA Executive Director Responds to Release of Bipartisan Senate Bill
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the newly released bill text from the bipartisan group of Senators negotiating the “Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024.”
AILA Responds to New Biden Administration Rules on Fees and H-1B Registration Process
AILA responded to the advance copies shared publicly by the Biden Administration regarding U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fees and a revised H-1B visa registration process with insights from President Farshad Owji and Dir of Gov’t Relations Shev Dalal-Dheini.
Ninth Edition of AILA’s Invaluable Asylum Primer Released
Ben Johnson on the 9th edition of AILA’s Asylum Primer: A Practical Guide to U.S. Asylum Law and Procedure by Dree K. Collopy: “This book will help practitioners, those new to the area of practice as well as long-time asylum attorneys, do the best job possible for their vulnerable clients.”