Recent AILA Press Releases
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AILA Presents David Thronson with the 2021 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award
AILA recognizes David Thronson, the Alan S. Zekelman Professor of Int’l Human Rights Law at the Michigan State University College of Law, director of the Talsky Ctr for Human Rights of Women and Children, and cofounder of the Imm. Law Clinic, with the 2021 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award.
AILA Presents Rekha Sharma-Crawford with the 2021 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
AILA recognizes Rekha Sharma-Crawford of Kansas City, MO, with the 2021 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law.
AILA Presents Dahlia Walker-Huntington with the 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award
AILA recognizes Dahlia Walker-Huntington of Hollywood, FL, with the 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award for outstanding efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion excellence in the immigration legal profession.
AILA Presents Elizabeth Jordan with the 2021 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award
AILA recognizes Elizabeth Jordan of Denver, CO, with the 2021 Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award for outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights.
AILA Presents Luis Cortes Romero with the 2021 Advocacy Award
AILA recognizes Luis Cortes Romero of Kent, WA, with the 2021 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA’s advocacy agenda.
AILA Urges Further Shift Away from Detention as DHS Announces End to Contracts with Two Facilities
AILA welcomes news that ICE will end contracts with two detention facilities in Irwin County and Bristol County, but urges the Biden administration to take further action by conducting a full review of all people currently held in ICE custody and expanding community-based case management programs.
AILA Welcomes Biden Administration Expansion of Access to Justice and Legal Representation
AILA welcomed news that President Biden will renew DOJ's efforts to expand access to justice and legal representation, noting that, “Having legal representation is the most important factor in ensuring fair and just proceedings.”
AILA and Members of AILA’s Board of Governors File Complaint to Block H-1B Lottery Rule
Today, five nonprofit organizations and businesses, represented by AILA, Jeff Joseph, Charles Kuck, and Greg Siskind, sued to enjoin the H-1B lottery rule.
Civil Rights Coalition Welcomes Rescission of Trump’s Illegal Healthcare Ban
Today, litigators from the Justice Action Center, AILA, and the Innovation Law Lab, with Sidley Austin LLP, welcomed the rescission of President Trump’s long-enjoined healthcare insurance ban.
Immigration Groups Push Back Against Arizona and Montana’s Efforts to Invoke Unlawful Trump-Era Agreement Restricting DHS Policymaking
AILA joined in an amicus brief opposing Arizona and Montana’s challenge to the Biden administration’s immigration enforcement priorities guidance.
Much Accomplished in First 100 Days, But Biden Administration Has Much Still to Do on Immigration
AILA unveils a new resource tracking actions and decisions by the Biden administration over its first 100 days in office. The resource charts what has been accomplished and highlights what remains to be done based on AILA’s recommendations to the president released in November 2020.
Litigation Team Sues Biden Administration’s State Department as Agency Unlawfully Refuses to Issue Visas
AILA joined Jeff Joseph, Charles Kuck, and Greg Siskind in filing litigation on behalf of scores of plaintiffs against Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, alleging that he and the Department of State have unlawfully refused to issue visas because of temporary regional bans.
Civil Rights Coalition Celebrates End of Harmful Visa Ban
AILA and our litigation partners celebrated the end of the harmful nonimmigrant visa ban that AILA Director of Federal Litigation Jesse Bless noted, “was based on a false premise that foreign nationals take away jobs.” He urged the Biden administration to redress the wrongs caused by the ban.
AILA and Wasden Banias, LLP File Lawsuit Against DHS for L-2 and H-4 Processing Delays
AILA and Wasden Banias, LLP filed a lawsuit against DHS on March 22, 2021, challenging extraordinary processing delays on extensions of status and extensions of employment authorization documents (EAD) for H-4 and L-2 nonimmigrant spouses.
AILA Welcomes End to Trump Administration’s Public Charge “Wealth Test”
AILA celebrates the end of the Trump administration’s public charge “wealth test” and offers gratitude to “everyone who collectively fought to see the battle against this unjust rule through to victory.”
Civil Rights Coalition Celebrates Partial End of Immigration Ban
President Biden revoked former president Trump’s immigrant visa ban, rejecting the previous administration’s proclamation that the entry of immigrants presents a risk to the U.S. economy during the pandemic. However, he did not take action to revoke the entry ban on temporary nonimmigrant workers.
Court Preserves Validity of 2020 Diversity Visas
AILA and our litigation partners welcomed the district court emergency injunction which preserves and extends the validity of most visas from the 2020 lottery, and the news that the State Department had issued national interest exceptions for DV winners with visas expiring Feb 17-28.
ICE Memo Offers Promising Changes but More Reforms Are Needed
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed changes to immigration enforcement priorities outlined in a memo from ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson but flagged key areas requiring additional action. The interim guidance is effective immediately.
AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans Team Up for Virtual Citizenship Day Events
AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans are proud to sponsor AILA’s 15th Annual Citizenship Day, taking place virtually on Saturday, February 20, 2021, with dozens of naturalization clinics across the country.
AILA Welcomes Bipartisan Dream Act of 2021; Calls on Congress to Take Action on This and Other Necessary Immigration Legislation
AILA welcomed the introduction of the bipartisan Dream Act of 2021, calling on Congress “to pass this bill as a step forward toward legalization of the undocumented, and the many other necessary changes to our immigration laws our country requires.”
Biden Administration Continues Taking Necessary Steps to Bring Our Immigration and Asylum Policies Back in Line with Our Values, However More Needs to
AILA welcomed actions taken by the Biden administration that will continue to ameliorate the damage done over the past four years and move our immigration and asylum policies toward fairness and justice, however leaders cautioned that much more needs to be done.
U.S. Government Records Reveal Expanded Methods to Rush Deportations at Border
AILA, the Council, HRW, and Winston & Strawn LLP obtained documents about the Migrant Protection Protocols which reveal U.S. immigration agencies' efforts in 2019 to rapidly deport thousands of people from the United States through the little-known Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV) program.
Day One of the Biden Presidency Focuses on Key Immigration Reforms
AILA commended the Day One actions on immigration undertaken by the Biden administration, recognizing that “the Biden team got straight to work fulfilling promises on immigration.”
AILA Welcomes Biden Plans to Reimagine America's Immigration System
AILA welcomed the planned reimagining of America's immigration laws and policies by the incoming Biden-Harris administration; this reasoned framework lays out the guideposts of smart and necessary immigration reform, something our country has desperately needed for decades.
AILA Welcomes Biden-Harris Administration Commitment to Fair and Humane Treatment of Migrants in the Americas Region
AILA welcomes reports that President-elect Biden is committed to following through on campaign pledges that will help ensure our immigration system and asylum process become fairer and more just.