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Postings2019
Civil Rights Coalition Successfully Blocks Trump Administration’s Latest Attempt to Implement Health Care Ban
12/20/2019AILA 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.AILA Doc. No. 19122061Bipartisan Bill Brings Needs of Farmworkers and Farmers to the Forefront
12/11/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19121131Civil Rights Coalition Successfully Enjoins Presidential Health Insurance Proclamation
11/26/2019AILA 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.AILA Doc. No. 19112661New Rules Would Create Potentially Insurmountable Hurdles to Immigrants and Asylum Seekers
11/14/2019AILA 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.AILA Doc. No. 19111433Civil Rights Coalition Halts Implementation of Presidential Proclamation Requiring Health Insurance
11/2/2019Today, 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.AILA Doc. No. 19110290Civil Rights Coalition Files Lawsuit to Halt Implementation of Presidential Proclamation’s Healthcare Ban
10/30/2019Today, 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.AILA Doc. No. 19103006AILA Welcomes Injunctions on Public Charge Rule
10/11/2019AILA 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."AILA Doc. No. 19101106AILA Files Lawsuit to Halt Last-Minute Form Changes as Administration Seeks to Implement Public Charge Rule
10/7/2019Today, 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.AILA Doc. No. 19100733New Policy Memo Appears Designed to Collapse Board of Immigration Appeals
10/3/2019Upon review and analysis of the recent policy memo impacting the Board of Immigration Appeals, AILA raised several significant areas of concern, including pressure to speed up adjudications without care for due process. The memo underscores the need for an independent immigration court.AILA Doc. No. 19100307USCIS Reestablishes Deferred Action After AILA and Members Campaign for Agency Accountability
9/19/2019AILA welcomed the news that USCIS will reestablish the previous process allowing vulnerable individuals to request deferred action when faced with life-changing circumstances.AILA Doc. No. 19091990Documents Released in H-1B FOIA Lawsuit Shed Light on the Trump Administration’s “Invisible Wall” Against Legal Immigration
9/18/2019AILA President Marketa Lindt and Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish comment on USCIS documents obtained through FOIA litigation that shed light on changes to USCIS adjudication practices.AILA Doc. No. 19091832AILA Welcomes Jesse Bless as First Director of Federal Litigation
9/16/2019AILA welcomes Jesse Bless as AILA’s first Director of Federal Litigation. In this position, he will develop, file, and oversee federal litigation and other legal strategies for AILA.AILA Doc. No. 19091632Immigration Law Experts Debriefed Press on “Port Courts” and Due Process Concerns
9/12/2019This statement includes quotes from immigration law experts relating to the newly established “port courts” and the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) who shared insights on the telephonic press briefing held September 12, 2019.AILA Doc. No. 19091234SCOTUS Lifts Nationwide Injunction of “Asylum Ban 2.0”
9/12/2019AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson responded to the SCOTUS decision lifting the nationwide injunction on the Trump administration’s “Asylum Ban 2.0.” which puts “the lives of asylum seekers back in the hands of their persecutors, including transnational gangs and cartels.”AILA Doc. No. 19091231AILA and NALEO Educational Fund Partner to Assist Aspiring Citizens through National Citizenship Day Events
9/10/2019AILA and NALEO Educational Fund proudly sponsor AILA Citizenship Day on September 14, 2019. Now in its 13th year, the day brings together AILA member attorneys, NALEO Educational Fund affiliates, and many others, to help lawful permanent residents take the last steps toward naturalization.AILA Doc. No. 19091003AILA Releases Eighth Edition of Asylum Primer
9/5/2019AILA proudly releases the 8th edition of its Asylum Primer: A Practical Guide to U.S. Asylum Law and Procedure by Dree K. Collopy. The comprehensive, practical guide to U.S. asylum law and procedure has been updated to address the myriad changes since the release of the 2015 edition.AILA Doc. No. 19090532Complaint Demands Oversight of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Facilities
9/4/2019Katie Shepherd, National Advocacy Counsel with the Immigration Justice Campaign, responds to the government’s systematic failure to provide adequate medical care to children in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody.AILA Doc. No. 19090408AILA Releases New Practice Management-Focused Resource
9/4/2019AILA is proud to release a brand new resource to help members and those interested in immigration law: Build and Manage Your Successful Immigration Law Practice (Without Losing Your Mind), authored by Ruby Powers.AILA Doc. No. 19090401AILA: Fourth Circuit Strikes Down Attorney General Opinion, Restores Fundamental Power to Immigration Judges
8/30/2019AILA responded to the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling in Zuniga Romero v. Barr that immigration judges have the authority to administratively close cases pending before them; the court concluded immigration law unambiguously permits immigration judges to control their own dockets.AILA Doc. No. 19083032Trump Administration Eliminates Established Protections for Children and Families
8/21/2019AILA leadership responds to the Trump administration’s announcement that it will reverse the Flores Settlement Agreement, a move that would authorize the indefinite detention of children and families in federal immigration detention facilities.AILA Doc. No. 19082132AILA: DOJ Seeks Termination of Immigration Judges Union, Further Undermining Court Independence
8/15/2019AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson responds to DOJ’s effort to strip immigration judges of their right to be represented by a union.AILA Doc. No. 19081591DHS Rule Will Hurt Working Class Families and Restrict Legal Immigration
8/12/2019AILA leaders Marketa Lindt and Benjamin Johnson respond to the DHS “public charge” rule that will dramatically expand the number of immigrants that DHS could deem ineligible for green cards and admission to the United States.AILA Doc. No. 19081232AILA: Massive Raid Adds to Migrant Fears, Endangers Due Process
8/8/2019On August 7, 2019, the administration executed a massive single-state worksite enforcement raid; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted, “This raid was launched with no regard for the fundamental principles of due process that are the foundation of the American justice system.”AILA Doc. No. 19080830El Paso Immigration Collaborative (EPIC) Seeks to Change the Asylum Landscape for Detained Immigrants
8/6/2019The Immigration Justice Campaign, along with local and national partners, launched the El Paso Immigration Collaborative (EPIC). EPIC seeks to increase legal representation for detained immigrants around El Paso and promote oversight of the immigration courts and detention centers in the region.AILA Doc. No. 19080601AILA: AG’s Decision Ignores Precedent and Is the Latest Attempt to Restrict Asylum
7/29/2019AG Barr issued a decision in Matter of L-E-A- impacting how family membership could be considered in asylum proceedings. AILA Second VP Jeremy McKinney noted: “Courts, like the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, have voluminous case law directly contradicting the Attorney General’s decision.”AILA Doc. No. 19072905AILA: DHS Attempts Massive Expansion of Unilateral Deportation Power
7/22/2019DHS announced a new policy designed to dramatically expand expedited removal to apply throughout the United States to anyone who has been in the United States for less than two years; the American Immigration Council is already planning litigation.AILA Doc. No. 19072261House Committee Ramps Up Bipartisan Concern Over Crisis Delays at USCIS
7/16/2019The 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 Doc. No. 19071605AILA: Administration’s New Rule Is the Latest Attempt to End Asylum
7/15/2019As 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 Doc. No. 19071531AILA: AG Attempts Power Grab over Immigration Appeals
7/2/2019The 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.”AILA Doc. No. 19070236Congress Should Pass the Northern Triangle and Border Stabilization Act
6/27/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062790AILA Responds to Emergency Border Spending Bills
6/26/2019AILA responded to the passage of House and Senate bills to provide humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers at the U.S. southern border.AILA Doc. No. 19062691AILA: Raids Targeting Families Would Sow Fear and Solve Nothing at Border
6/21/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062136AILA Presents Victor Nieblas Pradis with the 2019 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062042AILA Presents the Pereira Litigation Team with the 2019 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062044AILA Recognizes Michael K. Mehr with the 2019 Sam Williamson Mentor Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062043AILA Presents Jacob Soboroff of NBC/MSNBC with the 2019 Media Leadership Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062041AILA Presents Jodi Goodwin with the 2019 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062040AILA Presents Betsy Lawrence with the 2019 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062039AILA Presents the Somali 92 Volunteer Team with the 2019 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062037AILA Presents Ronald Klasko with the Founders Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062036AILA Presents Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia with the 2019 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062035AILA Presents Sui Chung with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062034AILA Presents the Irish International Immigrant Center with the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062033AILA Presents the Roundtable of Former Immigration Judges with the 2019 Advocacy Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 Doc. No. 19062032AILA Elects New Officers for 2019–2020
6/20/2019Today, 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 Doc. No. 19062031AILA Presents David Wilks with the 2019 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award
6/19/2019AILA 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 OrlandoAILA Doc. No. 19061932House Passes the American Dream and Promise Act
6/4/2019AILA applauds the passage of the American Dream and Promise Act in the House of Representatives.AILA Doc. No. 19060571Tariffs Hurt Americans, Won’t Stop Asylum Seekers
5/31/2019AILA 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.”AILA Doc. No. 19053133Moving on Dream and Temporary Protected Status Is the Right Path
5/21/2019AILA 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.AILA Doc. No. 19052141President’s Speech Short on Details of Workable Immigration Plan
5/16/2019AILA 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.AILA Doc. No. 19051639Bipartisan Group of 38 Senators Calls USCIS to Account for Crisis-Level Processing Delays
5/14/2019A 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.AILA Doc. No. 19051433AILA Releases New Edition of INA and CFR
5/1/2019AILA is proud to release the 2019 editions of the INA and CFR; AILA President Anastasia Tonello noted, “Especially as USCIS continues to create new standards and requirements…in-depth knowledge and easy access to primary sources of immigration law are vital for any successful practice.”AILA Doc. No. 19050135AILA: Presidential Memo Seeks to Deny Asylum Seekers Fundamental Human Rights
4/30/2019AILA responded to the White House memo of April 29, 2019, raising concerns that while the memo itself does not change asylum policy, it directs the DHS and DOJ to issue regulations that would dramatically alter how asylum seekers obtain protection and dilute their rights during that process.AILA Doc. No. 19043033AILA Welcomes Sharvari (Shev) Dalal-Dheini as Government Relations Director
4/29/2019AILA welcomes Sharvari (Shev) Dalal-Dheini as Director of Government Relations; she will focus on the employment-based and immigration benefits sphere, and will partner with current Government Relations Director Gregory Chen in leading the department.AILA Doc. No. 19042930Fastcase and American Immigration Lawyers Association Release Inaugural Issue of AILA Law Journal
4/25/2019AILA and Fastcase announced the release of the inaugural edition of the AILA Law Journal featuring articles by experts on topics such as the renunciation of U.S. citizenship, Central American asylum seekers, extraordinary ability adjudications, travel ban waivers, and more.AILA Doc. No. 19042441AILA: AG Aims to Detain Asylum Seekers, Intruding Further on Immigration Court Independence
4/17/2019In response to the AG’s decision in Matter of M-S-, AILA Treasurer Jeremy McKinney stated, “This decision further expands mandatory and prolonged detention of people who are neither dangerous nor flight risks, practices which are constitutionally suspect and a waste of taxpayer money.”AILA Doc. No. 19041734AILA: H-1B Cap Reached Within Days, Highlighting America’s Need for Foreign Professionals to Fill Critical Workforce Gaps
4/12/2019USCIS announced receipt of more than 201,000 H-1B visa petitions for FY2020; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted that, “the lack of adequate visas is only hurting American businesses and workers. Congress needs to raise the cap so the number of visas reflects the needs of our economy.”AILA Doc. No. 19041231AILA Joins Senators in Call for Immigration Court Reform and Access to Counsel
3/6/2019AILA welcomes the introduction of the “Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019” and the “Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019” in the U.S. Senate; the bills would provide safeguards for children and adults and help shore up immigration courts’ independence.AILA Doc. No. 19030633After Congress Refuses to Fund Border Wall to His Liking, President Trump Attempts End Run Around Constitution
2/15/2019AILA responds to President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to get funds for a border wall.AILA Doc. No. 19021541Trump Administration Unveils More Severe Restrictions on Due Process and Asylum in “Remain in Mexico”
1/28/2019AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson raises concerns with new procedures described today by USCIS in which an “assessment” that determines whether Central American asylum applicants can pursue their claims from within the U.S. would be made, but access to counsel would be prohibited.AILA Doc. No. 19012842Damaging Bill Is a Bait-and-Switch on Immigration
1/22/2019A bill slated for introduction in the Senate would fund President Trump’s border wall, but as AILA notes, it also includes many extreme provisions impacting asylum law, Temporary Protected Status holders, and more, that go far beyond what the president laid out in his recent speech.AILA Doc. No. 19012237End the Shutdown so Good Faith Negotiations on Immigration Can Begin
1/19/2019After President Trump’s speech today, AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson expressed skepticism that “the President is attempting to use his own failed policies as bargaining chips” and instead should re-open the government so “lawmakers can begin serious talks to reform our immigration system.”AILA Doc. No. 19011970 - Law
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