Press Room
Recent AILA Press Releases
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AILA Statement: Trump Administration Lays Trap with Self-Deportation Offer
In response to the DHS announcement of a “stipend” for people choosing to self-deport from the United States, AILA cautioned individuals noting that “No one should accept this without first obtaining good legal advice from an immigration attorney or other qualified representative.”
AILA President Welcomes ICE’s Reversal of Student Visa Terminations
AILA President Kelli Stump welcomed news that due to litigation efforts by myriad AILA members and organizations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reinstating international students’ records.
AILA: Trump Dragnet Widens to Unconstitutional Targeting of People with Visas
AILA President and Executive Director respond to Trump Administration’s targeting of lawful visa holders, including students and researchers, in this press statement urging Congressional action “to provide oversight and end this abuse of power.”
AILA Executive Director Warns of Due Process and Rights Abuses with Trump Gutting of Oversight Agencies
AILA ED Ben Johnson warned of due process and rights abuses in response to the recent Trump Administration effort to eliminate three important oversight bodies vital to the effective and accountable operation of DHS.
Trump Administration Terminates Lawful Status of Nearly 500,000 Foreign Nationals, Throwing Families, Employers, and Communities into Turmoil
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson warn of the harm of terminating the successful Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) parole program.
AILA Rejects Administration’s Dangerous Threats on Immigration Attorneys
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson reject a chilling directive by the Trump Administration ordering sanctions, reviews, and stricter oversight of attorneys in asylum and immigration cases.
AILA: Invocation of Alien Enemies Act to Deport Venezuelans to El Salvador is Unconstitutional
AILA President Kelli Stump and ED Ben Johnson responded to President Trump invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an archaic, draconian law, saying, “No President should be able to resurrect a law from the 1700’s and circumvent our constitutionally and statutorily mandated due process protections.”
AILA: Trump Administration Restarts Family Detention Guaranteeing Harm and Trauma to Children and Parents
AILA President Kelli Stump and ED Ben Johnson urge President Trump to end the inhumane practice of family detention rather than restore and expand it, noting the immense harm it causes and that “the deprivation of liberty is a power that should be used rarely and only when absolutely necessary.”
AILA Leaders Express Deep Concerns at Trump Administration Undermining Constitutionally Protected First Amendment Rights
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to recent actions and threats by the Trump Administration against individuals with legal immigration status that undermine fundamental constitutional rights.
AILA and Members File Litigation Against Arbitrary Mandatory Form Changes
Today, AILA and Benach Collopy, LLP, brought litigation in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia against the Trump Administration for abruptly implementing immediate form changes that will harm tens of thousands of AILA member attorneys and their clients.
Trump Administration Seeks to Implement Registration Requirement
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to the proposed registry requirement, arguing that it will create chaos and fear, and would lead to what amounts to a national ‘show me your papers’ regime.
Senate Fails to Put Any Checks or Balances on Trump Administration’s Mass Detention and Deportation Plans
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the Senate passage of the budget reconciliation bill noting, “Missing from this budget is any understanding that immigrants have been and continue to be vital to America’s success.”
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.”
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.
AILA ED: Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Several Countries and Addition of Romania to the Visa Waiver Program Welcome News
AILA ED Ben Johnson welcomed news of several actions taken by the Biden Administration including extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of El Salvador, Ukraine, Sudan, and Venezuela and adding Romania to the Visa Waiver Program.
Commonsense Workforce-Focused Changes as Biden Administration Wraps Up
AILA highlights three recent Biden Administration workforce-focused rules, noting they “will bolster the integrity of these programs and help both employers and employees navigate what can often be an uncertain amalgam of immigration laws and policies.”
AILA Executive Director Responds to Asylum Regulation
Ben Johnson responded to the asylum regulation published today: “This rule will not bring more consistency or order to border processing...Without adequate resources, this rule not only risks asylum applicants being wrongly rejected but also weakens accurate national security assessments.”
AILA: “Keeping Families Together” Program Derailed by Court
In this press statement, AILA responded to the ruling against the “Keeping Families Together” Program with President Kelli Stump noting that the program should have been upheld as “the Administration was using its congressionally enacted authority.”
AILA: We Will Continue to Serve Our Members and Our Nation
In responding to the election results, AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson stated, “AILA and its more than 16,000 members will continue to defend the Constitution and stand against laws and policies that violate due process, undermine civil rights, or denigrate the contributions of immigrants.”
AILA Executive Director Welcomes Administration’s Moves to Protect Lebanese Nationals
AILA ED Ben Johnson welcomed news that the Biden Administration will designate TPS for Lebanese nationals. Additionally, the Administration detailed how Lebanese nationals in the U.S. can apply for work authorization based on Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and special relief as foreign students.
AILA National Ethics Committee Unveils Comprehensive Compendium for Immigration Lawyers
AILA is proud to announce the release of the newly revised AILA Ethics Compendium: Modern Legal Ethics for Immigration Lawyers, designed to assist lawyers in navigating the complex ethical issues that arise in their immigration practice, available in print or digital format.
Biden Administration Cements Harmful Asylum Restrictions
AILA President Kelli Stump and Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to the Biden Administration’s codification of harmful policies that are already undermining U.S. asylum law and denying fair access to humanitarian protection for vulnerable individuals and families.
AILA and Partners Celebrate the 19th AILA Citizenship Day
AILA proudly joins NALEO Educational Fund, the National Partnership for New Americans, Citizenshipworks, and the New Americans Campaign for the 19th AILA Citizenship Day events offering legal expertise and support as lawful permanent residents take the final steps toward citizenship
AILA President Responds to Litigation Attempting to Halt Keeping Families Together Program
AILA President Kelli Stump reacted to the news that Texas, joined by 15 other states and Stephen Miller of America First Legal, filed litigation in an attempt to halt the newly implemented “Keeping Families Together” program, calling the states’ standing arguments “weak” and “baseless.”
AILA Joins Litigation Partners to Fight for Afghan Nationals Left in Limbo
AILA joined Christopher Dempsey and Aleksandra Peryeva in filing a class action complaint in the case LaMarche v. Mayorkas focusing on the U.S. government’s arbitrary end to expediting humanitarian parole requests for Afghan nationals in Afghanistan and Pakistan.