AILA Correspondence with the Government

Read letters that AILA has sent to government officials about pressing immigration -related issues, as well as coalition letters to government officials that AILA has signed.

Featured Letters

Employment Authorization
Expand Automatic Extension of Work Authorization
AILA joined other organizations in urging DHS to take immediate action to expand automatic extension of work authorization for immigrants with pending work permit renewal appplications.
Congressional Oversight
FY2024 Appropriations Recommendations
AILA and the American Immigration Council sent a letter to congressional leadership with recommendations on FY2024 appropriations.
Browse the AILA Correspondence collection
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AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Submits Statement to Congress Opposes Proposals Restricting Asylum and Parole in the Supplemental

With federal funding discussions underway on a supplemental budget deal, AILA calls upon lawmakers to reject dangerous immigration proposals that would do grave, irreparable harm to the U.S. asylum system while creating chaos in efforts to manage the border.

11/30/23 AILA Doc. No. 23112900. Asylum, Humanitarian Parole
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA, AIC, and ACLU Lead Sign-On Letter Detailing Continued Barriers to Attorney Access in ICE Immigration Detention Facilities

AILA, AIC, and the ACLU lead over 80 organizations in a letter to ICE detailing continued barriers to attorney access in immigration detention facilities and provide recommendations on how to better facilitate critical communications between counsel and detained individuals.

11/21/23 AILA Doc. No. 23112102. Detention & Bond, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and the Council Seek Information on the Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) Program

AILA and the American Immigration Council filed a FOIA request to obtain documents related to ICE and CBP’s implementation of the Family Expedited Removal Management Program (FERM).

11/21/23 AILA Doc. No. 23112106. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and Coalition Partners Urge Agencies to Extend Visa Interview Waiver Authorities

AILA and partner groups urged DOS and DHS to extend the interview waiver authorities set to expire on December 31, 2023, which allows consular officers to waive in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants and decreased wait times for nearly all visa applicants.

11/17/23 AILA Doc. No. 23112005. Consular Processing
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

Recommendations on Protecting Individuals Impacted by the Middle East Conflict

AILA urged the Administration to take immediate comprehensive action to ensure the safety and security of all people impacted by the conflict in the Middle East and must take affirmative steps to ensure that individuals are not forced to return to danger in the middle of the conflict.

AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Sends Letter to USCIS Requesting Clarification for Pre-RIA Regional Centers

AILA sent a letter to USCIS requesting urgent clarification on the October 2023 policy guidance specifically relating to pre-RIA regional center terminations. The need for clarification is urgent given that the Form I-956G filing deadline and payment of the Annual Integrity Fee are due in December.

10/27/23 AILA Doc. No. 23110809. Business Immigration, EB-5 Investors
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Joins Sign-on Letter Urging Expansion of Automatic Extension of Work Authorization

AILA joined other organizations in urging DHS to take immediate action to expand the automatic extension of work authorization for immigrants with pending work permit renewal applications.

9/26/23 AILA Doc. No. 23100306.
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and the Council Send Letter to Congress with Recommendations on FY2024 Appropriations and Continuing Resolution

AILA and the American Immigration Council sent a letter to congressional leadership with joint recommendations on FY2024 appropriations and continuing resolution urging Congress to recognize the indispensable role that immigrants play in nearly every part of American society and its economy.

9/22/23 AILA Doc. No. 23092201.
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Joins Sign-on Letter Requesting Further Transparency into the FERM Program

AILA joined 45 other organizations in requesting DHS to provide additional transparency into the impact and operation of the Family Expediated Removal Management (FERM) program.

9/19/23 AILA Doc. No. 23092204. Expedited Removal, Removal & Relief
Federal Agencies, AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

Calls for Examples and Questions

Read and respond to AILA’s requests for case examples, questions, and other information to inform agency liaison engagement and help us uncover problematic trends. The information gathered is used in AILA’s liaison and advocacy efforts.

AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Sends Letter to USCIS on Safe Address and Section 1367 Protections Policy Alert

AILA’s VAWA/U/T National Committee sent a letter to USCIS in response to the agency’s request for feedback regarding the policy changes to the USCIS Policy Manual (1 USCIS-PM A.7) and provided feedback for further consideration and seeks its response to certain areas of remaining concern.

9/8/23 AILA Doc. No. 23091304. VAWA
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Provides Feedback to USCIS on the FY2024 H-1B Electronic Registration System

AILA’s H-1B working group provides feedback on the FY2024 H-1B Electronic Registration System on topics such as duplicate registrations, training materials, MyUSCIS accounts, Form G-28 employer issues, duplicative data entry, and staff/associate attorney options, among others.

8/21/23 AILA Doc. No. 23083103. Business Immigration, H-1B & H-1B1 Specialty Occupation
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

ICYMI: AILA Provides Recommendations on USCIS Processing Times

AILA provided recommendations to USCIS to enhance how processing times for benefits requests are displayed online and proposed alternative thresholds for placing service requests as well as other measures that would facilitate reporting of more consistent and relevant processing time information.

8/4/23 AILA Doc. No. 23080803.
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Joins Letter Urging President Biden Halt Use and Defense of Asylum Ban Policy

AILA joined a letter with 202 organizations in the wake of the U.S. district court decision in the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant case regarding the “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule to urge the White House to withdraw its appeal and stay motion and accept the court’s decision as final.

8/2/23 AILA Doc. No. 23080404. Admissions & Border, Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Sends Letter to DHS and DOS Urging EB-4 Administrative Action

AILA sent a letter to DOS and DHS urging immediate administrative action to remedy the harms experienced by religious workers, diplomats, SIJS youth, and other EB-4 applicants when the DOS changed its interpretation of how it allocates EB-4 immigrant visas.

AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Statement for House Oversight Committee Hearing on the Southern Border

AILA submitted a statement for the House Oversight Committee’s February 7, 2023, hearing on the southern border. AILA urges Congress and the Biden Administration to take immediate action to build a fair, humane, and orderly asylum process and to improve the entire immigration system.

2/6/23 AILA Doc. No. 23020699. Admissions & Border, Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Statement to the House Judiciary Committee on the Southern Border

In advance of a February 1, 2023, hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on the border, AILA submitted this statement advising on how to meaningfully manage the southern border through an all-government approach.

2/1/23 AILA Doc. No. 23013131. Admissions & Border
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA’s Asylum & Refugee National Committee Requests a Meeting on I-730 Adjudications

The AILA Asylum & Refugee National Committee sent a letter to USCIS requesting a meeting on I-730 adjudications to discuss issues and recommendations and to provide questions.

1/18/23 AILA Doc. No. 23011901. Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and Partners Send Letter to USCIS on Stakeholder Engagement with IPO

AILA and partners sent a letter to USCIS requesting that IPO resume regular engagement with critical stakeholders regarding the implementation of the RIA. The past engagements have helped avoid the need to litigate issues that could be easily discussed prior to a policy announcement.

1/18/23 AILA Doc. No. 23012000. Business Immigration, EB-5 Investors
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA Sends Letter to President Biden Regarding the Proposed New Transit Ban

AILA sent a letter to President Biden expressing concerns in response to an announcement that the Administration would issue a notice of proposed rulemaking that would include a transit ban.

1/17/23 AILA Doc. No. 23011800. Admissions & Border, Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and Partners Send Letter to President Biden on Deportations to Haiti

AILA and partners sent a letter to President Biden urging the U.S. to stop all deportations to Haiti due to the deadly conditions in Haiti, particularly impacting those individuals who are ineligible for TPS, including those with past criminal convictions or criminal charges.

1/12/23 AILA Doc. No. 23011905. Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence

AILA and Partners Send Letter Urging Human Rights, Humanitarian Protection, and Access to Asylum to Be Center of Upcoming North American Leaders’ Summ

AILA and partners sent a letter to U.S., Canadian, and Mexican Administrations urging them to center human rights, humanitarian protection, and access to asylum for individuals fleeing persecution in discussions regarding regional migration at the upcoming North American Leaders’ Summit.

1/9/23 AILA Doc. No. 23012503. Asylum
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence, Advocacy & Media

AILA Leads Letter to Administration With Recommendations to Protect Asylum Seekers Whose Information Was Leaked

AILA led a group of legal service providers and coalition partners on sending a letter to ICE, EOIR, and RAIO on additional mitigation efforts to protect detained asylum seekers whose information was leaked in violation of privacy protections.

12/22/22 AILA Doc. No. 22122789. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Public Statements, Correspondence, Advocacy & Media

AILA Signs onto Letter to USCIS Urging Policies to Alleviate TPS Processing Backlogs

AILA and partners sent a letter urging USCIS to create policies to urgently alleviate the processing backlog for TPS applicants. The letter also provides recommendations on the implementation of these policies to limit harm to applicants as the agency continues to improve the backlogs.

AILA Public Statements, Correspondence, Advocacy & Media

AILA and Partners Send Letter Urging 18-Month Extension and Redesignation of Yemen for TPS

AILA and partners urge the Administration to extend for 18 months and redesignate TPS for Yemen, to publish a timely Federal Register notice, and to launch a public information campaign to notify the impacted community of the decision and any actions they must take by January 2, 2023.