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.
Browse the AILA Correspondence collection
AILA Statement to House Judiciary Committee on EOIR Oversight
On 10/31/17, AILA joined NGOs and submitted a statement to the House Judiciary Committee, Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee for a hearing on 11/1/17 titled “Overview of the Executive Office for Immigration Review.”
AILA Issues Vote Recommendation on H.R. 3548
AILA urges members of Congress to vote NO on Representative Michael McCaul’s (R-TX) Border Security for America Act of 2017 (H.R. 3548), which would among other things, authorize a southern border wall, increase the number of Border Patrol agents, and identify visa overstays.
AILA Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on End of DACA
AILA submitted a statement to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for a hearing on “Oversight of the Administration’s Decision to End Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.” AILA urges members of Congress to call for an immediate vote on the Dream Act, extend the DACA renewal deadline, and more.
Statement to House Foreign Affairs Committee on DOS Reorganization
On 9/26/17, AILA joined 16 other organizations in a statement to the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the proposed DOS reorganization. The groups oppose the reorganization, and state that PRM and DOS are interdependent and indivisible from each other.
AILA Issues Vote Recommendation on H.R. 3697
AILA urges members of Congress to vote NO on Representative Barbara Comstock’s (R-VA) Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act, which would amend the INA’s grounds of inadmissibility and deportability for those associated with criminal gangs, as well as amend the INA’s definition of a gang member.
Sign-On Letter Opposing Senate Amendment 463
AILA joined 39 other organizations in a letter to Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) of the Senate Armed Services Committee to oppose the Flake Amendment (S.A. 463) to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2018.
Sign-On Letter Calling on Senate LHHS Appropriations Committee to Protect UAC Funding
On 8/14/17, AILA joined 112 organizations in urging the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services to protect the existing funding for the authorized Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC) Program for FY2018.
Sign-On Letter Calling on DHS Secretary to Stop Raids on UAC’s and Their Sponsors
On 8/10/17, AILA joined 376 organizations in urging Acting DHS Secretary Duke to cease the ICE raids on unaccompanied children and their sponsors. The letter cites the negative effects raids have on communities, including reduced engagement with local law enforcement.
AILA Statement Opposing Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2017
On 7/25/17, AILA submitted a statement opposing H.R. 391, Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2017, which would dramatically alter U.S. asylum and humanitarian protection law. The bill is scheduled for markup before the House Judiciary Committee on 7/26/17.
Sign-On Letter Calling on Congress to Oppose ICE’s Funding Request
On 7/18/17, AILA joined nearly 200 other organizations in urging members of Congress to oppose ICE’s 6/30/17 request for a reprogramming of funds to cover detention costs for the remainder of FY2017.
AILA Statement Opposing the House DHS Appropriations Bill for FY2018
On 7/14/17, AILA issues a statement opposing the FY2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, which was released by the House Appropriations Committee on 7/11/17.
AILA Statement Opposing H.R. 3003 and H.R. 3004
AILA issued a statement opposing the “No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (H.R. 3003) and “Kate’s Law (H.R. 3004).
Sign-On Letter Calling on Congress to Oppose ICE and USCIS Authorization Bills
On 6/20/17, AILA joined 13 other organizations expressing opposition to House legislation that authorizes ICE and USCIS, because it would dramatically redirect funding towards enforcement functions and away from the customer service and benefits functions that are also vital to their missions.
AILA Statement to House Judiciary Committee on Markup of H.R. 2826
On 6/13/17, AILA submitted the following statement opposing H.R. 2826, Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act of 2017, scheduled for markup on 6/14/17 before the House Judiciary Committee. This bill would have devastating consequences on the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program.
AILA Statement to House Judiciary Committee on Markup of H.R. 495
On 6/13/17, AILA submitted the following statement opposing H.R. 495, Protection of Children Act of 2017, scheduled for markup on 6/14/17 before the House Judiciary Committee. This bill would amend the TVPRA to undermine fundamental principles governing the care and protection of UACs.
Sign-On Letter Calling on Members of Congress to Oppose the House Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2213)
On 6/6/17, AILA joined 42 organizations in urging members of Congress to oppose the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2213), which would eliminate critical polygraph requirements for some U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) applicants.
AILA Issues Vote Recommendation on H.R. 2213
AILA urges members of Congress to vote NO on Representative Martha McSally’s (R-AZ) Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017, which would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to waive polygraph examination requirements for applicants.
Sign-On Letter Calling on the Appropriations Committees to Reject the President’s “Enforcement Only” Budget Request
On 6/5/17, AILA joined 273 organizations in urging the Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT); and House Appropriations Chairman Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) and Ranking Member Lowey (D-NY) to oppose President Trump’s “Enforcement Only” budget request.
Sign-On Letter Calling on President Trump, DHS, and DOS Secretaries to Extend TPS for Haitian Nationals
On 5/18/17, AILA joined 329 organizations and individuals in urging President Trump, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to extend Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for the 50,000 Haitians whose remittances sustain as many as 500,000 relatives in Haiti.
AILA Statement to House Judiciary Committee on Markup of H.R. 2406, H.R. 2407, and H.R. 2431
On 5/17/17, AILA submitted the following statement opposing three immigration related bills (H.R. 2407, H.R. 2406, and H.R. 2431) scheduled for markup on 5/18/17 before the House Judiciary Committee. These bills would constitute an unprecedented expansion of the immigration enforcement.
Sign-On Letter Calling on Members of Congress to Oppose H.R. 2213 and S. 595
On 5/17/17, AILA joined 67 organizations in urging members of Congress to oppose the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2213) and the Senate Boots on the Border Act (S.595).
Sign-On Letter Calling on DHS Secretary Kelly to Halt the Expansion of Immigration Detention
On 5/8/17, AILA joined 271 other organizations, urging DHS Secretary John Kelly to halt the expansion of immigration detention and to strengthen rather than lessen standards and monitoring of a system that already endangers the lives and due process rights of asylum seekers and immigrants.
Sign-On Letter Urging House Appropriators to Support H-2B Cap Relief in Future Spending Measures
On 3/23/17, AILA joined members of H-2B Workforce Coalition urging House Appropriators to include H-2B cap relief in future FY2017 spending measures and the future FY2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
Sign-On Letter Urging Senate Appropriators to Support H-2B Cap Relief in Future Spending Measures
On 3/23/17, AILA joined members of H-2B Workforce Coalition urging Senate Appropriators to include H-2B cap relief in future FY2017 spending measures and the future FY2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
Sign-On Letter Urging Senate Leadership to Support H-2B Cap Relief in Future Spending Measures
On 3/23/17, AILA joined members of H-2B Workforce Coalition urging Senate Leadership to include H-2B cap relief in future FY2017 spending measures and the future FY2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill.