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
Sign-On Letter to Senators on Opposing Mandatory Notification Legislation
On 7/11/16, AILA joined 215 immigrant, legal, civil rights, faith-based, and labor organizations in urging U.S. senators to oppose any legislation or amendment that would entangle state and local law authorities with immigration enforcement through mandatory notifications.
Sign-On Letter Urging Senators to Oppose S. 3100 and S. 2193
On 7/6/16, AILA joined 169 immigrant, civil rights, faith-based, and labor organizations in urging members of the U.S. senate to vote against S. 3100, Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, and S. 2193, Stop Illegal Reentry Act, and any similar legislation that jeopardizes public safety.
Sign-On Letter to Members of Congress on Reauthorizing the EB-5 Visa Program
On 7/5/16, AILA joined other EB-5 stakeholder groups in sending a letter to key Senate and House leaders in support of extending the EB-5 Regional Center Program, which is set to expire on 9/30/16.
Sign-On Letter on Immigration Raids and Other Enforcement Actions Against Central American
On 6/16/16, more than 156 organizations joined AILA in urging DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to stop using aggressive tactics against Central Americans, especially families and children, and to ensure due process before an individual is deported.
Sign-On Letter to Attorney General Lynch on Appointing Counsel to Children
On 4/29/16, AILA joined faith-based, human rights, and immigrants’ rights groups in urging Attorney General Loretta Lynch to halt the practice of pursuing deportation proceedings against children who do not have counsel and to guarantee that every child facing deportation is provided legal counsel.
Sign-On Letter to the President Opposing DHS’s Operation Border Guardian
On 3/30/16, AILA joined over 150 organization in opposing a program that the Department of Homeland Security has named “Operation Border Guardian,” and the consequence it may have on refugees fleeing violence from Central America
Sign-on Letter Opposing H.R. 4731: Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act of 2016
On March 15, 2016, AILA joined over 200 organizations in urging the House Judiciary Committee to oppose the Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act of 2016 (H.R. 4731), which would dismantle the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Letter to Director Rodríguez on USCIS Processing Delays
A 3/11/16 letter from AILA to USCIS Director León Rodríguez, expressing concerns over significant backlogs in processing a variety of applications and petitions for immigration benefits, and a lack of transparency communicating current processing times to the public.
Sign-On Letter Opposing Amendment to Eliminate Protections for Unaccompanied Children
On 3/8/16, AILA signed on to a letter opposing Senator John McCain’s (R-AZ) Amendment No. 3407, which would eliminate protections for unaccompanied children by stripping away critical protections in the TVPRA of 2008 for all unaccompanied children arriving in the United States.
AILA Statement to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on the High-Skilled Immigration System
AILA submitted the following statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and National Interest for a 2/25/16 hearing “The Impact of High-Skilled Immigration on U.S. Workers.”
AILA Statement to Senate Judiciary on Protecting Children, Families, and Other Border Arrivals
AILA submitted a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 2/23/16 hearing “The Unaccompanied Children Crisis: Does the Administration Have a Plan to Stop the Border Surge and Adequately Monitor the Children?”
Sign-on Letter Requesting DHS Secretary Johnson to Waive Discriminatory Prohibitions Under Visa Waiver Program Act
On 2/22/16, AILA joined civil rights, immigrant rights, and human rights organizations in urging Department of Homeland Security Secretary Johnson to use his waiver authority to ensure individuals are not barred from the Visa Waiver Program on the basis of their national origin or family heritage.
Sign-on Letter to DHS on Enhancing Due Process for Refugees
On 2/18/16, AILA joined immigrants’ rights, civil rights, human rights, faith-based, and legal service providers in urging Department of Homeland Security to enhance due process for Central American refugees and stop the raids.
AILA Statement to House Judiciary on Protecting Children, Families, and Other Border Arrivals
AILA submitted a statement to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security for the 2/4/16 hearing “Another Surge of Illegal Immigrants Along the Southwest Border: Is This the Obama Administration's New Normal?”
AILA Statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the EB-5 Regional Center Program
AILA submitted a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 2/2/16 hearing “The Failures and Future of the EB-5 Regional Center Program: Can it be Fixed?” expressing strong support of the EB-5 Regional Center program.
Sign-on Letter to the Senate Supporting S. 2449, the “Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016”
On 2/1/16, AILA joined over 60 organizations urging U.S. senators to support for the Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016 (S. 2449), bipartisan legislation to address recent amendments to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that discriminate against certain dual nationals.
Sign-on Letter Supporting H.R. 4380, the “Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016”
On 2/1/16, AILA joined over 60 organizations urging U.S. representatives to support for the Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016 (H.R. 4380), bipartisan legislation to address recent amendments to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that discriminate against certain dual nationals.
Sign-on Letter to President Obama Requesting TPS for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
On 1/25/16, AILA joined over 270 civil rights, labor rights, immigrant, human rights, and humanitarian organizations, who sent a letter to President Obama asking his administration grant Temporary Protection Status (TPS) to immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
AILA Vote Recommendations on H.R. 4038
AILA urges members of Congress to vote NO on Representative McCaul’s American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 (H.R. 4038), which would halt the refugee resettlement program for Iraqis and Syrians.
Sign-on Letter Urging Senators to Oppose Legislation that Would Stop the Resettlement for Refugees
On 1/15/16, AILA joined humanitarian aid organizations, faith, labor, civil, and human rights groups in expressing support for the U.S. refugee resettlement program and opposition to H.R. 4038 and any other proposals to stop, pause, or restrict funding for Syrian and other refugees.
AILA’s Recommendation To Ensure Vulnerable Central Americans Are Treated Fairly and Humanely and Are Protected from Deportation
AILA urges the president and DHS to halt the raids and deportations of vulnerable Central Americans and recommends that procedures be established that ensure these families receive fair and humane treatment and can meaningfully seek humanitarian protection under U.S. law.
AILA and the Council Letter to DHS Secretary Johnson on Raids Targeting Central American Families
On 1/6/16, AILA and the Council requested a meeting with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to discuss the agency’s current aggressive tactics to apprehend and deport Central American families.
Sign-on Letter to the President Opposing DHS Reported Plans to Conduct Nationwide Raids
On 12/31/15, over 150 organizations joined AILA in expressing opposition to the DHS reported plans to conduct nationwide raids to round up and deport Central American children and their parents. The letter urges the President to offer greater protection to Central American families fleeing violence.
Letter to USCIS and ICE Concerning Due Process Violations at Detention Facilities
Joint letter from AILA, the American Immigration Council, CLINIC, RAICES, and Human Rights First to USCIS and ICE concerning glaring due process violations which have led to the deportation of families with valid claims for asylum or other protection under U.S. law.
Sign-on Letter Urging CBP to Implement the Body-Worn Cameras Program
On 12/18/15, AILA joined civil rights, criminal justice, faith-based, and immigration groups in urging CBP Commissioner Kerlikowske to mandate the broad use of body-worn cameras.