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’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.
Sign-on Letter Expressing Concerns with Visa Waiver Program Bills As Part of the Omnibus Spending Bill
On 12/10/15, AILA joined 76 organizations in opposing any proposal that would scapegoat against nationals of Iraq, Syria, Iran, or Sudan who are citizens of VWP countries; and exempt citizens of VWP countries who traveled to Iraq, Syria, Iran, or Sudan for professional/educational purposes.
Sign-On Letter to USCIS on Special Immigrant Juveniles
On 12/7/15, AILA and other stakeholders submitted recommendations to USCIS on SIJ adjudications. Topics included consent function, identification requirements for biometrics appointments, RFEs and NOIDs, interviews, 180-day adjudications, training, filing practices, and communication with the NBC.
Sign-On Letter Expressing Concern on Visa Waiver Program Legislation
On 12/4/15, AILA along with various immigrant, human, and civil rights organizations urged House Representatives to remove provisions that target people who visit or are from Syria or Iraq from any Visa Waiver Program legislation, including the omnibus appropriations bill.
Sign-On Letter Urging Legislators to Oppose Policy Riders That Harm the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
On 12/1/15, AILA joined faith, labor, refugee, and humanitarian aid organizations, as well as civil and human rights groups, in urging members of Congress to support the U.S. refugee resettlement program and oppose any policy riders that would stop, pause, or defund resettlement of Syrian refugees.
Sign-on Letter to Congress Opposing Immigration Policy Riders
On 11/20/15, AILA joined 44 organizations in urging Congress to pass an appropriation bill for FY2016 free of immigration policy riders.
AILA Urges Senators to Oppose Suspending or Restricting Refugee Programs
AILA’s statement submitted to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for a hearing on 11/19/15 titled “The Impact of ISIS on the Homeland and Refugee Resettlement.”
AILA Urges House Members to Oppose Suspending or Restricting Refugee Programs
AILA’s statement submitted to the House Judiciary Committee for a hearing on 11/19/15 titled “The Syrian Refugee Crisis and its Impact on the Security of the U.S. Refugee Admission Program.”
Sign-On Letter to Members of Congress in Support of Protecting Refugees
On 11/17/15, AILA joined humanitarian aid organizations, faith, labor, and civil and human rights groups in expressing support for the U.S. refugee resettlement program and opposing any proposals to suspend or restrict funding for Syrian and other refugees.
Sign-on Letter to Director Saldaña on Implementing PEP
On 11/12/15, AILA joined immigration, labor, and civil rights organizations in requesting a meeting with ICE Director Saldaña on the implementation of the Priority Enforcement Program.
Sign-on Letter Raise Concerns About Access to Asylum for Anyone with a Prior Removal Order
On 11/9/15, AILA joined 63 organizations in urging the Department of Homeland Security to undertake rulemaking that would allow all asylum seekers, including individuals with prior removal orders, to apply for asylum, in addition to withholding removal.
AILA Calls for a Workable Effective Date in Any New EB-5 Legislation
AILA urges Congress to not apply any new EB-5 laws retroactively to the over 13,000 pending petitions by citing a number of harmful consequences and demonstrating the length of time typically involved from EB-5 project conception to USCIS adjudication.
Sign-on Letter to ICE on Processing Immigrants Set for Early Release from BOP
On 10/29/15, AILA joined a number of immigration and human rights organizations urging ICE to provide due process to the estimated 1870-2000 immigrants that are scheduled for early release from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) starting 10/30/15.
Letter to Texas Officials on Licensing Detention Centers in Dilley and Karnes
On 10/27/15, the CARA Pro Bono Project sent a letter to Texas officials urging the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to deny licenses to ICE for its two family detention centers in Dilley and Karnes, Texas.
AILA Opposes S. 2146, Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act
AILA’s statement urging senators to vote against the procedural vote on S. 2146, Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act, scheduled for 10/20/15. The bill would withhold funds from state and local law enforcement agencies that have policies that help build trust within their community.
Sign-on Letter Urging Senators to Vote No on S. 2146
On 10/19/15, AILA joined immigrant, civil rights and labor organizations in asking Senate leaders to oppose Senator Vitter’s (R-LA) Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act, S. 2146, along with any similar legislation that may come to the Senate floor.
Sanctuary Cities Bill Will Put Critical Law Enforcement and Community Funding at Risk
AILA, the National Immigration Law Center, and the Center for American Progress created a list of key states at risk of losing significant funding for three programs designed to build stronger and safer communities under Senator Vitter’s (R-LA) Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act.
Sign-on Letter to Texas Officials on Licensing Dilley and Karnes
On 10/13/15, AILA joined immigration, human rights, and refugee organizations, as well as medical and childcare experts, in urging Texas officials to deny child care licenses to the private prisons operating family detention centers in Dilley and Karnes, Texas.
Sign-on Letter to Secretary Kerry, Secretary Johnson, and Director Muñoz on the October 2015 Visa Bulletin
On 10/04/15, AILA joined a number of immigration advocacy organizations and business coalitions on expressing disappointment to the Department of State’s revision to the October 2015 Visa Bulletin, and urged the administration to reinstate the original dates published.
AILA Urges Lawmakers to Increase Resettlement of Refugees Worldwide
AILA’s statement submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Immigration and the National Interest Subcommittee for a hearing on 10/1/15 titled “Oversight of the Administration’s FY 2016 Refugee Resettlement Program: Fiscal and Security Implications.”
Sign-on Letter to the President on Syrian Refugees Crisis
On 9/18/15, AILA joined national and local refugee, human rights and faith based organization in urging President Obama to go beyond his commitment to aid Syrian and other Middle Eastern refugees.