Policy Briefs
AILA’s policy briefs provide in-depth insight and analysis on significant issues impacting the practice of immigration law, and offer recommendations to make the immigration law system more fair, efficient, and just. Check out all of AILA’s policy briefs below, with the most recent policy brief appearing first, and make your voice heard by supporting AILA’s advocacy priorities.
Browse the Policy Briefs collection
Policy Brief: Chaotic Policy Changes Are Ending Access to Asylum in America
The Trump Administration's numerous asylum policy changes over the past year have made it harder for individuals to access lifesaving protections. This brief overviews the consequences of these policy changes and possible reforms to make the asylum system more fair, accurate, and humane.
Policy Brief: Mass Worksite Enforcement Harms U.S. Economy and Communities
The increasing frequency of ICE worksite raids is starting to have a sizeable negative impact on the U.S. economy while bringing uncertainty for employees and employers. This policy brief explores these consequences as well as what can be done instead.
Policy Brief: Policies Targeting Skilled Workers and Students Crush American Innovation and Harm our Economy
The Trump administration's immigration policies targeting highly skilled immigrants threatens to weaken the U.S. economy through undercutting innovation and not providing ample opportunity for potential talent to stay and contribute.
Policy Brief: Militarizing Immigration Courtrooms
On August 28, DOJ finalized a new rule that lowers the eligibility standards for temporary immigration judges, increasing concerns about their ability to rule fairly and efficiently while undermining due process. This policy brief explores these new changes and potential impacts.
Policy Brief: USCIS’s Unlawful Asylum Dismissals Increase Government Inefficiency and Harm Asylum Seekers
The Trump Administration is unlawfully fast-tracking deportations for certain asylum seekers, using expedited removal (ER) against people DHS previously admitted on valid visas or paroled into the U.S., despite the ER statute not applying to them, which was confirmed in a recent court ruling.
Policy Brief: ICE Arrests at USCIS Field Offices Undermine U.S. Immigration Processes
AILA members reported instances of ICE arrests of individuals attending immigration interviews at USCIS field offices. This brief summarizes the key takeaways from the reports and policy implications.
Policy Brief: ICE Arrests at Immigration Courts
AILA members reported widespread instances of ICE Enforcement and ERO agents appearing at immigration courts to detain individuals following the dismissal of their case. This brief summarizes the key takeaways from the reports of AILA members and the broader policy implications.
Policy Brief: ICE Plan to Detain Most Undocumented Noncitizens Would Deprive Millions of Liberty and Undermine Immigration Courts’ Authority
On July 8, ICE issued an internal memo updating its legal position on bond jurisdiction for individuals who entered the United States without inspection. This policy brief reviews the updates and impacts of that change.
Policy Brief: Denaturalization and the Administration’s Targeting of U.S. Citizens
On June 11, 2025, DOJ issued a memorandum that included denaturalization as a top enforcement priority for its civil division. This policy brief analyzes the implications of that memorandum and recent statements by the President that point to the expansion and weaponization of denaturalization.
Policy Brief: The Dignity Act of 2025
On July 15, Congresswomen Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and 18 other House members introduced an updated version of the “Dignity Act.” This brief provides an analysis of key parts of the bill.
Policy Brief: Shuttering the CIS Ombudsman Closes the Door on Oversight and Accountability for USCIS
On March 21, 2025, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) received orders to cease operations. Read AILA’s analysis of this statutorily mandated agency’s work and why its suspension matters.
Policy Brief: Six Ways the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill Undermines a Functional Immigration System
This brief focuses on the bill’s proposed fees that will undermine the immigration system, erect severe barriers to congressionally enacted legal pathways, and harm American businesses and communities in the process.
Policy Brief: The Scope of Immigration Enforcement Actions Against International Students
Policy brief dives into the data to paint a picture of the of the arbitrary nature of these visa revocations and SEVIS terminations.
Policy Brief: Immigration Enforcement Actions Against International Students
This policy brief explains how student visas differ from other nonimmigrant visa types, explores the legal pathways to revoking and terminating a student visa, and explains the due process protections that are available.
Policy Brief: The Alien Enemies Act
Read AILA's analysis of the Trump administration's recent use of the wartime authority, the Alien Enemies Act (AEA). This archaic authority was recently used to remove hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador without prior notice or due process.
Policy Brief: Explaining the Foreign Policy Ground of Removability
The federal government’s arrest and detention of a Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, has put a national spotlight on an obscure provision of immigration law. This policy brief explains this law and the constitutional and statutory concerns with the government’s actions against Khalil.
Policy Brief: The Trump Administration's Assault on Immigration Courts
Analysis of the recent updates from the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) on how new policies and agency terminations will impact removal proceedings.
Policy Brief: Trump Administration Day One Executive Orders
AILA National provides summaries and analysis of each of President Trump's executive orders that impact the practice of immigration law. For questions, please contact Greg Chen gchen@aila.org or Shev Dalal-Dheini SDalal-Dheini@aila.org.
Policy Brief: Analysis of Proclamation and Interim Final Rule on “Securing the Border”
President Biden signed a proclamation, and the Administration issued an Interim Final Rule as well as a Final Rule, “Securing the Border,” relying in part on the authority in INA 212(f) that will effectively bar access to asylum for most people arriving between ports of entry when in effect.
Policy Brief: Ending the Reign of Lozada and Removing Barriers to Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims in Immigration Law
People rely on attorneys during stressful times, and ineffective assistance of counsel can have severe consequences. AILA provides a policy brief on how the Lozada standard burdens immigrants and attorneys in their effort to pursue justice when IAC occurs in removal proceedings.
Policy Brief: Presidential Authority to Block or Expel Migrants
President Biden is considering restricting the number of migrants who can enter the United States and barring asylum seekers for extended periods. AILA would oppose this policy if it prevents asylum seekers from receiving fair and accurate consideration of their requests for asylum.
Policy Brief: Solutions for the Border and America's Immigration System
AILA presents solutions to Congress and the President to address the border and modernize America’s immigration system. With the dramatic shifts in worldwide migration sustained action is needed at the U.S. southern border to ensure the fair, fast, and orderly processing of arriving migrants.
Policy Brief: Breaking Down Walls - The Status of AILA’s Customer Service Recommendations
In February 2021, AILA highlighted a shift away from USCIS's mission, affecting customer service. It proposed nine improvements for USCIS and three for Congress to enhance accountability. Despite progress, challenges remain, with AILA urging further action to ensure better service and efficiency.
Policy Brief: AILA Analysis of the Border and Immigration Provisions of the “Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024”
With unprecedented levels of global migration and an outdated U.S. immigration system pushing more migrants to the southern border, solutions are urgently needed. The Senate’s emergency spending bill includes the most extensive border funding and security measures proposed in decades, perhaps ever.
Policy Brief: Why Limiting or Removing Parole Is Disastrous for Border Management
AILA provides a policy brief explaining why legislating away or limiting the authority to grant parole would needlessly strain the United States’ resources at the southern border and undermine efforts to manage it.