Blog: Think Immigration
We believe that immigration law is an integral part of America’s past, present and future. We also know that immigration law is complicated. Here you’ll find experts writing in an accessible way about immigration issues, from big, broad ideas down to specific cases. Our members bring knowledge they’ve gleaned from the daily practice of immigration law to this space and offer their expertise to readers.
Browse the Blog: Think Immigration collection
Think Immigration: When the State Department’s Human Rights Reports Become Political Tools
AILA DOS Committee Member Daniel Parisi describes changes to State Department reports on human rights, and how "the consequences are troubling: if country-condition evidence becomes less complete, the factual basis of asylum, withholding, CAT, and humanitarian-based applications may be undermined."
Think Immigration: Enhancing Justice: The Crucial Role of the Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act
AILA Practice and Policy Counsel Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres details the recently introduced Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act and how the bill "is a crucial step towards a fairer and more just immigration court system."
Think Immigration: Immigrants and Immigration Attorneys Add to the Tapestry that is the “All-American Story”
In this blog post, AILA member Angelo Paparelli describes the multimedia “All-American Story” launching on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2025 and invites immigrants and immigration attorneys to add to the tapestry; the post includes an embedded video interview with producer Amy Friedman.
Think Immigration: How Artificial Intelligence May Be Failing Us
As part of our efforts to amplify the AILA Law Journal, Delaram Rezaeikhonakdar and Craig Shagin put their article about the importance of public scrutiny and review of AI in immigration enforcement into context, sharing more about why they felt this topic was both timely and important.
Think Immigration: Birthright Citizenship – America’s Legacy
AILA Member Gunda Brost describes America’s guarantee of birthright citizenship, writing that it “embodies American ideals of equality and opportunity, ensuring that all born here share in the nation’s promise regardless of ancestry.”
Staying Brave is Hard for Immigrants and Attorneys Alike
AILA Elected Director Heather Prendergast describes a recent consultation that deeply affected her as a young Venezuelan couple faces detention and removal after a routine traffic stop upended their lives.
Think Immigration: Saving America – One Immigrant at a Time
AILA Member Vaman Kidambi describes the September 30 decision by District Court Judge William Young protecting the free speech rights of international students and scholars under the Constitution, noting that the judge is a “gladiator of sorts for first amendment protections.”
Think Immigration: What’s New In Your AILA Law Journal?
As part of our efforts to amplify the AILA Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief Cyrus Mehta shares highlights as he describes the key topics from articles published in the newly released Fall 2025 issue of the AILA Law Journal. AILA members, access your free digital copy of the Law Journal to read more!
Think Immigration: Protect Due Process for Immigrants who Cannot Represent Themselves in Court: It Just Makes Cents
AILA Member Michael Vastine describes the Administration's efforts to de-fund the National Qualified Representative Program - providing legal counsel to detained immigrants who cannot competently represent themselves - and the need to permanently protect this efficient and proven program.
Think Immigration: AILA Celebrates Pro Bono Week 2025
In celebration of Pro Bono Week 2025, AILA Pro Bono Committee Vice Chair Nareeneh Sohbatian talks about the committee's efforts to uplift pro bono work year-round.
Think Immigration: Our Immigration “Courts” Need a New Boss
AILA Past President Jeremy McKinney writes for the Think Immigration blog on the need for an independent immigration court system: “Put immigration adjudication where it belongs: under an independent Article I court, led by judges whose duty is to the law—not to a political boss.”
Think Immigration: The BIA Gives Immigration Judges License to Ignore Party Stipulations
AILA National EOIR Committee member Victoria Neilson writes for the Think Immigration blog about Matter of J-H-M-H-, the latest BIA decision that continues a trend of eliminating rights before EOIR.
Think Immigration: Call to Action During the 2025 National Celebration of Pro Bono
AILA Practice and Innovation Associate Camille Rybacki Koch offers a preview of AILA's participation in the 2025 National Celebration of Pro Bono next week, writing "we have a variety of stories, inspirational messages, tips and tricks, and opportunities to keep you going or get you started."
Think Immigration: AILA’s Citizenship Day in Chicago: Uplifting Communities in a Time of Adversity
In this blog post, AILA Chicago Chapter Citizenship Day Coordinator Megan Davis describes how the Chicago Chapter partnered with community organizations and held a successful and inspiring AILA Citizenship Day, helping people take those final steps toward naturalization.
Think Immigration: How AILA Helps Members Create Sustainable and Client-Focused Immigration Law Practices
AILA Practice and Ethics Counsel Charity Anastasio shares some key indicators from the AILA Practice Pulse study, which “offers a compelling look at how lawyers who understand themselves and their businesses are better equipped to serve their clients and communities.”
Think Immigration: Zealously Representing Clients in the Face of Trump Administration Attacks
AILA Past President Kathleen Campbell Walker describes how the Trump Administration's rapid changes to immigration agency policies, such as arming USCIS agents, combined with "eviscerating existing long-established uses of discretion based on regulations" affect immigration attorneys.
Think Immigration: Excluding International Students Hurts Agency Efficiency and the National Economy
AILA Policy and Practice Associate Mariah Ferguson details how the changes to policies affecting international students will not only affect the students themselves, but also agency efficiency, institutions of higher education, American students, and the national economy as well.
Think Immigration: Lighting the Path to Citizenship: AILA’s 20th Annual Citizenship Day
AILA Grassroots Advocacy Associate Paul Rampersaud highlights the 20-year history of AILA Citizenship Day and the ways our members have helped change lives and foster community through this important and inspiring pro bono effort. There is still time to get involved, find out how in this blog post.
Think Immigration: Citizenship as a Weapon: Is Denaturalization an Increasing Threat?
Gunda Brost, Past Chair of the AILA IA-NE Chapter, describes how citizenship and denaturalization have been used by nations over human history and what the new actions around denaturalization efforts by the Trump Administration might presage.
Think Immigration: How to Supercharge your Intake Interviews with an AI Tag Team
AILA member Jared Jaskot describes how he uses AI during an initial review for asylum seekers, allowing the attorney to dig in to see what might have been missed and ensure a more efficient process. His template could be modified to help with other areas of immigration law.
Think Immigration: DC Court Holds Firm Against Trump Attempt to Use 212(f) to End Asylum at Border
In this blog post, Miroslava Becerra Garcia and Amy Grenier dig in to the recent ruling in RAICES v. Noem in the D.C. District Court which found that the Administration did not have the right to suspend the entry of noncitizens at the U.S. Border which would have prevented claims of asylum.
Think Immigration: How Pro Bono Cases Change Lives
In this blog post, AILA member Nikki Esposito Whetstone shares three unique examples of AILA members’ pro bono work that changed the lives of clients, and the attorney members who were able to use their legal expertise and “skills in service of those with nowhere else to turn.”
Think Immigration: The O-1 Visa – Building an Extraordinary Ability Case in Today’s Climate
In this blog post, AILA member Muhammed Üzüm details the O-1 visa which “remains one of the most powerful yet misunderstood pathways available to individuals with extraordinary ability” and the importance of “crafting cohesive narratives where every document supports the case’s core message.”
Think Immigration: Straight From the Horse’s Mouth – An AI Experiment That You Can Absolutely Rely Upon
As AI proliferates, AILA member Vaman Kidambi asks ChatGPT itself to describe why it can serve as a tool for research but that, “No AI model, no matter how advanced, can accurately predict decisions in this environment without oversimplifying or missing critical human and legal context.”
Think Immigration: The Fourteenth Amendment Survives in 22 States: Trump v. CASA, Inc. Call to Action!
Jeremy L. McKinney, Rekha Sharma-Crawford, and Brian S. Green team up on this blog post detailing what the SCOTUS decision on universal injunctions means for the fight to preserve birthright citizenship.