Immigration law is an integral part of America’s past, present, and future.

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.

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AILA Blog

Think Immigration: What My Firsthand Experience with Asylum Seekers Taught Me

As part of our DEI Scholarship winner series, Estefani Munive shares her personal experience working with asylum seekers and their need to not just have legal representation, but also more holistic services because of the trauma and harm they have endured.

12/10/24 AILA Doc. No. 24121005. Asylum
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: When Irish Eyes are Crying - Remembering our Beloved Immigration Advocate Billy Lawless

AILA Chicago member Fiona McEntee shares a remembrance of immigration activist Billy Lawless, writing that “Billy’s work reaches far beyond Chicago and Ireland. It touches every individual he fought for and every community he strengthened.”

12/4/24 AILA Doc. No. 24120403.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Understanding EU Immigration law and the Latest on the Schengen Visa Scheme

AILA Law Journal author Yuu Shibata shares insights into the “complexity of EU immigration law and policy, which operates at both the supranational and intergovernmental levels” in this blog post, which builds on her article in the law journal.

AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Making Connections through AILA’s Interest Groups

Karen Hill from AILA’s Member Experience Committee encourages AILA members to join Interest Groups, writing that Interest Groups have helped her with “friendships, mentorships, successful lawyering and business-building.”

11/25/24 AILA Doc. No. 24112507.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: A New Resource for Effective Immigration Court Advocacy

In this blog post, authors Michelle Méndez and Victoria Neilson discuss AILA’s newest book on trial skills and how it can help lawyers prepare and succeed in immigration court proceedings.

11/21/24 AILA Doc. No. 24112100. Removal & Relief
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Children Should Not Face Immigration Court Alone

AILA Law Student Member Magdalena López Murphy explains the high stakes for children facing removal or deportation proceedings and the bipartisan effort to establish a children’s court within EOIR to ensure children have fair access to protections and obtain legal representation.

11/19/24 Removal & Relief
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Immigration Lawyers Need to Keep Pointing Out Things that “Make No Sense”

As part of our AILA Law Journal amplification series, Craig Shagin and Maria (Mia) Vejarano share insights into the three specific issues they chose to highlight for their article “This Makes No Sense.” AILA members, don’t forget to download your free digital copy of the law journal.

11/13/24 AILA Doc. No. 24111304. Adjustment of Status, Humanitarian Parole, Waivers
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: What’s Changed in Immigration Law over the Last Two Years? What Hasn’t!

In this blog post, AILA member Elizabeth Montano details some of the many changes to immigration law and policy over the last two years as she explains why she turns to Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook for the comprehensive resource she needs to serve her clients.

AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Getting Back to Basics - How to Improve the Entire Immigration System

AILA Law Journal Editor-in-Chief Cyrus Mehta previews the fall edition writing, “Our immigration laws will not get better unless we continue to advocate and share our expertise about how our existing system’s weaknesses harm America.”

AILA Blog

Think Immigration: The Most Powerful Immigration Practice Tool – U.S. District Court Litigation

In this blog post, Brian Green explains why he believes “There has never been a better time to challenge unreasonable denials issued by USCIS and other federal agencies” and how the federal court litigation online course can set you and your clients, up for success.

AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Don’t Fall for It! Avoiding Immigration Scams

In this blog post, Reid Trautz and Camille Rybacki Koch from AILA’s Practice and Professionalism Center describe some common immigration scams and ways to protect yourself, linking to helpful resources offered by trusted sources to help you avoid those seeking to take advantage.

10/24/24 AILA Doc. No. 24102403.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: From Adversity to Advocacy - The Power of the Immigrant Experience

AILA DEI Scholarship recipient Maryam Soroush advocates for immigration law reform, writing “how much better off would we be if Congress were to fully reform the system to address the country’s workforce needs today and make it adaptable to address future opportunities as well?”

10/15/24 AILA Doc. No. 24101506.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Why Do You Need an Immigration Attorney?

In this blog post, AILA New England chapter chair Mitch Montgomery compiled insights from several law student interns answering the important question: Why Do You Need an Immigration Attorney?

10/8/24 AILA Doc. No. 24100800.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: How the New D3 Waiver Guidance Is Unlocking Opportunities for Dreamers in the Workforce

AILA Members Krsna Avila, Dan Berger, and Stephen Yale-Loehr share two “D3 waiver” success stories and highlight the Cornell Law School effort to advise eligible clients and track progress under the updated guidance issued by the Biden Administration earlier in the summer.

10/3/24 AILA Doc. No. 24100300. Students & Schools, Waivers
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Rules on Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers Must Be Revisited

AILA Member John Daniels explains why USCIS should revisit the provisional unlawful presence waiver process. The current rule, among other things, leaves applicants without work authorization with backlogs stretching to nearly four years, needlessly harming American families.

10/1/24 AILA Doc. No. 24093004. Provisional Waivers, Waivers
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Top 10 Things to Consider When Applying for a United States Nonimmigrant Tourist Visa

AILA Affiliated Paralegal Kathryn Bouchard describes some key things to keep in mind if someone is planning a visit to the United States for tourism in this useful Top Ten list, highlighting some important U.S. government resources for applicants to read through along the way.

9/26/24 AILA Doc. No. 24092503. Admissions & Border
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: It’s a New Era – Jump in and #GOTV

AILA Past President and member of the AILA's SCOPE Committee William (Bill) Stock describes a recent get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort led by the Philadelphia Chapter, with members nationwide participating. He urges you to get involved either in person or virtually this election cycle.

9/24/24 AILA Doc. No. 24092402.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Breaking Down Barriers - Improving Asylum Laws for Queer Migrants

AILA DEI Scholarship Award winner Abby Leigh advocates for changes to asylum law, describing reforms necessary in order to “offer LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers a meaningful chance to claim protection and live up to America’s promise of safety for those fleeing persecution.

9/18/24 Asylum
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: BIA Hands Immigration Judges the Whiteout to “Fix” Defective NTAs

AILA Past President Jeremy McKinney writes about the BIA decision in Matter of R- T- P- allowing immigration judges to “cure” defective NTAs, making them an agent of the prosecutors. This is the latest sign that an independent immigration court is necessary to ensure justice and due process.

9/12/24 AILA Doc. No. 24091201. Removal & Relief
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: From “Alien” to “Noncitizen”: The Subtle Power of Language in U.S. Appellate Courts

AILA Law Student Member Bill De La Rosa and co-author Zachary Neilson-Papish share new research examining how terms like “alien” and “noncitizen” have been used in U.S. courts of appeal in an effort to “gain insights into potential biases and work toward a more equitable legal system.”

9/10/24 AILA Doc. No. 24091007. Asylum, Removal & Relief
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: I Wish People Understood How Immigration Status Isn’t “Fixed”

AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Annie Wang shares her insights and personal story when it comes to immigration status not being “fixed” or static, writing that it “can change dramatically; it isn’t as though someone’s status is immutable or set in stone.”

9/5/24 AILA Doc. No. 24090537.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Immigration Is the Solution, Not the Problem

AILA member Ava Morgenstern digs into the numbers to show how we need to ignore the election year rhetoric and focus on how immigration is what the U.S. workforce needs, writing “Our biggest population challenge is not growth (whether birth or immigration), but aging.”

8/29/24 AILA Doc. No. 24082903.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Embracing Diversity - Navigating Cultural Nuances in Immigration Law

Part of our series by DEI Scholarship winners, in this blog post author Jacqueline Abraham shares what shaped her understanding of how, “embracing diversity is not only essential in navigating cultural nuances in immigration law but also fundamental to the principles of justice and equality.”

8/27/24 AILA Doc. No. 24082606.
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: First Circuit Decision on “Climate Refugees” Must Not Discourage Advocates’ Efforts to Help

In this blog post, IRAP senior attorney and AILA member José G. Miranda details how, despite a recent federal court setback, advocates can continue to work to expand policy and legal frameworks to protect climate-displaced individuals.

8/20/24 AILA Doc. No. 24082000. Asylum
AILA Blog

Think Immigration: Give a Day, Get the Chance to Change Lives in Your Community on AILA Citizenship Day

Adonia Simpson and Caroline van der Harten offer insights into how unique AILA Citizenship Day is and how participating in this effort allows AILA members to share a few hours of legal expertise in a way that truly changes lives as people take the final steps toward citizenship.

8/13/24 AILA Doc. No. 24081302. Naturalization & Citizenship