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
We Know Litigation Works, But How Do You Get Started?
In this blog post, expert litigator and past AILA president Ron Klasko gives a few examples of cases that could benefit from litigation, and highlights the upcoming Federal Court Conference as a chance to learn skills to help your clients.
Recognizing Dale Schwartz, Rest in Power
AILA pays tribute to the career and impact of Dale Schwartz, past president of AILA with two videos from Allen Orr and Greg Siskind who share insights as they reflect on his life and legacy.
Beyond Borders: Protecting and Preserving Indigenous Rights
In this blog post, AILA member Danielle Molliver shares her insights as both a Lumbee tribe member and a practicing immigration attorney as we recognize the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
Trusted Traveler Program Fumbles
In this blog post, AILA member John Manley describes the benefits of Trusted Traveler programs but also the distress when such status is revoked and the lack of transparency as to how those revocations can be redressed, offering a few ideas of changes CBP could make to improve the programs.
Congress Must Work Together to Pass the New Startup Visa
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair and business immigration expert Fiona McEntee shares information about the recently introduced LIKE Act and how a startup visa would make a tremendous difference to our economy and the entrepreneurs offered a path to America
What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?
In this blog post, AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares some insights into answering the question “What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do“ and how to describe your work as an immigration attorney to those not in the field.
Biden Must Quickly Protect Those Who Risked Their Lives for Our Soldiers in Afghanistan
In this blog post, AILA Board of Governors member Ally Bolour highlights the urgent need for the Biden administration to recognize that those who helped our troops in Afghanistan need to be protected and evacuated to safety immediately.
How the State Department Can Help Businesses Bounce Back from COVID-19
AILA member Brent Renison shares the example of a business client negatively impacted by State Department policies and regional travel bans and highlights the straightforward solutions recommended by AILA to help businesses bounce back from the pandemic.
Takeaways from Johnson v. Guzman Chavez
In this blog post, AILA President-elect Jeremy McKinney highlights the recent Supreme Court decision in Johnson v. Guzman Chavez, which he writes offers a takeaway “for practitioners is to push back when an agency employs Auer or Chevron deference as a shield protecting its faulty administrative dec
Trapped in the U.S. or Trapped Abroad – Havoc Caused by Regional Bans Continues
Matt Maiona highlights the impact of the existing regional travel bans, using one of his clients' situation and urges people take action and tell the Biden administration to end the bans, as well as making additional changes to allow the Department of State to address the backlog and delays in proce
Litigation and Liaison Work Hand in Hand to Good Effect
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson highlights how litigation with the American Immigration Council combined with liaison efforts led to USCIS accepting FY2021 H-1B cap-subject petitions rejected or closed solely because the petitioner requested a start date after October 1, 2021.
Immigration Law, Family, and Pride Month
In this blog post, AILA President Allen Orr posed some questions to Jennifer Yeaw, a member of the Diversity & Inclusion committee about Pride month and how immigration law and policies have gradually grown more inclusive to LGBTQIA+ families, but there's still a long way to go.
Welcoming Juneteenth
In this blog post, AILA member Yasmin Blackburn welcomes the federal recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday and urges us to use the day to reflect, research, and learn about America's history and to take action to ensure a more just future.
Recognizing the Impact of Fathers and Father Figures
In recognition of Father's Day, we asked AILA members to share how something their dad did or said helped them choose immigration law as a profession; read these five inspiring and heartfelt examples.
Reflections on the Life and Impact of the Late Judge Robert Katzmann
In this video blog post, Cyrus Mehta reflects on the life and impact of the late Judge Robert Katzmann, explaining how he was the impetus for projects to help immigrants receive legal representation that affected so many families and individuals.
Nine Years Later…DACA is Not Enough
Mo Goldman shares the example of his client to explain that DACA isn't enough and Congress needs to act because “A year from now, we should not be celebrating the ten-year anniversary of DACA“ but instead “the first months of a path to citizenship for these deserving individuals.“
A Transformative Year Ahead
Allen Orr, newly installed AILA President for the 2021-22 term, shares his story and his vision for a transformative year ahead in this transcript of the installation speech he gave on June 10, 2021 during AILA's Annual Conference.
Negligence and Mayhem – We Need to Phase Out the Use of Migrant Detention
In this blog post, Sarah Owings shares the realities of what immigration detainees face and why she wants “you to push for fair and humane ways to process people's' immigration paperwork, outside of detention“ so the detention machine can be shut down entirely.
The Mixed Messages and Missed Opportunities in Biden’s FY 22 Budget
In this blog post, AILA Government Relations Directors Gregory Chen and Sharvari Dalal-Dheini highlight the mixed messages and missed opportunities on immigration issues in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget released by President Biden.
When Clients Die – How COVID-19 Has Affected Me and How I Am Learning to Cope
In this blog post, AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares his experiences learning to cope as clients are taken by COVID-19 and ways he has learned to try and maintain balance in this extremely difficult time.
What President Biden’s Budget Should Say on Immigration
AILA's Government Relations directors Greg Chen and Shev Dalal-Dheini lay out what President Biden's budget for FY22 should have in it on immigration issues, flagging detention, representation, immigration courts, USCIS, and the State Department as areas ripe for necessary reform.
America Closed for Immigration: The COVID-19 Visa Backlog
AILA member Dominique Pando Bucci digs into the data, showing the massive increases in backlogged visa issuances and highlights six ways attorneys can help their clients, as well as how and why the Biden administration needs to take action.
Lingering Trump Policy Changes Continue Harming Trafficking Survivors
Corie O'Rourke, Cory Sagduyu, and Katherine Soltis reflect on their article in the Spring 2021 edition of the AILA Law Journal focused on USCIS's misinterpretation of the T visa's physical presence requirement and why the policy changes must be reversed so trafficking survivors can be protected.
Climate Refugees Are Here
AILA member Christine Popp shares more about her recent article in the AILA Law Journal on climate refugees, explaining how she became interested in the intersection of immigration/ asylum law and climate change realities and what she hopes her article offers for practitioners.
Adjectives Matter: What Does “Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship” Mean?
AILA Member Eva Loney writes about the importance of adjectives in immigration law, specifically what “exceptional“ and “extremely unusual“ mean when considered in a removal case, highlighting why her article on the topic in the Spring AILA Law Journal was important to share.