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
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.
Iranians Forced Into Military Service Face Immigration Blockade
AILA member Scott Emerick details litigation recently filed to ensure Iranian nationals forced to serve in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps aren't harmed by the U.S. government's decision to retroactively name it a terrorist organization.
Stand with Asians, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Against this Rising Tide of Hate
In this blog post, AILA Media Advocacy Committee Vice Chair Evangeline Chan shares her personal experience and provides insights into ways we can stand together against anti-AANHPI hate, writing “By standing together, we can root out racial injustice and create a truly inclusive society.“
Wanted: A Fierce Advocate for Immigrant Rights!
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair Fiona McEntee shares what a “want ad“ for a fierce immigration law advocate in the Biden administration might look like, modeled after the song in Mary Poppins listing the specific qualities being sought for an extremely important position.
Helping Asylees Find Welcome
In this blog post, AILA Law Journal authors Ben Levey and Rachel Zoghlin of HIAS share how they came to write about the reasons why asylees aren't accessing benefits they are eligible for, and policy recommendations to effect change and help clients.
Coercive Population Control and Immigration Law
AILA member Sylvia Miller shares insights into why she wrote for the Spring 2021 edition of the AILA Law Journal, “Ultimately my hope is that this article helps continue and broaden conversations, both within the legal community and between attorneys and our clients“ about coercive population
The Arab American Struggle for an Inclusive Immigration System
AILA member and Executive Director of NIPNLG Sirine Shebaya writes for Think Immigration about how we must ensure administrations “understand the complexity and diversity of our Arab American community and uphold our values of compassion and respect for everyone's rights in both word and policy.R
Why Are AILA Members “Coming” to Virtual National Day of Action?
As AILA members prep for a busy day of online meetings with congressional offices, some of the more than 700 AILA members joining us for NDA virtually shared their perspective about what Congress needs to do.
1-2% of People are Autistic – How That Affects Your Practice
In this piece, part of the Diversity & Inclusion blog post series, AILA member Beckie Moriello shares their insights from personal and professional experience about why autism acceptance matters, writing, “We're used to keeping an open mind. Let's keep opening it more and more.“
Domestic Terrorism: Revisiting the War on Terror and its Impact on BIPOC Communities
In this piece, part of the Diversity & Inclusion blog post series, AILA member Leila Sayed-Taha shares insights about why “one must take a nuanced position when understanding the relationship between the term ‘domestic terrorism' and the enactment of oppressive policies against communities of color&
Rejected Applications and Petitions Leave Lives in Limbo
Jonathan Valdez, a member of AILA's Government Relations team, highlights the recent rejections and delays at USCIS that leave applicants in limbo and cause real hardship in what should be a seamless process., urging USCIS take action to get things right.
Climbing the Virtual Hill
AILA Policy Counsel Jen Whitlock describes why and how AILA members can use opportunities like the upcoming virtual National Day of Action to urge Congress toward curbing and eventually ending inhumane and wasteful immigration detention in favor of proven community-based systems.
Immigration Attorneys on the Front Lines in Defending Democracy: Soul of America Film Screening and Discussion
Olivia Lee, chair of AILA's Diversity & Inclusion Committee highlights an upcoming opportunity for AILA members to screen the HBO documentary “The Soul of America“ and join the panel discussion on “Immigration Attorneys on the Frontlines in Defending Democracy“ on April 7.
What if I Told You Immigration Detention Was Unnecessary?
Deputy Director of the Immigration Justice Campaign Jennie Guilfoyle highlights a recent factsheet affirming the effectiveness and efficiency of alternatives to detention and why we need to phase out immigration detention.
Employment Without Authorization — ‘Cause I Don’t Need It
AILA members Mark Prada and Michelle Canero share their insights into when work authorization isn't actually required and the impact that litigation can have on your client's efforts to adjust their status.
The Xenophobic Irrational Trump Entry Bans Should ALL Be Gone By Now, They Aren’t
California-based AILA member Alexander Carl highlights how the Biden administration is making it incredibly difficult if not impossible for job creators to come to the U.S. by extending bans and making getting exceptions incredibly difficult, contravening the intent of Congress.
Engaging with Congress (Virtually) is Vital to Pass Long Overdue Immigration Reform
AILA Grassroots Advocacy Associate Melina Roche highlights some of AILA's advocacy priorities heading into our first ever all-virtual National Day of Action April 22 and how you can take action as an AILA member or client.
Women and Burnout
In this post, part of the Diversity & Inclusion blog post series, Laura F. Kelley shares insights into the legal profession's gender disparities and the need to come together on International Women's Day and every day to address the disparities and the harm they cause.
Why We Need to Recognize Black History Every Month
AILA member Yasmin Blackburn, who chairs the CT chapter's Diversity & Inclusion Committee, shares her life experience and why Black History recognition should not be limited to one month a year but celebrated year-round.
The Importance of HBCUs – An Immigration Lawyer’s Perspective
As part of the Diversity & Inclusion blog post series, Christine Alden shares her personal experience as a student and graduate of an HBCU, along with some of the history around her alma mater, the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.
Powering Prosperity under a New Administration, in a Still Distanced World
AILA member Ruth McChesney offers some useful tips about how she regularly reviews financial information to inform her understanding of her firm's productivity and previews the practice management track at the upcoming AILA MidWinter Conference