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
H-4 Work Permits: A Feminist Perspective
Sandra Feist, member of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, highlights the challenges facing H-4 spouses as the administration threatens to take away their work permits and urges Congress to “provide a path for H-4 spouses to fully participate in and contribute to their communities.“
Deal or No Deal, We Stand With the Dreamers
AILA National Treasurer Allen Orr describes the current efforts to protect Dreamers and urges the administration to get behind legislation with bipartisan support that makes sense both fiscally and morally, rather than forcing a stalemate that could result in the deportation of Dreamers.
Closed for Business
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Matt Maiona takes a look at the already marked demand for H-2B visas and the potential impact on American employers and the economy when these key seasonal positions aren't filled.
“I-Squared,” Not RAISE, Would Lift America Up
In this blog post, AILA Director of Government Relations Betsy Lawrence breaks down the provisions of the Immigration Innovation or I-Squared Act introduced by Senators Hatch and Flake and describes what the bill's provisions would do to boost U.S. businesses and the American economy.
People Are Stepping Up to Help with DACA Fees
In this blog post, AILA member Kara Lynum shares how the public is supporting DACA recipients by covering the filing fee for renewal applications, highlighting the recent example of an impromptu campaign that has brought in more than $23,000 thus far to hep Dreamers in Minnesota.
Family Matters – Love, Support and Entrepreneurship
In this blog post, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish describes the reality of our family-based immigration system, writing that “as a cornerstone of American history and American values, family-based immigration can and must be protected, not derided with lies.“
The Doctor is In, Let’s Not Send Her Out
AILA Second Vice President Jennifer Minear reflects on the “vital and sustained contributions that immigrants are making to our society on a daily basis“ in the healthcare field, and the potential impact of anti-immigrant policies on medically underserved populations in the U.S.
The Latest in Fearmongering
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Matt Maiona analyzes a questionable government report intended to incite fear of immigrants, writing “Now more than ever, we must stand-up for our core American values which are under attack. That's what you, and all of us, should really be afraid of.“
The Current Status of DACA
Alma Rosa Nieto, vice chair of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, reflects on the current status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative and highlights two DACA recipients in particular who exemplify why these young people should be permanently protected with the Dream Act.
Ban the Burnout
In this blog post, Reid Trautz, director of AILA's Practice and Professionalism Center, highlights some key ways to reduce the risk of burnout in an incredibly busy “new normal“ that immigration attorneys and their firms are facing.
Finding Heroes
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Mo Goldman highlights the recent lawsuit by WA AG Ferguson against Motel 6 for violating state consumer protection laws by sharing guest data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when ICE had no warrant to gather the information.
From DC to Dilley – One Volunteer’s Firsthand Experience
In this blog post, Immigration Justice Campaign Director Karen Lucas interviews recent family detention volunteer McKayla Eskilson about her experience, the work the project is doing, and the impact she had during her week at Dilley helping asylum seeking moms and kids incarcerated in the facility.
Top 10 AILA Videos and Blog Posts of 2017
A quick recap of the most viewed videos and most read blog posts this year, covering a variety of topics from H-1Bs to MAVNI to the latest travel ban updates and more. There is truly something for everyone; take a look at these resources as you reflect on 2017.
Story of a Dreamer Sparks Generosity
AILA Secretary Jeremy McKinney writes about how sharing client stories with the press and public can make a difference and highlights one recent example when a profile of a Dreamer unexpectedly sparked the generosity of a donor.
Living Courage
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson reflects on 2017, highlighting the courage of Dreamers and the work of AILA members as inspirations for 2018 when he'll “be looking to all of you to be fearless, steadfast, and courageous. Because next year and every year, #AILAStandsWithImmigrants.“
Helping Daisy
AILA member Rebecca Minahan shares how she helped one young family at the Dilley detention facility through the credible fear process, writing that while she “would most likely never learn of their fate,“ she “felt honored to have been a part of their lives if only for a very short time.“
Combatting a War on the Christmas Spirit
The holidays are here, which supposedly make up the most wonderful time of the year. This year, the president has thrown in with Christmas in a big way, claiming that he has brought Christmas back and it's “bigger and better than ever.“ I'm not sure it was missing necessarily, but an emphasis
Lawyering in an Ever-Changing Landscape
With the Trump administration making clear that it is taking aim at immigration and immigrants, and the lawyers that help them access due process, we practitioners find ourselves in a period of great uncertainty. We are facing an administration that is making changes to the way that immigration law
Hardline Immigration Policies Keep Running into Legal Trouble
On November 20, 2017, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, issued a nationwide permanent injunction blocking the federal government's attempt to strip so-called “sanctuary cities“ of federal funding. Judge William Orrick ruled the executive order unconstitu
Momentum Builds Among Republicans for Dreamer Fix Before the Holidays
Dreamers are emblematic of America's promise and our future. Yet as each day passes, they become more vulnerable to deportation. They have been fighting to protect their future for a long time, and with renewed urgency since the administration pulled the DACA rug out from under them. But they aren't
High-Skilled Immigration in a Time of High Uncertainty
For decades, business immigration law, and high-skilled business immigration in particular, was something of a transactional practice. There was little debate that our country benefits when American employers have access to the world's best and brightest talent, and while there were difficult cases
When Law Professors Attack: Four False Assumptions in the WSJ Op-Ed
Apparently, it is now fashionable to blame immigration lawyers for the ills of the U.S. immigration system. It started in October when Attorney General Jeff Sessions, railed against the “dirty immigration lawyers,“ baselessly charging that they are exploiting loopholes (also known as “the law&
Two Business Immigration Lawyers in “Baby Jail”: A Report from Dilley
“I can barely handle being a prisoner here….“
Gratitude for America and the Hands that Built it
Thinking back on Thanksgiving from when I was a child, I remember being told by my parents and teachers to be grateful for what I had, including living in the United States. But as a kid, the meaning of “how lucky I was to live in the U.S.“ wasn't easy to comprehend. Of course, I […]
Sounding the Alarm on State Department Staffing
The president of the American Foreign Service Association, Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, has sounded the alarm over what she describes as an effort by the Trump administration to weaken the Department of State (DOS) by slashing staffing, leaving senior management positions unfilled, and freezing hi