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
The Impact of Inaction on American Children
America is a nation of immigrants, and Congress has the critical job of making sure U.S. immigration laws are up to par. Yet, decade after decade, we are left with legislative scraps and executive orders on how to deal with the immigration system. That lack of concrete, comprehensive action directly
Defend, Don’t Target, the Vulnerable
On Christmas Eve, news leaked that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was going to begin raids to round up and deport Central American families. Over the holiday week, stakeholders, legislators, community leaders, and advocates pushed back hard on these planned raids and begged the Obama Admi
DHS Rule For Highly Skilled Immigrants: Helpful, But Timid
Yesterday morning began with a panicked message from a software engineer employed by one of my corporate clients. The engineer had “ported“ his green card application, joining my client after having been sponsored by a prior employer for permanent residence. The company was happy he had join
STEM OPT Rule: Coming, But Likely Delayed (Still Not Time To Panic, Though)
Back in October, I predicted that technology companies, universities, and foreign students would have to wait past a court-imposed February 12, 2016 deadline for a new rule that would continue the “STEM OPT Extension“ part of the Optional Practical Training Program. In order to meet the court
Ineffective and Discriminatory is not a Winning Combination
At the time of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, I was a teenager, completely unfazed by the events unfolding. My brother and I were both going to school in the U.K. and my older sister had already immigrated to the U.S. When the revolution peaked in late 1978, my parents were visiting my sister in Lo
The Ultimate Act of Motherly Love
I recently visited the Karnes County Residential Center and the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, with the American Bar Association's Commission on Immigration and as a CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project volunteer. I have been going to jails and prisons for more than 25 yea
For Many, “Beautiful Honduras” Isn’t.
A couple of weeks ago, I read a piece in the Huffington Post quoting Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson saying that it's okay to deport kids to Honduras because it's “a beautiful country.“ Reading this ridiculous comment, I felt I had to share my knowledge of what is driving children to flee their
When the Narrative Shifts
I joined AILA's Executive Committee with quite a bit of media experience under my belt. One thing I've known for a long time is that the news cycle can turn on a dime and what you may have thought you'd be talking about with a reporter can change, sometimes mid-interview. As an example - AILA's [
Beirut and Paris, What Can We Do?
The recent events in Beirut, Baghdad and Paris have brought feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, and helplessness. While these feelings in the coming weeks may subside and take a backseat to the holiday season, they will not entirely go away. And, they shouldn't. The thought that there has to be
Scapegoating Refugees is Not the Solution
Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my mind, I live in constant fear. Many of us do. It's a natural reaction. Every day we step outside we are exposing ourselves to those things we fear. I fear a texting driver may hit my car. I fear a person with a gun could shoot up a […]
Building Bridges Rather than Walls
Congratulations to the people and elected representatives of San Diego. As many of us know in the immigration field, it is so easy for politicians, press and the public to demonize and scapegoat immigrants of all colors, creeds, and convictions. For years we have heard the loud cries to “build a bi
Warning: Content Not Safe for Your Peace of Mind
Ana was all of 11 days old when we met at the Berks Detention Center. She was not always the most cooperative client. I don't believe she even bothered to look at me in the two weeks she resided at the detention center. In fact her eyes didn't open at all. She had extremely poor […]
Babies in Jail
“What are they being detained for, spilling milk?“ Those are the words of my friend Dawn when I told her I was volunteering at “baby jail“ for the week. Something about her response struck a nerve with me. To every sane, reasonable person in the U.S., the thought of putting a baby in ja
The Un-American Nature of Prison Bed Quotas
It has never been easy to be an immigration attorney. Faced with combatting injustice without sufficient resources, those of us who represent detained immigrants have seen these challenges increase with the recent hyper-growth of the private prison industry (PPI): 1600% increase in the number of be
An Unforgivable Waste
It was not until I sat on the plane, notebook open, pen in hand, when it hit me. The emotion came; I felt the tightening in my throat and tears forming in the corners of my eyes. It was only now that I could allow myself to fully process what I had just finally witnessed […]
Protecting the Survivors
Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we wanted to take this opportunity to draw attention to the need for AILA member expertise to help survivors, the challenges involved, and also highlight some ways that immigration attorneys can make a huge difference by getting involved and offeri
I-140 Employment Card Rule Could Be a Winner for Both American and Immigrant Workers
It's no secret that the U.S. has shortages of workers in a variety of fields. Our immigration system seemingly provides a solution to the problem. If an employer is willing to undertake a complicated recruiting process where the position is advertised in a variety of places and the employer is willi
Dilley and Baseball
My recent trip to Dilley, Texas, was a joy, a pleasure, a treat. Not exactly what you would expect me to say in this piece, but in comparison to the hellhole that was Artesia, Dilley was refreshing. Maybe because of the great staff, the routine, the fact that there was not a major crisis the [R
Dilley as I Saw It, Part 2
Stefan Babich recently traveled to Dilley, Texas, to volunteer with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project. In this two-part blog post, he walks readers through his first day of volunteering and the mothers whose stories he heard. Click here to read Part 1. What is it like hearing the life stori
Dilley as I Saw It, Part 1
Stefan Babich recently traveled to Dilley, Texas, to volunteer with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project. In this two-part blog post, he walks readers through his first day of volunteering and the mothers whose stories he heard. To read Part 2, click here. What was it like, walking into Dilley
Only 5 Workdays Left for a Proposed STEM OPT Rule, but Don’t Panic
Ever since an August 12 court decision, technology companies, universities and foreign students have been eagerly waiting for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to republish a rule creating the “STEM OPT Extension,“ part of the Optional Practical Training program that provides foreign s
Can the Innocence of a Child Soften the Hearts of Anti-Immigrants?
Sophie Cruz became an instant celebrity when she approached Pope Francis's motorcade to hand him a letter begging him to help her keep her parents in the United States. Her message was simple, coming from a five-year-old, yet it carried more power and conviction than any of the hateful rhetoric tha
What I Learned in Dilley
I spent a week volunteering as an immigration lawyer at the ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas. It was a singular experience and I wanted to share some of what I learned. The detention center in Dilley opened after the 2014 “surge“ in immigrants from Central America crossing the U.S.
Seeing the Forest for the Trees in the Immigration Debate
U.S. immigration law is a myriad of statutes, regulations, policies, memos, practices and procedures which span a wide variety of practice areas. The immigration debate playing out in the media is largely focused on the refugee, humanitarian, and family-based areas of immigration law. But this is on
Another Tool in the Fight to End Family Detention
This wasn't the blog post that I planned on writing. I had intended to simply share some information about the release of the ABA Commission on Immigration's report on family detention, and will. But I was interrupted in my writing by the immediacy of what's happening on the ground (OTG) at the fami