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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Mexican Consulates Will Issue Birth Certificates…Starting Today!
A longtime struggle for many Mexican citizens living in the United States is the inability to access their birth records. Some may have been born in a state where they no longer have contacts and they struggle to acquire their birth certificate. In practice, this can definitely be a significant hu
New Yorkers Get New ID to Get Past the Velvet Rope
Clubs are synonymous with New York, and in order to get past the velvet rope, what do you need? Identification. It always helps to know somebody and have a lot of money, but I will curb the comparison of immigrating to the US with getting into Studio 54, lest someone think you can “bribe the […
‘Tis the Season – H-1B SEASON!
I'm surrounded by dry Christmas trees lying on the sidewalk, nobody is eating and drinking ridiculous amounts any more, and people are pretending to exercise as part of their New Year's resolutions - it must be H-1B season! For 2015, here we are again, with no increase in numbers to the H-1B cap (a
Starting Off the New Year
I promised myself that this year I would sleep in and not rush to my email and/or open my computer before I had my first cup of coffee. Sigh. At 6:45 a.m. on the first day of 2015 I had already broken my first resolution. Resolutions are the bane of many an existence right about […]
The Happiest Day Still Shadowed by Injustice
Yesterday was one of the happiest days in my life as an immigration lawyer. I'm helping out pro bono with clients at the Karnes Family Detention Center in Texas and yesterday Immigration Judge Glenn McPhaul granted a $1500 bond to my client from El Salvador and her 19 month old toddler. They've both
Building on a Shared Moment of Community to Move Forward
I was in the Copernicus Community Center last week, in the heart of Chicago's Polish community, when President Obama stood in front of a diverse crowd of Chicagoans and made his case in support of the executive actions he announced on November 20. There was energy, there was excitement, and there wa
The Business Related Provisions of the President’s Executive Action – A Call for Prompt Action
While the centerpiece of President Obama's courageous executive order is the provisions which grant employment authorization and provide protection from deportation for an estimated 4 million immigrants, important business-related immigration procedures were also part of this action. In a carefully
Action at Last
I watched with bated breath. I listened to President Obama make his last case for why administrative action was not just the right thing to do, it was the only thing to do. And I heard from him what his plans entailed. I read, amazed, the barrage of news reports and opinion pieces before, during, [&
Who Are We Turning Away?
A pregnant woman, separated from her husband in a time of regional conflict and instability, flees the central region of her country with a single suitcase and her 2 year old daughter and 1 year old son. The goal is to travel by train to the closest major southern land border in the hopes of […
National Inaction Leads to Local Legislation
On Friday, New York City's (NYC) Mayor Bill de Blasio signed local legislation, Introductions 486-A and 487-A, which will significantly restrict the city's cooperation with inappropriately broad federal immigration enforcement practices, except in instances where there are public safety concerns, i.
Administrative Action Wish List, Part 3
As immigration advocates we generally find ourselves in the position of trying to rationally explain rules and regulations that we personally find maddening. Maddening how? Well, come with me for a few moments as I sit down with “Muresh“ and discuss immigration rules with him. He's not real bu
Administrative Action Wish List, Part 2
During the past several presidential election cycles, politicians of all stripes have acknowledged that our immigration laws are antiquated and need reform. Unfortunately, for all of their bluster, nothing has been accomplished through Congress. Lacking Congressional action, the President announced
Administrative Action Wish List, Part 1
It's post-election time. Do you know what that means? It's time for some broad administrative action on immigration! No more broken promises. The more than decade-long delay in passing comprehensive immigration reform into law has had a significant and damaging toll on families, businesses, comm
What It Boils Down To
Well, pundits are hashing over what happened on Tuesday but here's what it boils down to: Republicans will have control of the Senate in the next Congress (at least 52-43), as well as strengthening their majority in the House (at least 243-175). A new Congress offers possibilities, offers the hope o
Latinos: History Proves Your Votes Can Make a Difference
Elections are just around the corner and given the likelihood that Republicans will take control of the Senate the Latino vote is more crucial than ever. But why would Latinos pass on voting this year? The answer: most are dissatisfied with President Obama's broken promises on immigration reform. I
Artesia: A Day in the Tour of Duty, Part 4
This is what you need to know: The due process violations are still going on in Artesia. While the nation's attention is on other concerns like Ebola and the mid-term elections, mothers and children are still being detained in Artesia and other facilities. The work of the Artesia Volunteer Heroes
Artesia: A Day in the Tour of Duty Part 3
*Some details have been changed to ensure privacy of clients. The rest of my day went like this: 2:45 pm. I return to the attorney's trailer. I prep two more clients for credible fear interviews taking place the next day. I meet with a young mother who belongs to the Maya Mam indigenous group in
Artesia: A Day in the Tour of Duty, Part 2
*Some details have been changed to ensure privacy of clients. The day continues: 10:00 am. I get notified the Immigration Judge is ready for another client's bond hearing. I quickly ask for my client and request to be escorted to the trailer housing the Immigration Court. As we are walking to the
Artesia: A Day in the Tour of Duty, Part 1
Note: Some details have been changed to ensure privacy of clients. There was no way for me to explain my time at Artesia in one blog post. Instead, I offer a look at one of the days I spent there in posts today, continuing over the next three days as well. I hope readers get a […]
Championing the Vulnerable
As an immigration lawyer from Vermont, I was thrilled to see the recent letter that Senate Judiciary Chairman Leahy (D-VT), one of my Senators, led the charge on. What does that letter to the Department of Homeland Security condemn? The heartless and inhumane expansion of family detention. It is app
Welcoming Brilliance to Our Shores
Birds do it, bees do it, even educated PhDs do it… In this case, I'm not referring to falling in love as in the popular song from the 1930s, but migrating. There are many aspects to what drives people to leave their country of birth and make a new country home. When people rail against [R
Karnes is a Disgrace
Let me begin with this: We, as lawyers, have to be careful not to let our emotions cloud judgment. But I must say my trip to Karnes Detention Center this past weekend brought to the forefront of my consciousness a number of strong emotions which cannot be ignored. I saw there the faces of detained [
A Look Into Karnes
AILA member Ruby Powers volunteered at the Karnes detention facility recently; her experience inspired her to write an article which will be available in full soon on AILA's volunteer resource page. Excerpts from the piece are below: “I would like to echo the sentiments expressed by other attorneys
A Shameful Chapter in Our History
The family detention center known as the “T. Don Hutto Residential Center“ opened in May 2006. Most of the families previously housed at this residential center, like those currently housed at the Artesia and Karnes Detention Centers, were families awaiting adjudication of their asylum claim
Artesia Kaleidoscope
The three weeks are a kaleidoscope of shifting images: visual, auditory, sensory, and emotional. From 90 degree heat to heavy, cold, rain and flash flooding. It hadn't occurred to me to bring sweaters to the New Mexico desert. Apparently it hadn't occurred to the U.S. government either, as many of t